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Presently have an older PC set up to run a dual boot OS consisting of XP & Linux on separate HD's.
This will be considered a new boot job, I guess you'd call it. One HD will be for XP and the other devoted to Debian & Ubuntu EMC. Just a newbie at this and will have to be walked through the procedure.
Not really sure where to start? Most instructions call for installing XP first on the Master HD. Is it possible & how do you partition the Windows HD for both NTFS & Fat file systems? I will be using a CD to install Windows XP.
Thought about installing Debian & Ubuntu EMC on the Slave HD or vice versa?? Not sure if it makes any difference which goes on Master or Slave HD? I gather that the HD will have to be partioned for each distro but haven't the foggiest on what setting to use or partions to set for. Have CDs for each to install.
Finally upon bootup/startup is there a special file that needs to be installed someplace and where in order to be able to choice which OS to startup with?
Your assistance concerning this matter would be very much appreciated. Just an old senior newbie when it comes to Linux but you folks have been able to help out a lot. Thank you!
Install XP normally, leave the second HDD disconnected (I get paranoid about XP installs).
Plug the extra drive in - boot from, say, the 1st Debian CD. When you get to the partitioning, you can let it just install to the entire second drive (usually hdb or sdb) or use the manual settings to carve yourself out swap and root partitions.
Reboot from the Ubuntu CD - the partitioning stage of this will allow you to resize the debian partitions if you want - but, if you used manual partitioning in Debian, you can just select the guided install to free space.
When you get the option to install grub, choose to use MBR (master boot record).
You can also resize the windows ntfs partition from manual. However, there is not much reason to do this. Both Debian and Ubuntu can read/write to ntfs.
Ubuntu will set up all the tripple-boot entries automatically.
I totally agree with Simon Bridge's method, the only thing to be aware of is grub. You have to make sure you install it in the MBR, that's for sure, but you need to be aware that there is one MBR per hard disk, and the BIOS will give the hand to the MBR of the primary (master) disk (which will lead you to boot XP, and will not let choose you any of your linux installs). So you will surely have to install grub on the master disk's MBR.
I think the best way to do it is to follow the installation advices of Simon Bridge, and once you're done with it, boot with your prefered linux cd, and install only grub into the MBR of your master drive
once you're done with it, boot with your prefered linux cd, and install only grub into the MBR of your master drive
You don't need to do that, the last linux install will do that for you - but good point though: grub has to be in mbr of the primary master - hda. But you are installing linux to another drive - hdb.
It strixes me that the setup is a tad complex for first time - best advise: think why you want debian and ubuntu. I would just install umuntu as the second OS, in the partition setup select "guided dual boot", tell it to use all of sdb, and hit enter - that's all there is to it.
If you really need a tripple boot, then contact a LUG for support.
Install XP normally, leave the second HDD disconnected (I get paranoid about XP installs).
Plug the extra drive in - boot from, say, the 1st Debian CD. When you get to the partitioning, you can let it just install to the entire second drive (usually hdb or sdb) or use the manual settings to carve yourself out swap and root partitions.
Reboot from the Ubuntu CD - the partitioning stage of this will allow you to resize the debian partitions if you want - but, if you used manual partitioning in Debian, you can just select the guided install to free space.
When you get the option to install grub, choose to use MBR (master boot record).
You can also resize the windows ntfs partition from manual. However, there is not much reason to do this. Both Debian and Ubuntu can read/write to ntfs.
Ubuntu will set up all the tripple-boot entries automatically.
Don't take this the wrong way, your advice has been very much appreciated. Just wanted to give you and others that may be following along, a bit of an update. Must have missed something? Its taken me (newbie) a little longer trying to get things going. First of all, I disconnected the second HDD as suggested. Installed XP, and when I couldn't figure out how to partition HDD for the Fat32 & NTFS. Went back an installed using the NTFS files only and hopefully won't need the FAT32 Files anyway. Installation went well.
However XP would not boot up unless I put the XP CD back in the CD-ROM?? After some time & numerous attempts. I decided the HEXX with this and plugged the extra drive in to start from scratch. Upon restart XP booted up nicely from the installation on Master HD with the Slave HDD connected.
I, no doubt, must have missed something but curious if this was expected??
Getting ready to build enough confidence to go on with the Debian & Ubuntu on secondary or slave HDD. Thank you!
However XP would not boot up unless I put the XP CD back in the CD-ROM??
Pass... to be taken up with MS support. But you got it installed.
Just a note: as you're new, I'd suggest just installing the Ubuntu at first. Once you have some linux experience under your belt, then start messing with triple-boot.
It is possible that XP has formatted the slave drive as well... does the slave drive show up in XP (as D:\ say?)
Never mind - it means that you'll have to read the partition options a bit more carefully.
I think your XP boot issue was a hardware related issue..
I would bet your primary Hard drive is a Western Digital and it has those STUPID jumper settings of Master / Single / Slave
when jumpered in the master setting without a slave drive attached the WD drives become retarded and windows doesn't boot. Once you reconnected the slave drive the system was happy again and booted normally. with no slave drive attached the WD drive MUST be jumpered as SINGLE in order for windows to be able to boot.
afaik no other hard drive manufacturer use that silly Master / Single / Slave jumper setup, they are all just master / slave and when jumpered as master work fine with or without a slave drive attached.
I won't tell you how much time I wasted on this same issue when Windows XP first came out and I did my first install of it on a system I built.. I was on the phone with WD tech support trying to RMA the brand new Hard drive when I finally figured it out.
I find that so annoying I quit buying WD hard drives.. it's silly to have to rejumper the master HD whenever you unplug the slave. Seagate and Samsung have better warranties anyway.. imho
I think your XP boot issue was a hardware related issue..
I would bet your primary Hard drive is a Western Digital and it has those STUPID jumper settings of Master / Single / Slave
Yes you're right. Primary Hard Drive is a New Western Digital; and yes in addition to CS I believe.
when jumpered in the master setting without a slave drive attached the WD drives become retarded and windows doesn't boot. Once you reconnected the slave drive the system was happy again and booted normally. with no slave drive attached the WD drive MUST be jumpered as SINGLE in order for windows to be able to boot.
I can also testify to the extreme slowness during the setup. Your observations are right on. Right now not only is the XP system happy on the Master HDD but this old gezzer is also relieved for now.
afaik no other hard drive manufacturer use that silly Master / Single / Slave jumper setup, they are all just master / slave and when jumpered as master work fine with or without a slave drive attached.
This is an issue as a beginner I would not have considered, but something I hope to in mind as well. You did well to figure this out. Most of us would not have it come up. Who would of thunk!
I won't tell you how much time I wasted on this same issue when Windows XP first came out and I did my first install of it on a system I built.. I was on the phone with WD tech support trying to RMA the brand new Hard drive when I finally figured it out.
I find that so annoying I quit buying WD hard drives.. it's silly to have to rejumper the master HD whenever you unplug the slave. Seagate and Samsung have better warranties anyway.. imho
Thanks very much for your explanation & that of others who have been helping me along.
Not quite done yet?? I can appreciate the amount of time that you've must of spent in this area. I been trying to set this system up off an on for about a month a half.
If you will bear with me. I need to partition the secondary HDD with Debian & Ubuntu EMC. Had some good advice but not a good grip on what commands to expect. root, grub, hdb, etc. what they mean and how to set them. MBR
Hopefully will tackle the Debian & Ubuntu a bit later this PM going with the advice that Simon submitted. I'm hoping that I will not need the FAT32 partition on XP HDD?
Again, thank you for the explanation I'm sure there are a lot of us on the forum that would not have got it.
and explain what my problem is.
I can not copy my /home directory to a directory in Windows.
As a solution, I tried to reinstall windows in a fat32 partition and then put Debian back in but I am not able to get the Windowsxp install to creat an option to install as fat32.
and explain what my problem is.
I can not copy my /home directory to a directory in Windows.
As a solution, I tried to reinstall windows in a fat32 partition and then put Debian back in but I am not able to get the Windowsxp install to creat an option to install as fat32.
Any ideas?
If you have a "real" XP install disk, it will give you the option of partition size and fs type. i don't know if you can mix fat32 and ntfs at install time, but who cares? If you must have ntfs, leave enough extra room for post-install partitioning. This can be done with most linux installers at install time.
After the fat32 partition is created, both linux and Windows will be able to read and write to it.
And, yes, "Both Debian and Ubuntu can read/write to ntfs."
See this link.
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