Dual boot Debian Etch and XP with GRUB - Debian installed First - one HDD
Hi
I have set up my usual Debian setup on my new laptop, but the company I work for requires me to VPN in the system through a Netscreen Firewall, which supplies an SPD file for the VPN connection. This can only be used from Windows, so there I go, stuck with Bill again... Since I already have Debian configured, and I read on the net that I need Windows first, I am a bit confused if this will work or not. I had a 10GB partition free, to which I am currently installing XP on a FAT32 filesystem for compatibility. As I understand, from now on, my Laptop will only boot to Windows, as NTLDR took over the MBR. How can I get GRUB back, and able to dual-boot? Should I insert the Debian CD again, and do a rescue, or something similar? Thanks for any suggestions, Ben |
You can always beckup your MBR, and then restore it using al ive CD. Then booting to Debian, and doing a grub-install should work.
Backing up: Code:
dd if=/dev/hda of=MBR-backup bs=446 count=1 Code:
dd if=MBR-backup of=/dev/hda bs=446 count=1 Code:
grub-install /dev/hda |
I have similar problem. I have 200GB sata disk. There I had windows XP and DEBIAN. But I reinstalled WINDOWS XP and GRUB have lost. Now, windows is booting only. I want install linux, but I can see only partition 200GB. In windows XP I can see 30GB for linux and 170GB NTFS(aproximately). What should I make with this?
sorry about my english |
Hi
I am done, thanks for the quick response. What I did was the following. I installed Debian (weeks ago) on a 10GB partition and 512 for SWAP. I left another 9,5GB for Windows. Once my Debian install was done and stable, I installed XP on the 9,5GB partition. This safely killed of GRUB of course. Now, after I posted here, and got the response, I replugged the CD drive, and booted from the same exact Debian NET install CD. In the boot prompt I started the Install with Code:
rescue When the Resuce window comes up, there will be as many choices as many partitions you have to choose from. I chose the second one, as the first one is SWAP, second is Debian Root, and 3rd is XP. Now, you have several options, executing a shell, or just simply reinstalling GRUB. It asked me where I wanted to install it, so I entered Code:
hd0 Code:
/boot/grub/menu.lst Code:
title windows XP Best regards, and thanks again for the suggestions. Ben |
I have resolved it parially. I have two disks (/dev/hda(primary with GRUB) and /dev/sda (with windows XP and debian)). When I set boot disk sda in bios. Windows is started. When I set boot disk hda in bios. Grub is started, but I can start only DEBIAN. When I choose windows, then PC is started boot from hda and hanged. How can I set boot windows?
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I have resolved it parially. I have two disks (/dev/hda(primary with GRUB) and /dev/sda (with windows XP and debian)). When I set boot disk sda in bios. Windows is started. When I set boot disk hda in bios. Grub is started, but I can start only DEBIAN. When I choose windows, then PC is started boot from hda and hanged. How can I set boot windows?
Boot parameters: Quote:
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Hi
It seems like NTLDR is on your second disk for sure. SO when you boot from there, you will get Windows. How many partitions you have on your second disk and what are they? And if I may ask, why is GRUB installed on a different physical device than your system? There could be some advantages for that, I just dont know it. Your menu.lst shows that your Debian install is on the 2nd partition of the second HDD, while Windows is on the first one. Is this correct? What I would try is to install GRUB on the second HDD, on the second partition, and then set your BIOS to boot from your second HDD, and leave your existing menu.lst for the GRUB config. However, as I am nowhere near being advanced, maybe it wouldnt hurt to hear out some other users comments. Best regards, Ben title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-686 root (hd1,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-686 root=/dev/sda2 ro initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-686 savedefault boot title Microsoft Windows XP Professional root (hd1,0) savedefault makeactive chainloader +1 |
Quote:
hda1-ntfs sda1-ntfs windows sda2-ext2 linux sda3-swap sda4-ntfs Maybe Quote:
Quote:
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Hi
If I were you, I would install GRUB on the second partition of your second HDD, and then set that for boot, and see how it goes. You can do this by booting to your linux, and then issue Code:
grub-install /dev/sda2 Ben |
If I'm reading this thread correctly -
edit the windows entry in your /boot/grub/menu.lst to look like this: Code:
title Windows XP |
luis14: Thanks. Windows boot over grub from first drive!
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Your welcome - glad that worked for you.
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