Let MBR Control or move Grub2 from initial boot sequence?
 

New to Linux. Loaded a multi-partition system test bed for my circumstances. First XP, Win7, then Ubuntu with swap. All will share a General Data Partition. All works great. On boot, Grub 2 controls and permits return to Win 7 where I can opt for Win7 or "Older." I used EasyBCD to modify the MBR so it includes Ubuntu as a third choice. This works as predicted and will return control to Grub 2.

On reboot, system goes directly to Grub2 instead of MBR.

How do I assign the initial control and direction to MBR instead of Grub 2?

Did I miss something when installing Ubuntu or must I remove and reinstall?

Thanks

WHenderson
hoteon@gmail.com

Ya I think you trashed your initial work when letting Ubunto do it's thing.

You should have either NOT let Ubuntuo installed grub... so you need to go back and redo your initial work with the special mbr program.

No, it doesn't. In fact that is impossible. If you are not using a GPT system then when your system boots it goes to the mbr which is on sector one of your hard drive and outside any partitions. The BIOS goes to the mbr. If you have your Grub code there, it goes to the Ubuntu partition with the rest of the Grub files.

You need to read more on how bootloaders work for starters.
You need to decide whether you want the windows code in the mbr or the Linux Ubuntu code.
If I understand your post, you had Grub from Ubuntu in the mbr pointing to its boot files on the Ubuntu partition which included an entry for windows. Is that correct? If so, what was the purpose of using EasyBCD, as your post seems to indicate you switched to. EasyBCD modifies the boot file on windows and can be used to install part of its code to the mbr.

If you put windows code in the mbr from EasyBCD, I would suggest you take another look at EasyBCD and see what the default boot system is. If you want EasyBCD to boot windows and Grub, you need to re-check the EasyBCD entries because something went wrong.

Are you able to boot anything? If so, what? You may need to download and run the bootinfoscript to get more info if modifying EasyBCD doesn't work.

So is there an entry in grub for both wins installations?
If so are they both booting?