how-to boot into linux after installing Windows on top of it.
 

I have RedHat Linux installed.Now I install Windows-98.But now i can't boot into Linux.
If i first install Windows-98 and then Linux then there is no problem,grub allows me to boot into any OS,but if i first install linux and then install Windows-98 i cant boot into linux.Can u plz let me know why this happens and how to solve this problem.

-rbh

how-to boot into linux after installing Windows on top of it.
 

Hello,

The way you install Win - Lnx : linux is the last to modify the MBR (Master Boot Record) and with the new linux, you hae grub or lilo that propose you to boot both OS.

If you install Lnx - Win : Windows rewrite the MBR of the disk and it's M$ OS so it want to be first and only to boot the computer.

If you want to install Lnx before windows, you can make a backup of the MBR before windows install but I recommand you to first install Windows and after install the Linux.

The best is to only install Linux. :)
--
free_ouyo

STFW 1337 5934|<3R
 

Nice 1337 sp34k at the end there, anyways you need to either use your Redhat CD to re-install GRUB (I don't know if it has that option, however), or, the better long-term solution, download a light-weight LiveCD like Damn Small Linux and install GRUB that way. My LiveCD of choice is Kate OS II because of the great hardware support.

Correction: Redhat does has a recovery mode, there are discussions all over this forum about using it, no need to duplicate what the search function will return. Good luck! A GRUB Boot CD is an incredible tool to have when you get your boot working.

Re: STFW 1337 5934|<3R
 

I'll have to agree to that.
But since this thread is already active I guess I'll add to the redundancy.

What you need to do is install GRUB -- GRand Unified Bootloader. There are many ways to do this like using a GRUB Boot CD or a live CD

However you have one more way out :
Boot from your first RedHat Linux CD (the same version which you've installed and not any other)
It'll ask you what to do like
a) To install or upgrade in text mode press linux text hit enter
b) To install or upgrade in Graphical mode hit enter etc........,

Instead of all this type "linux rescue" (without the quotes) and hit enter. By doing this you will enter the rescue mode. You'll be prompted to select your language and keyboard type. Then It'll ask if you wanted to open the network interfaces on this system. Select no here.
It will then search for any existing Linux OS' on the system and mount them under /mnt/sysimage. You'll then be provided with a shell and the system will reboot after you exit out of the shell.

When you enter the shell do this :
chroot /mnt/sysimage (hit enter)
grub-install /dev/hda (hit enter)

Here I assume your hardisk has been recognized as /dev/hda. If you are not sure type fdisk -l to find out what your hardisk is.
Try this out and tell us what happened. If you want some more explanations we'll be glad to be of service.

Hope this helps !

Thanks koodoo for your valuable suggestion.I followed the steps you mentioned and was able to install grub & boot into linux as before.
Thank u once again...

-rbh

My pleasure :)

it's curious, when you try to configure the LILO, it's not so difficult to make entries for another OS to load... but in windows 2000 it's almost impossible (unless your other OS is another Windows)... Damn Micro$

Windows doesn't recognize ext2, ext3, or reiser; that might be the biggest problem in creating Linux entires in the NTLDR, or prior versions of Windows boot loaders.

i see...

I was thinking that when the boot process begin the loader just look to the desired partition, thanks for the data.

Hi,

Installed FedoraCore4 after installing WinXP. Chose "...First sector of boot partition".

Grub doesn't load.

Followed Ed's Software Guide on Linux (http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux...w2k-HOWTO.html)
but grub just hangs.

Any other resources you guys can point me to will be much appreciated..

Thanx!

Love Linux. If I can just get it to boot... :)

Hi, you need to install grub in the MBR (Master Boot Record). Now you'll have to rescue your linux. Follow the procedure as mentioned in my earlier post (use your FC4 first CD), and tell us what happened.

Hope this helps!

thanks alot. i'll do that now...

uhm, do i have to unconfigure or uninstall grub first because when i followed the howto mentioned above i installed grub to /dev/hdb1 which is /boot

also do i now install grub to my first hard drive on which windows is installed?

thanx

Hi, You need to install grub on the MBR of the primary hardisk (hda). Personally, I have never used grub with multiple hardisks. After you re-install grub, I think you might have problems while booting into windoze. We'll sort that out later.
First you try rescuing linux and installing grub on the MBR of the primary hardisk. You'll have to take a little risk here, coz I myself have never tried this stuff, although I'm suggesting this after searching these forums and google for using grub with multiple hardisks.

Hope this helps!

sooo easy isn't it? :D

thanx alot koodoo. everything she's OK!

my first time on fedora. man, was it a pretty site to see it boot up. dual boot also works fine now.

i've tried so many things to get this to work, it's a miracle that everything is still in tact :) i've learnt alot about grub and how linux boots in these past few days.

thanx again!!