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I posted a question down the list a ways, but it was for a different problem. The old problem was fixed, but I’m still stuck on how to make it not happen again.
Here’s what I posted about me in the other question.
I'm of course really new to Linux. I have a Win XP system that installed a second HD as a slave. I started the install of Suse 9.3 from DVD and everything went fine. I’m fairly sure that I set it correctly when I told it to install using the new HD not the Windows drive. I can’t remember if I told it anything different about where to load the boot system, but I don’t think I changed anything from the setup. I did tell it that I wanted the default boot to start Win XP. The install went just fine, then it rebooted, and all I got was the grub error 21 stage1.5. I tried to run the repair function, but that did nothing.
I fixed the problem using FXMBR, I still have no idea what could have gone wrong. I really would like to get Linux on the second HD running. I want it to boot default to XP but it doesn’t have to be a dual boot system. The main drive is 160gb with two partitions. C is for Windows files and D is for XP's system restore files. My second HD is a 40gb and I can use the whole thing just for Linux. My computer has a boot menu that I can use to select which hard drive to boot from, so I could have Linux install completely on the smaller drive. I just need it to leave my XP system alone. I was even thinking of taking the Win XP drive out of the computer, put the smaller drive in it’s place, then install Suse Linux. That way I know the XP system isn’t being touched.
Ideally I would like to try a dual boot so I can see the Windows files, but for now, I would really like to be able to work with Linux to get used to it without messing up my XP files.
I've heard of a lot of people having similar boot problems with dual install SuSE systems. So far, I have not heard any solutions other than to switch distros... I know that's not what you wanted to hear. Do a search for your basic question here on LQ and you'll see what I mean. Tons of newer suse dual-install systems failing. Wish I knew why. This is particularly bothersome considering that everyone has been having these problems even though they installed Linux after Windows, which is the correct (and usually only workable) sequence.
Anyway, I've got a Fedora Core 4 system dual installed (several, actually), and performed numerous Madrake and Debian dual installs without any problems. FC is by far the easiest and most intutitive install... I hate to plug other distros, especially on a board for SuSE, but until this issue gets fixed, I think you're stuck. Hopefully someone will post immediately after this and prove me wrong, and some update to SuSE already fixes this and you'll be happy.
Thanks for the response. Don't feel bad about the information, I had already done a lot of searching about this, and saw others complaining about the same things.
I haven’t done it yet, but I think I’m going to try my idea of completely removing my windows HD, so the computer only sees the drive I want Linux on. Then when I hook the Windows drive back up as the master drive, I hope my computer will just boot to XP as normal. I’m using a new 64 bit HP computer, and it has a drive selector in the bios boot sequence. That way I can just reboot, and tell it to use the Linux drive. I know it won’t see the Windows files, but I still should be able to mess with Linux finally. I’m going to be running a web server that uses Linux, and I thought it was time to get used to it.
I just did the install on the seperate drive, and it works great now. Of course, neither operating system can see the other. I was amazed to find my DSL connection worked right off without any tweeking. I still can't get it to see our notebook through the wireless router though.
After I learn a bit more, I'll try to do a proper dual boot install.
I had a similar problem, 2 HDD one with W2K and one with SuSE 9.1. I have SuSE as the Master and W2K as the slave. The default drive to boot is SuSE with an option to boot to Windows at the grub menu.
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