Solution Dual Boot Windows & Linux [ALL DONE IN WINDOWS] No Linux terminology

Download mbrwiz.exe -google it

Assuming Linux is installed in the slave drive
Disk=0 (master drive)
Disk=1 (slave drive)

Replace A: with Flash USB drive F: (in necessary)

!!!!IT's ONLY TWO STEPS!!!!!!!

LET’S GO

1. Save the Linux Bootsector to a file
C:\>mbrwiz /disk=1 /save=C:\Linuxboot_filename.lnx

2. EDIT BOOT.INI

i.Backup
C:\>copy boot.ini a:

ii. Edit
C:\boot.ini

Example,

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=signature(eb86f6dd)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
signature(eb86f6dd)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\Linuxboot_filename.lnx="Anyname here" (Add this line)

end of example

Now Restart Windows

I noticed after playing with the mbrwiz that making backups of the bootsectors with mbrwiz is not needed.


I'm tired of these Linux Members who no longer uses Windows bash my alternative method. I made a in-depth step by step instructions and I'm tired of dealing with senior members who hate windows. This is not complex it's only 2 steps. I added the backup and checks for security but it confuses the senior members.

All i did was try to help newbies who might find Lilo or grub confusing just respect my alternative way i never said windows is better than linux so stop bashing this method. I had emails of people who love and prefer this alternative method.

Great tutorial, thanks. I have noticed a fair few people who have problems with dual boot, so this will be useful. I suggest making it a sticky.

I have SUSE and XP
I was unable to get NTLDR to boot properly... had to install GRUB on MBR
I think my problem is with my second drive.......
My \dev\hdb6 is "\" directory...........boot is /dev/hdb6.....but "\boot" directory

Does anyone know if this would cause my boot problem with NTLDR? SInce when I make my file and copy it to
C:\ its pointing at "\" not "\boot"?

Can I make a new mount point just to "\boot"?
Will this Program help?

/dev/hdb6 41253584 5963640 35289944 15% /
tmpfs 318828 0 318828 0% /dev/shm
/dev/hda2 34488716 8899456 25589260 26% /windows/C
/dev/hdb1 35840980 8589688 27251292 24% /windows/D


?

No offense, but this looks way more complex. IMO a user entering the world of linux had better be prepared to learn the terminology to some degree. But if this works better for some people, then by all means, use it.

This version is revised to let other know that Lilo or Grub is not needed.
Lilo or Grub does not need to be configured.

by using the following command C:\>mbrwiz /list

C:\>mbrwiz /list
Note: Results
MBRWiz - Version 1.52 for Windows XP/2K/PE November 13, 2003
Copyright (c) 2002-2003 Roger Layton

Disk: 0 Size= 76G
Pos MBRndx Type/Name Size Active Hide Start Sector Sectors
--- ------ ---------- ---- ------ ---- ------------ ------------
0 0 07-NTFS 76G Yes No 63 156,280,257

Disk: 1 Size= 38G
Pos MBRndx Type/Name Size Active Hide Start Sector Sectors
--- ------ ---------- ---- ------ ---- ------------ ------------
0 0 83-Linux 6.0G Yes No 63 12,284,937
1 1 05-FAT16x 32G No No 12,285,000 65,889,180

End of example



As long as there is a "Yes" in the Active it will boot.

I have done everything exactly and I even get the select option at start-up. But when I select Linux, it doesn't go anywhere. What could have gone worng??
I have 120GB HD as Primery Master and 80GB HD as Primery Slave. 120 has Windows XP installed and I just installed Redhat Linux 9 on 80GB HD.( I have done the installation in text mode (GRUB) and selected to place the boot record on my 80GB HD. The other option presented was to place it in MBR on the 120GB HD - I wonder if this has some negative effect) and I am unable to boot in to Linux. When I use C:\>mbrwiz /list it lists the following.

MBRWiz - Version 1.53 for Windows XP/2K/PE August 23, 2004
Copyright (c) 2002-2004 Roger Layton software@bigr.net

Disk: 0 Size=153G
Pos MBRndx Type/Name Size Active Hide Start Sector Sectors
--- ------ ---------- ---- ------ ---- ------------ ------------
0 0 07-NTFS 40G Yes No 63 81,915,372
1 1 0F-EXTEND 113G No No 81,915,435 230,645,205

Disk: 1 Size= 76G
Pos MBRndx Type/Name Size Active Hide Start Sector Sectors
--- ------ ---------- ---- ------ ---- ------------ ------------
0 0 83-Linux 101M Yes No 63 208,782
1 1 82-LxSwap 2.0G No No 208,845 4,192,965
2 2 83-Linux 74G No No 4,401,810 151,894,575

Disk: 2 Size=243M
Pos MBRndx Type/Name Size Active Hide Start Sector Sectors
--- ------ ---------- ---- ------ ---- ------------ ------------
0 0 0B-FAT32 244M Yes No 32 501,728


I know next to nothing about Linux and just started learning, and very much appriciate your advice.

Reply to : abbyrovenn

Please post the bootsector for the linux drive that you saved and the boot.ini data.

It's possible the bootsector wasn't saved.
I need to see the file to confirm that.

The following command:
C:\>mbrwiz /showfile=A:\Linuxboot_filename.lnx

What about installing grub or lilo to /dev/fd0, then:
dd if=/dev/fd0 of=/dev/fd0/linux.bin bs=512 count=1

NOTE: the line above does not work. The correct format is:
dd if=/dev/fd0 of=/path-to-fd0-mountpoint/floppy/linux.bin bs=512 count=1

Reboot to Windows, copy linux.bin to C:\ and edit boot.ini (hidden,read-only):
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
C:\linux.bin="My Favorite Linux"

If your kernel configuration changes:
For LILO, always update the boot floppy and linux.bin on C:\.
For GRUB, always update the boot floppy, but linux.bin on C:\ is usually OK.

This has become my preferred choice on my Dell C840 ever since I loaded GRUB to the MBR and "broke" Windows boot.
(Subsequently fixed with "fdisk /mbr" from a DOS boot disk. Do you know how hard it is to find a DOS boot disk these days?)

Timothy.

Hi DSargeant...

Thanks for the quick response. Following are the contents of the boot sector which is on my C Drive.

C:\>mbrwiz/showfile=C:\Linuxboot_record.lnx

MBRWiz - Version 1.53 for Windows XP/2K/PE August 23, 2004
Copyright (c) 2002-2004 Roger Layton software@bigr.net

Displaying contents of MBR from file:
C:\Linuxboot_record.lnx

Pos MBRndx Type/Name Size Active Hide Start Sector Sectors
--- ------ ---------- ---- ------ ---- ------------ ------------
0 0 83-Linux 101M Yes No 63 208,782
1 1 82-LxSwap 2.0G No No 208,845 4,192,965
2 2 83-Linux 74G No No 4,401,810 151,894,575

-------------------------------------------------------

and following is the entry in my boot.ini

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\Linuxboot_record.lnx="REDHAT LINUX"

P.S There isn't any file named boot.ini in my C drive. I had to access it through Mycomputer-->Properties-->Advanced-->Setup and recovery settings-->Edit

Originally Posted by Bluenoser No offense, but this looks way more complex. IMO a user entering the world of linux had better be prepared to learn the terminology to some degree. But if this works better for some people, then by all means, use it.

I am with you on this one, this process looks way more complex then modifying Grub or whatever boot loader in Linux.

Reply to: abbyrovenn

Solution 1:

1. Activate the swap partition
C:\mbrwiz /disk=1 /inactive=0
C:\mbrwiz /disk=1 /active=1

2. Now save the new bootsector with the swap partition active

Confirm the following

Pos MBRndx Type/Name Size Active Hide Start Sector Sectors
--- ------ ---------- ---- ------ ---- ------------ ------------
0 0 83-Linux 101M No No 63 208,782
1 1 82-LxSwap 2.0G Yes No 208,845 4,192,965
2 2 83-Linux 74G No No 4,401,810 151,894,575


3. edit boot.ini with the new bootsector file


4. restart


Solution 2:

1. Re-install Redhat Linux chose to install the boot loader into the MBR
2. Follow the step-by-step procedure “Solution Dual Boot Windows & Linux”


Advance Guarantee Solution 1:

1. Disconnect the master drive then make the slave drive master
2. install Linux into the new master drive chose to install the bootloader to the mbr (if the option is available)
3. restart and confirm that the drive is bootable by restarting with only the linux drive connected.
4. Reconnect the original master drive (windows)
5. change the new master drive back to the slave drive (linux)
6. Restart …the CPU should boot to Windows and bypass lilo or grub by default
7. Follow the step-by-step procedure “Solution Dual Boot Windows & Linux”


Note to existing members:

To members who are not using windows as your main OS. When windows is your main OS and your master drive. LILO or grub are sometimes bypass by windows bootloader without the fdisk /mbr. So it’s difficult to access Linux to use the dd command.

The following is a great simple solution but if you can’t boot into linux after installing linux it’s useless

What about installing grub or lilo to /dev/fd0, then:
dd if=/dev/fd0 of=/dev/fd0/linux.bin bs=512 count=1

Reboot to Windows, copy linux.bin to C:\ and edit boot.ini (hidden,read-only):
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
C:\linux.bin="My Favorite Linux"

The Option 1 failed due to some kind of problem in my installation. It was apparently figured, when I tried to make my Linux Drive as Master and boot it. So I have installed it again, and placed the boot sector in the MBR. and now it works. I have 2 concerns though.

1. If I take away my Linux Drive, I suppose I will still be prompt at the start up for OS selection. Is there a way around this problem without having Windows XP reinstalled?.

2. I need to share files between my Windows, which has NTFS and my Linux Hard drives. I saw in this site that FAT32 partitions can be shared between these two OS without much trouble. Are there any negative effects of having different file allocation systems on a single drive?. And what are the chances of setting up samba in the current situation? (Windows Drive - NTFS and Linux - ext3)

And Thanks guys for the support and advice given. Without you guys,
I'd still be struggling with the installation CDs.

I don't understand your 2 concerns it's probably how it's stated.


Is your master drive Linux or windows?

Which solution option did you try?

I don't know much about sharing NTFS files with Linux as far as I know it's not compatible. However, you can get around this by using a Flash USB drive (FAT16) to transfer files from Windows NTFS to Linux.

I took your 2nd Solution which is installing the boot loader to MBR. I didn't proceed with rest of the instructions, since GRUB was installed & working and the OS selection was presented at the start up.

My HDD configurations are as follows.

Primary Master - Windows XP, 160GB, 4 Partitions, all NTFS.
Primary Slave - Linux Redhat 9, 80GB, '/' as ext3 (which is abt 76GB and in which I was thinking of creating another partition of FAT32 for file sharing purposes.)

Q1.If I take away my Linux Drive, I suppose I will still be prompt at the start up for OS selection. Is there a way around this problem without having Windows XP reinstalled?.

Answer 1:
By now you should be some what of an expert on editing the boot.ini. Therefore if you decide to remove the linux drive just remove the line insert from the boot.ini.

You should be able to change the Timeout seconds as well.

Q2. I need to share files between my Windows, which has NTFS and my Linux Hard drives. I saw in this site that FAT32 partitions can be shared between these two OS without much trouble. Are there any negative effects of having different file allocation systems on a single drive?. And what are the chances of setting up samba in the current situation? (Windows Drive - NTFS and Linux - ext3)

Answer 2:
I'm sure being a Linux Newbie you must like to experiment and mess with your computer so now it's time to learn some Linux terminology and play around with FAT32 partitions. I'm sorry that i can't be much help on this topic but i'm sure you can figure it out.