Problems booting with GRUB on RH 7.3/ Win XP Dual Boot
 

Hi,
I'm completely new to Linux and am trying to set up a dual boot system with Windows XP and Red Hat 7.3 . I have a Dell Dimension 8200 with a 80 gig primary HD set to master with Windows XP installed on it and a 40 gig second HD set to slave. I installed Red Hat Linux 7.3 on the second (slave) drive. I used GRUB and installed it into the MBR. I created a boot disk during setup and Linux boots and runs perfect when booting from the floppy. The problem is when I simply turn on the computer and try to boot regularly. It says GRUB in the top left hand corner of the screen and there is a blinking cursor next to it. I've heard of people being unable to boot into either windows or linux, but never something like this where GRUB doesn't show up. Any help would be appreciated.

-= Dan =-

The following is the contents of /etc/grub.conf which I've tried editing:

# 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/hdb2
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-3)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-3 ro root=/dev/hdb2 hdd=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.18-3.img
title Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

Sorry buddy, if this were lilo, I could help. But I found a how-to for you over at the LDP.

nevermind

Boot into linux using your boot disk, then as root run
grub-install --root-directory=/boot /dev/hda.
I think this will work. Yours is a little more complicated because you have a separate /boot partition. So, the ' --root-directory=/boot ' is supposed to take care of that. I hope.

Thanks for the info.

I gave up and was about ready to try reinstalling with another method. I ran a fixmbr to get into Windows so now the system simply boots to windows but i can still boot linux with the floppy. The line that you gave me will still work since i'm just reinstalling GRUB, right?

Yes, it just reinstalls grub. I hope it works. I've never had to deal with a separate /boot partition before.

Well I gave it a try and it didn't work. I got an error 21 so I did a fixmbr. I'm currently booting Linux with a floppy and I'm about to give up. Is it possible for me to install and configure GRUB on a floppy and make sure it works before i throw it into the MBR? Thanks for the help.

Run grub-install '(fd0)' to make a grub boot floppy. If that doesn't work, try grub-install /dev/fd0.

The error 21 is from the stage2 loader and it means:

I had the exact same problem and just figured it out.

Win XP on hard drive 1, just installed Red Hat 8.0 on drive 2 and chose to install grub. At first, same issue...just the word "grub" in the top left, nothing would respond, but could load Red Hat great with boot disk. I did the command-line reinstall of grub and would then get Error 21 every time, same as you.

The problem was in the BIOS. The way my BIOS setup works, "Primary Drive 0" was set up as my hard drive 1 (was always this way). "Primary Drive 1" was set up as "OFF". All I had to do was change this to "AUTO", reboot, and I was taken right to the graphical OS loader screen and it's loading both OS's without a hitch. Error 21 refers to grub not knowing the second hard drive exists by working through the BIOS...just give BIOS a chance to find that second drive and grub will be happy.

There are many different BIOS setups and the syntax is different with all of them. Some don't even give the option of designating a second (or third) hard drive. Hopefully your system realtively new and has these options. If not, you could try to update the sofware from your PC manufacturer to see if that helps (assuming you have a brand name machine).

Hope this helps.