Dual boot winxp and redhat 7.2 2 drives

Hello all!!

I have 2 drives on my system master is a 40gig with winxp home on it and the other is a 19 gig that i have installed Redhat 7.2 on but have not been able to boot up redhat. i used grub for the loader but to no avail! I have tried booting from the boot disk that i created but i get the error message saying could not load DOS press key to retry! I am a newbie to Linux but know more then my share of DOS. any info on my problem would be greatly appreciated

thanks

JOC

joc208@rogers.com

Welcome, let's see if we can eliminate some things and narrow down what your problem might be.

1. You told us what isn't happening (good description, by the way)--how about what is? When you turn on your machine, what are you getting?

2. Is XP still working? If so, what does it think is on your second drive?

3. Were there any problems during the install? Your note reads like it installed fine and never booted afterwards--is that correct?

4. Where did you install Grub? Did you put it in the MBR?

5. Did you use Red Hat CDs or downloaded ones? What dual boot instructions did you use--the ones from the installation manual?

Now,

IF XP is booting with the same screens it always has (and maybe a little slower), and

IF the install went normally but Red Hat has never booted, and

IF you're not sure where you put Grub, and

IF you want your computer to present you with a Grub screen giving you the choice between Linux and XP

Your problem isn't overly difficult--you probably didn't have the install program put Grub in the MBR, which is where it will need to be. Not sure why the floppy didn't work, tho.

Try this: Go to the Red Hat website, Support and Documents section and get yourself a copy of the 7.2 Installation Guide. In it are instruction for setting up a dual boot system--read them before continuing.

Next, reinstall RH, this time putting Grub in the MBR.

Here's another freebie: When you get it up and running, there is a common problem RH had with this release--after install, it no longer recognizes the CD-ROM. Simple fix. Open up a terminal window (the Linux equivalent of a DOS window in Windows). Enter each of these commands:

su -
<password>
depmod -ae

The first command is switch user, with the dash being shorthand for root. The next line is putting in your root password. depmod verifies/fixes all of the dependencies in your Linux system. It is a one time fix and your CD-ROM will work great from then on out.

Good luck

HOLY LONG WINDED!!!!

but that is good!!

ok lets see

first off i will tell you i got redhat installed but i had no access to winxp? it was not one of my options when i get the redhat screen that asks me which OS i want to run!! is there a "hot hey" to get the windows option?

The first time round i did not install grub into the MBR but the second time round i did! hence what has happend now! since then i have reinstalled windows so that i can have acces to it! i have not restarted windows since though ( had to go to work ) my drive which redhat is installed on does not show up in windows ( expected ) as for not having access to mt CD-rom i still had access from what i can tel ( from a boot stand point at least! ) in linux i did not even try! i installed redhat off CD's. i have D/L the manual but neglected to read up on dual boot. just zipped through the install!

went home at lunch!

restartd my computer and it will only boot into windows again!

so i will read up on dual booting tonight and go from there but any info you have i will take it!!

Okay, what you are doing is continually overwriting the MBR (Master Boot Record). Windows does this automatically. The reason Windows did not show up in your Linux boot loader is XP uses an NTFS files system that even current versions of Linux have problems with. When you have one of the Linux boot loader installed, you will need to edit the configuration file and add it--much simpler than it sounds.

First, download the Red Hat Installation Guide PDF file for your version from this sight (it will be under Red Hat 7.2--scroll down until you get there--and it is the first file: x86 Installation Guide):

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/

If you haven't read this, it is packed full of good information, as are all the rest of their guides. Boot loader options start on page 54.

When you are ready, you will need to do two things. The first is reload the Grub boot loader (If you used LILO, the instructions will be different, but Grub is the default so I'll explain it). Hopefully, you made a boot disk while you had Linux up and running.

While you are digesting the installation guide and these instructions, you can load Linux with the boot disk. Boot if from the floppy. Want XP? Take the floppy out. This would drive me crazy, but for a couple of days it won't be too bad.

Anyway, boot from the floppy and log in as root. If this starts up your Window Manager, open a Terminal (should be an icon on the left side of the menu bar that looks like a monitor screen). If you cannot find a terminal, press Crtl-Alt-F1. Hold the Control and Alt keys while pressing the F1 key--this will take you character-based log in--do this again as root. From either the terminal window or the prompt, type this command:

grub-install /dev/hda

Change directory to /boot/grub directory by typing:

cd /boot/grub

Edit the grub configuration file and add Windows XP:

pico grub.conf

At the bottom of the file (use the arrow keys to scroll down there), add:

title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

Save the file with Crtl-O (hold the Control key and press the letter O).
Exit the program with Crtl-X

Now shutdown the computer and remove the floppy:

shutdown -h now

After it has shutdown and you have removed the floppy, reboot the computer. You should have both options available to you, with Red Hat being the default. Make sure they both work.

If, for some reason, you are not satisfied with the results and want to get back to just an XP system booting, put your Windows boot disk (the one you made during the installation) in and boot from it. When you get to a DOS prompt, type this:

fdisk /mbr

This will merely replace the MBR with the Windows boot loader and take you back to where you are right now.

Sources of info:

www.google.com - search for Windows NT Dual Boot (XP is an NT system)

The search button at the top with the same entry. Also, try searching for Grub and NT, etc.

Good luck

Oops--forgot the best reference!

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/mini/Linux+WinNT.html

If you are not familiar with The Linux Documentation Project's website, take a look at it--very useful.

http://www.tldp.org/

JoC, the best bet is to simply....Have installed Windows on your first Drive.. FIRST, then....you can install Redhat on your second drive, and towards the END of the INSTALLATION of Redhat, it will ask you what boot Loader you want to use, either

Lilo or grub

just choose Lilo. Then, on the window below, it will give you 2 options, One is for Windows and one is for Linux

You need to input the NAME of your Windows Parition, ie. Winxp

If you don't Label it, in that window, then Windows wont show up in the Boot menu.
so, don't forget to label the Parition, good luck.

well debug i tried your suggestion. i have winXP showing up but i can not boot into it. so far reading the install guide i have only found stuff i already know or stuff that i have already done! I have not tried using Lilo yet but i am gonna go that route and see what happens from there! zlinuxz I do have windows installed on the first drive and i have linux installed on the second like i said i have not tried lilo yet but i am gonna see if that will do it. i wll try and get back tonight with an update !!

just got home did a reinstall of red hat and............................

zlinuxz you hit the nail on the head with the comment " if you do not label it it will not show up! " as soon as i seen that during the install i almost kicked myself!!


everything is golden now!!

thanks for all of your help guys! me being a nube and all i am sure you will see my face in and out of here for the next little bit

again thanks muchly gents ( and ladies if one of yous happens to be one! )

hehe, Cheers!!!,

glad to hear you are rocking in Linux now,