I want to set up a multiboot PC, but can't get Win NT 4 to start when using GRUB in Red Hat 9

I set up the partitions so that I could multiboot several MS operating
systems plus Red Hat Linux 9
/dev/hda0 win NT
/dev/hda1 linux root
/dev/hda2 win XP
/dev/hda3 extended partition
/dev/hda7 win 98
/dev/hda8 DOS

The remaining various Linux file systems were set to be in logical partitions in the extended partition

Using Partition Magic 6, I was able to install win NT and win XP and get them to start by changing the active partition. Win NT was installed
direct from the CD without any Service Pack upgrades, as the intention
was to put these on once the multiboot was in place

Then I installed RH9 which put GRUB into /dev/hda - I read conflicting articles that suggested that GRUB should/should not go in /dev/hda, so in the end decided to install at /dev/hda - I believe this is known as the Master Boot Record

I rebooted the PC which displayed the expected boot menu
Both win XP and RH 9 start correctly, but win NT does not boot

When NT is selected from the boot menu, I get the following:
1) I first get the OS loader screen with the timeout to start
2) I next get a couple of blue screens with displays similar to
NT Version 4
1 System Processor [ 512M ]
3) Then I get a full blue screen of diagnostics, but the salient line
is probably:
*** STOP:
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE


The hardware is:
Motherboard AOpen MK79G-1394
Processor AMD ATHLON XP2800+ 333MHZ FSB 512Cache L2 Cache CPU Barton - OEM
Amd Xp3200+ Air Cool Copper Base + 3 Point Clip
Memory Crucial 512 DDR333 PC2700 DIMM
Hard drive Hitachi 7K250 Deskstar 160gb ATA100 7200rpm 8mb Cache - OEM


Has anyone else had this and fixed it ?

Thanks for any help

post your grub.conf. , it's found in /boot

Tamsco

Sorry for delay - have been away for a few days
Here is grub.conf:

[root@localhost /]# more /boot/grub/grub.conf
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda2
# initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=1
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
password --md5 $1$29GA5mFs$yqr7XLKgtVMapTDZI1fk00
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.20-8)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20-8 ro root=LABEL=/
initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.20-8.img
title WINNT
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
title WINXP
rootnoverify (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
title DOS
rootnoverify (hd0,7)
chainloader +1
title WIN98
rootnoverify (hd0,6)
chainloader +1
[root@localhost /]#


Thanks for any help you can offer

Geoff Hartnell

I've tried a few other things for a solution, but as yet no joy - still get INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE when starting win NT4 from GRUB

a) tried adding various combinations of
unhide (hd0,0)
hide (hd0,2)
makeactive
into grub.conf, but these made no difference

b) the post at
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bu.../msg00165.html
suggests that GRUB needs a change to the first instruction of the 'stage1' file
This applies to RH7.3 with NT4 SP3
I have RH9 and NT SP1 (because I'd planned to upgrade after I had the boot menu)

Does anyone know if this problem has been fixed in RH9 - if not, how do I make this change ?
Does anyone know if I can / need to get NT 4 upto SP6 before I can get GRUB to start NT4
If I can get NT4 to start on SP1, will I be able to upgrade to SP6 without screwing the GRUB start ?

Any help on this will be much appreciated
Thanks

The URL about a GRUB tweak got lost during the copy - it should be:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bu.../msg00165.html

Any help appreciated

Thanks

hda0???

Here's the partition table from fdisk -l /dev/hda

Disk /dev/hda: 164.6 GB, 164696555520 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 20023 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 510 4096543+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 511 1020 4096575 83 Linux
/dev/hda3 1021 2040 8193150 17 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda4 2041 20023 144448447+ f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5 2041 7140 40965718+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda6 7141 7268 1028128+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda7 7269 7396 1028128+ 1b Hidden Win95 FAT32
/dev/hda8 7397 7524 1028128+ 16 Hidden FAT16
/dev/hda9 7525 7786 2104483+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/hda10 7787 13523 46082421 83 Linux
/dev/hda11 13524 14798 10241406 83 Linux
/dev/hda12 14799 16073 10241406 83 Linux
/dev/hda13 16074 18623 20482843+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda14 18624 20023 11245468+ 83 Linux

WIN NT is on the first parition, linux root (contains /boot) is on the second partition, Win XP is on the third partition

What was the significance of the previous post ?
hda0???