Here is my system information:
4 x HDD's
c: Windows XP (NTFS)
d: Storage (NTFS)
e: Page File
h: Storage 2 (NTFS)
i: Here I installed Fedora Core4 (64-bit)

During the install I selected my windows boot to boot by default, and didn't change anything with the GRUB. What I would like to do is run a dual-boot system which uses the NTLDR option menu to select either OS.

I can reinstall FC4 if need be, but was wondering what I would need to do to edit my boot.ini or how I could go about setting this up a better way. I would not like to reinstall Windows, and I am very new to Linux, so please be detailed as possible.

Initially, I tried to do this:
enterprise.linux.com/enterprise/05/02/16/1919205.shtml?tid=129&tid=49#discuss

I got to the bootpart section and couldn't get the bootsect.lnx thing to add any lines of code to my boot.ini

I used the line (in the folder with bootpart.exe):
bootpart c:\bootsect.lnx "Linux", but I got the following error doing so:

Physical number of disk 0 : 43ea43ea
0 : C:* type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 120045681 KB, Lba Pos=63
Physical number of disk 1 : 43ea43eb
1 : D:* type=83 (Linux native), size= 104391 KB, Lba Pos=63
2 : D: type=8e , size= 79931407 KB, Lba Pos=208845
Physical number of disk 2 : acedaced
3 : E:* type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 75931191 KB, Lba Pos=63
4 : E: type=f (Win95 XInt 13 extended), size= 4096575 KB, Lba Pos=151862445
5 : E: type=7 (HPFS/NTFS), size= 4096543 KB, Lba Pos=151862508
Physical number of disk 3 : c18aa4f2
6 : F:* type=c (Win95 Fat32 LBA), size= 80035798 KB, Lba Pos=63
Error in parameters

Any suggestions?? Thanks

Moved: This thread is more suitable in General and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

thank you, hopefully i get some feedback

The article you refer to says:
So it looks you miss one 'Linux'. You have written
when it looks it should be

I get the same error doing that as I did before.

Why do you want to use the NT Loader?

When you install Fedora, GRUB should automatically detect Windows and allow you to select either one at boot.

--Ian

I've tried booting with the FC4 disk, but it says that I don't have the right kernel or something. If I would reinstall it, and select the GRUB boot loader, and select it to run it from the hdf (linux drive) and not the hdc (WXP drive) then would it read both boot loaders and give me an option?

For example, here would be my steps,
1) Reinstall linux completely removing the old partitions and everything.

2) Choose it to intall the GRUB boot loader (not on MBR) and choose Linux as my default boot drive.

Would this result in a screen that allows me to choose what OS I would like to run on reboot?

If you install GRUB to the Master Boot Record, it should be able to to boot both Linux and Windows.

GRUB will present you with a menu, and you select which one you want. One of the entries will be default, and will boot after 10 seconds. You can change the default entry in /boot/grub/menu.lst.

To reinstall Fedora, just boot from the Fedora CD, and install. No need to delete your partitions beforehand. One of the steps should be something like "Install Boot Loader". Grub is selected by default, and it should detect Windows automatically.

--Ian

Thank you, I will try this as soon as I get home, do you reccomend making a WinXP boot disk just in case I somehow manage to mess it up? Or it doesn't properly load right? Have you done this installation before?

Not with Fedora Core 4, I did it with Fedora Core 2 and Windows 2000. I have also installed Mandrake and Windows XP.

Making a Windows XP boot disk is always a good idea. Also, make a GRUB boot disk.

The most important thing I can suggest is to backup all your important data. It shouldn't go wrong, but if it does then you can at least get your data back.

--Ian

No luck, reinstalled Linux with GRUB as my boot loader, put it on my MBR and set WinXP to default. Still booted straight to Windows, no option menu.

Did you put GRUB on the MBR of the first hard disk? I think you may need to. This will overwrite the NT Loader, but Grub will take its place.

--Ian

I told it to install on hdc, which is my primary hard drive with WinXP; so as far as I know, I did that. Is there any way to tell if GRUP or the NT loader is working? I can always try to reinstall, but I'm almost 98% sure I chose hdc, that was the whole point of reinstalling in the first place.

I made a note a while ago when I had problems installing dual booth FC4.

To update the mrb with grub

1. Insert rescue disk
2.enter linux rescue
3. chroot /mnt/sysimage
4. make sure /boot/grub/device.map looks something like

(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/hda
(hd1) /dev/hdb

5.edit grub.conf if needed
6.enter grub-install /dev/hda
7.hope it works

I finally got it. I ended up using that bootpart utility, but instead of putting Linux before the c:\bootpart, you put the drive number. So it was something like 3 c:\bootpart So now I use the NT loader which then (if I pick Linux) throws me into GRUB (because I used GRUB as well) but I editted grub.conf to not see Windows anymore, and load immediately. A nice solution, and I don't mind NT loader.