Dual boot WindowsXP and Redhat9.0 with "rootnoverify" error
 

Hi,

it will be great if anyone could help to resolve my agony trying to have a dual boot for Redhat 9.0 and Windows XP.

The following contains the configuration, setup and other information :
(1) Redhat9.0 is installed in Primary Master (hda) and Windows XP SP2 is installed in Primary Slave (hdb);

(2) Windows XP SP2 has been installed first and later positioned as Slave after a new Master harddisk is installed separately with Redhat subsequently;

(3) GRUB is installed during the LINUX installation and at the MBR of hda

(4) When I select the "DOS" option from the boot up MENU (which I hope to run Windows XP right away), the error message is
--
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
chainloader +1
--
and the black screen hangs

(5) If I use the CMOS to toggle the boot from hdb, Windows XP runs fine. Likewise, if I select the Redhat option on the Boot MENU, Redhat runs fine.

(6) Currently, the system is setup that CMOS uses hda as the first bootup disk so that the LINUX Boot MENU can be seen
--

I would like to ask any expert here for a novice like me with dual boot and moderate knowledge on LINUX and WINDOWS administration. What is the easiest and simplest way for me to get the dual boot runnning without reinstalling WindowsXP or LINUX. I hope the information above is informative enough to have the quick diagnostic approach.

Thanks in advance. Have a nice day. :)

b4 we begin lets agree that

1) when bios boots drive set as master the mbr it finds grub bootloader and can boot linux
2) when bios boots to slave mbr it finds ntloader bootloader and can boot windows.

3) post your full master /etc/fstab file and your grub menu I assume your /boot parttion or subfolder /boot is (hd0,0)

so you need to hide linux from xp and then use the map command

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hlight=trouble

title xp
hide (hd0,0)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

Hi, thanks for reply but sad to say it is still not working.

I have changed the /etc/grub.conf according to your recommendation; but, when I select the XP from LINUX Boot Menu, the follow displays on the black screen :

rootnoverify (hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)

Error 11: Unrecognized device string

Press any ket to continue...
--

and the /etc/fstab file for /boot :
LABEL=/boot /boot ext3 defaults 1 2
--

Does it make any sense? Thanks for your help in advance.

Hi,
as I am determined to get it work, I did a trial-n-error. I realised that what your recommendation actually works. There is a space in between (hd0) and (hd1); after the correction made it works! Hence, please ignore my previous reply.

Thanks for your help and have a nice weekend.
Cheers

my fault but well done in trying a different syntax

I have given you credit for my poor syntax in the tutorial. Ahhh I found that putting in the gap was truncated, so I put a false z in there and made a reference to replace it with ONE space

Hi,

after I got the dual boot to work for a year, my windows XP starts to fail and I have to re-install it. With the same physical setup, when I am trying to setup the Windows XP; it prompts me to create a system partition in Primary Harddisk (hd0). By doing so, the linux no longer allows me to go into dual boot. Hence, I have decided to reinstall linux again.

To make matters worst, I have followed the earlier instructions to modify the /etc/grub.conf file to what has been recommended a year ago :

title xp
hide (hd0,0)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
--

With this I can no longer proceed after doing a CTL+ALT+DEL prompted by the system with a "NTLD is missing" error message. And from now the system can no longer be used. Having the following message and waiting for command :

GRUB version 0.93 (639K lower / 1046720K upper memory)
[Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word. TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists the possible completions of a device/filename.]

grub>
---

The above "grub" prompt appears even whenever I switched on the system. What should I do now, please advice? Thanks for your help in advance.

Has it been a year?

well I have changed my rootnoverify and map stuff slightly.

map on my old ide drives worked for both the drive and for the partitions so its

map (hdX) (hdY)
map (hdY) (hdX) where X and Y are 0 1 2 etc.

and it workds for C partition as well like this

map (hd0,0) (hdX,Y)
map (hdX,Y) (hd0,0)

where 0,0 is your c partition and X,Y are the real paritions of where you put C partition using image program ghost or partimage etc.


(2) The hide command is where you have a detectable MS partition b4 the INTENDED to boot partition like W98 on drive 0 and you want to boot XP on drive 1

If you do not have a MS on drive 0 you do not need it anymore.

(3) now my possible solution is based partly on this thread
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hlight=windows

ie disconnect drive 0 and let MS be installed on drive 1 (thinking its drive 0) and it puts ntldr bootloader on mbr for drive1 (thinking its drive 0)

reboot to check it works ok as is......then reconnect drive 0 and install linux on drive 0 and put grub into mbr for drive 0 then use the map command to trick MS to think its still on drive 0.

Do you understand?