grub can find grub.conf, how do i make it permanent?
 

allow me to explain... running dual boot XP and linux on two drives (XP primary, FC5 secondary). when the computer boots up, i get the grub command shell. i can successfully boot both FC5 and winXP using command line commands, but don't want to do that every time i turn on the computer. so, the reason it isn't going into a graphical menu is that grub can't find grub.conf (because grub is on MBR, WinXP drive and grub.conf is on secondary drive). this can be remedied with command:

grub>configfile(hd1,0)/grub/grub.conf

and the grub menu appears.

but how do i make that permanent, so that i can always get the menu first? thanks

perhaps if i move grub to the windows drive? but how?

Grub doesn't care which disk holds the MBR, and which disk holds the rest of grub. It's all in the grub config file. On some distros, is called grub.cong; on others it menu.lst. Both files are found in /boot/grub. With FC, I beleive the correct file is /boot/grub/grub.conf. Regardless of the file name, the format is the same.

So, let's see your grub.conf.

PS. Boot FC, then from the console, type 'grub' (sans quotes), then enter 'find /boot/grub/stage1' to see where grub finds the rest of itself. Then edit grub.conf to show that location. It should take care of your lack of a grub menu on startup.

grub.conf
 

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd1,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
#hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp.img
title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1


couldn't find the stage1 file you mentioned... thanks for help by the way. any other ideas?

wait, tried just:

grub>find /grub/stage1

and got

(hd1,0)

so it's on the FC5 drive

Reboot and at the grub prompt, type:
It should then boot normally.

Oops, forgot to leave the Grub Manual reference: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...-GRUB-natively

if i weren't too busy dancing at the frayed feet of this gordian knot, i would grace this forum with a tinny MIDI choir singing praise WhatsHisName in the highest.
THANK YOU BOTH
grub booted PERFECTLY
now i just have to do that to 6 more computers... hehe.

So that grub never leaves you out in the cold, be sure to make a grub boot floppy (or a grub boot USB flash drive): http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...UB-boot-floppy

That way, you can always get grub configured in the MBR when the installer (meaning Anaconda, not you) screws it up.