Dual boot Win 7 / linux problem after setting active partition in Windows
 

Hello guys,

I have dual boot configuration on my computer for a few years now. The order of installation was the following:
1. first installation of windows 7
2. installation of open suse linux.

Since linux was second OS, it installed Grub loader so since then I have boot my computer via Grub loader where I had a menu to choose between linux and windows.

Because of this, it was not possible for me to install SP1 and I didn't care. However today I had to install SP1 since one third party software that I want to use under windows requires win7 SP1.

So, I have found one so called ]url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/quick-fix-for-windows-7-sp1-installation-errors/]quick fix[/utl] for my SP1 installation problem.

So I set my System reserved partition in Windows as active and after that after restart the computer, it now boots directly in windows without any menu or similar. Of course, this solved my original problem and I managed to install SP1 and the wanted software after that, but new problem emerged because now I have no option to bot into linux.

So my question now is how to create boot menu? I don't know where Grub was installed but I think I have overwritten it by setting system reserved partition in windows disk management as active one.

I know I have to be careful in order not to screw up my computer's boot.

Thank you for any advices.

Running update-grub would likely help. This article explains how: http://howtoubuntu.org/how-to-repair...ubuntu-live-cd

Note that the article relates to Grub 2 and Ubuntu, but Grub instructions are generic. If by chance you have Grub 1 installed, a web search for "update-grub grub 1" should turn up the instructions.

Thank you frankbell, but I was thinking about other solution such as to configure windows loader to give me option to boot linux. The real question is whether grub overwritten or placed somewhere else.
Becaue of dual boot I didn't have problem only with installing updates but also hibernation mode of windows didn't work.

I was thinking to use software like easy bcd but not sure whether my grub loader is deleted by seeting system reserved partition as aactive.

When I used EasyBCD to do this, it required the Linux bootloader to be installed into the partition itself. In your case it will have been installed into the MBR which the SP1 install will have erased.
So I would expect you won't (easily) be able to setup the dual-boot under Windows - unless EasyBCD has been updated since I used it.

FWIW, I also did this primarily so I could use Windows hibernation, but I eventually stopped as I use Windows so rarely (I went back to grub on that laptop).

So the best approach for me would be to find live boot suse CD and to install grub in order to access my for the time-being lost OS and its data? Could I try something with open suse installation DVD?

download SuperGrub2 burn it to a USB stick it will save your life (almost) it will get you into Linux so you can re-install Grub and put things back the way they're suppose to be.

if you cannot burn it to usb stick in window, then get Linux Live usb and use dd method while you're running in that OS - that will require 2 USB Sticks

I think the OP wants to retain the Win loader in the MBR.Either should work - you just need chroot access to the installed system. Run grub-install with --force specifying the partition rather than than the device node. You will get warnings re the use of blocklists. After that EasyBCD should find the code it needs to chain the SUSE install.
The issue with blocklist is that they are location dependant - if they move (say a defrag) grub will fail. Simple fix is to do likewise again. I haven't had any issue doing this - it was much more common using grub classic; the warning for grub2 puts people off.