Dual Booting
 

I use win2k and mandrake 8.2. I've read several good sites on how to dual boot specifically, but I havn't got it to work. Lets get down to it. I already have win2k installed on my 80gig, and I install mandrake on the 40giger. What I am trying to do is more or less like this. The problem is when after I install linux and even if I skip LILO installation, and just reboot after installation is complete. I can't get back into windows, the error message would be 'Error loading operating system', when win2k should be starting to boot. The mbr hasn't been changed (no bootloader installed) so why does this happen. The last time I tried to do set it up. After I installed linux with or without a bootloader (as long as it wasn't written to /dev/hda [win2k hdd/mbr]) then plugged in one drive at a time as master they both booted properly. There has to be another way besides Bootmagic.

Easiest way is to install lilo to the MBR...

LILO doesn't boot to NTFS?

Sure it does

Make an entry in lilo like this:

other = /dev/hda1
label = w2k
table = /dev/hda

And run lilo after

This assumes w2k is on your primary, master hard drive.

And, yes, install it in your MBR

You've got the config right. Just in case, whats an easy way to backup/restore the mbr?

Also, while I'm on the topic is there any way for linux to access NTFS... wait a minute... http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/. Cool. :p

Yes, and mandy does it by default, so don't even worry about that site.

backup the MBR, I have no idea.

Mandy will probably make the entry for you, but if it doesn't then make the entry in your fstab:

/dev/hda1 /mnt/windows ntfs defaults 0 0


with that you will be able to read it, but not write. Writing to NTFS is not a good idea yet. If this will be a problem, you may want to set up a second partition on winbloze in fat32. That way both os's can read/write to it. You can use several partitioning programs to do that, just to a search on here for partitioning and you should get some good results.

Oh and the above fstab assumes you have created the directory: /mnt/windows

If not open a term and type:
mkdir /mnt/windows

Right now I'm looking at http://www.partition-recovery.com/products.htm for mbr backup/recovery. "Active@ Partition Recovery ... can backup and restore Master Boot Record (MBR), Partition Table, Boot Sectors."

Thanks a ton MasterC. I can't see very much any more so its too late/early to start working on it now, but after I wake up, I'll be back. Once again, thanks.

No problem, anytime. ;)

Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that, if it's gets dorked up some how (not sure how it would) you can put your Mandy CD in and instead of pressing "enter" or F1, type "rescue". This will go into a rescue mode, and you have several options. 1 is to restore Winbloze to the MBR, another is to reinstall lilo to the MBR, so you should be ok using that.

lilo normally makes a copy of the sector where it's installed. It puts it in the /boot directory and gives it a name like this: boot.xxx. The x's are a number that is the major and minor number of the device that the copy is made from. To restore the sector, run /sbin/lilo -u.

I think dd if=/dev/hda of=/dev/fd0 bs=512 count=1 will get it in floppy.
(Assumed /dev/hda is the place where you installed lilo. Also you can chnage /dev/fd0 to any file you like ).
--Sarin

sarin, that will copy the mbr of /dev/hda to the boot sector of /dev/fd0.

Mount the floppy first, mount -t vfat /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy. Then use
dd if=/dev/hda of=/mnt/floppy/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1. Next, umount /mnt/floppy and you're done. :D

Thanks,But I knew that. Thats why I said it could be any other files as well. I do this since it is easier to rescue.
1. Put redhat rescue cd
2. Go to rescue.
3. put floppy.
4. dd if=/dev/fd0 of=/dev/hda bs=512 count=1
done! Nothing to worry about mount and all!
--Sarin