I have a single partitioned disk with Windows loaded on Partition 1 and Red Hat loaded on Partition 2. As with many people I need Windows for certain functions, I loaded VMware and it works with a new install on a Virtual disk, I've checked this with 2 different OS's, (Windows and Linux), however when I try and boot from my existing Windows partition, GRUB loads normally, I select the Windows operating system and then I get a hang, with the screen showing rootnoverify (hd0,0) Chainloader +1. So it loads GRUB OK but when I select Windows it hangs. I've tried leaving it for in excess of an hour, but no change.

Its not an obvious problem with GRUB. GRUB works when doing a normal dual boot into Windows instead of Linux, windows loads fine. I have also booted from a GPARTED CD no problems (booted from first MBR to check that there wasn't a dud entry on my drive. The issue only occurs when I try and load Windows whilst in VMware in LINUX.

I don't believe it to be a VMWARE problem, as I have tried VMware Workstation, VMware Server and VirtualBox. I get the same error (Identical) regardless of the product used. Thats why I think this is Linux related.

I have loaded generic drivers for the IDE disk in Windows, just in case it can't read the disk, but I don't even think I'm getting this far in the boot process.

I know I shouldn't, but I'm running VMware from root, just in case its an access problem, so this should not be the cause.

Windows is unmounted before I try to load in VMware.

I only have 2 partitions, hd0,0 is Windows XP Pro, hd0,1 is Red Hat Enterprice Linux 5.

I have surfed the net for nearly a week and I am dead in the water on this one. Any help would be appreciated.

Three remarks, no direct answer, sorry. I remember trying to boot some Windows partition from QEmu that it needed some tweaks, all not related to GNU/Linux, could be that. Then there's a procedure commonly used in forensics to load the OS but it requires carving the partition to file, convert into a VMDK using a QEmu tool and using an on-line tool for building a VMX for it. Finally I'm wondering how far you get into the boot process. If you can reach F8 to enable Windows boot log, enable VMware debug mode and disable accelleration etc, etc and check your VMware logging and together that may hold clues.

It seems to be a common feature of all virtualization software. First you install the OS which will be the host domain, then you install the virtualization software, then set up domains for guest OSs and install them each to their respective guest domain.

I have yet to find instructions detailing how to set up virtualization to boot up already installed OSs in guest domains.

I'm seeing exactly the same behavior. Dual-booting under Grub works GREAT with -0- problems. I boot Gentoo, fire up vmware server, boot winxp (which was previously installed physically on the disk) and end up with:

Booting 'Windows XP'
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1


and here it sits. Was running into the same behavior under lilo as well...so it doesn't seem to be a boot manager issue. Lilo handled dual-boot equally as well as Grub...successful every time.

Any thoughts?

-Chris

The loaders use "raw" BIOS calls (INT 13 principally) to determine where to load the latter stage files from. The virtualizer would be intercepting all this - it's view of what is the first/boot disk will be quite different to what it allows the guest to see. You would never be able to see the "real" hd0 - unless the virtualiser/hipervisor chooses to allow it somehow.

Just guessing of course ...

I am trying to under this thread ...

You have a Windows (installed) partition.
You have a Linux (installed) partition.

You have installed Vmware in Linux.
You have created/installed a Windows virtual machine that works.
You have created/installed a Linux virtual machine that works.


You want the Grub boot loader within the Vmware Linux virtual drive to load your "real" Windows partition?

I am not getting the part on how you think Vmware can load a "real" partition instead of a virtual machine drive.

I am trying to under this thread ...

You have a Windows (installed) partition.
You have a Linux (installed) partition.

You have installed Vmware in Linux.
You have created/installed a Windows virtual machine that works.
You have created/installed a Linux virtual machine that works.


You want the Grub boot loader within the Vmware Linux virtual drive to load your "real" Windows partition?

I am not getting the part on how you think Vmware can load a "real" partition instead of a virtual machine drive.

Follow normal guide (many available on google) for installing and preparing machine. If you get the hang on chainloader +1 prompt, these are a couple of tweaks that got this working for me.

Linux

Double check your account has permission to read and write to "disk"
Make sure udev allows correct access to the group. Edit /etc/udev/rules.d/50-udev.rules and change SUBSYSTEM=="block" to SUBSYSTEM=="block", GROUP="disk", MODE="0660"

Setup the Virtual Machine as normal and I think these following steps are required if you have a SATA machine.

Edit the vmdk file for the virtual machine you created and change the following:
ddb.geometry.biosCylinders = "1024"
ddb.geometry.biosHeads = "16"
ddb.geometry.biosSectors = "63"
ddb.adapterType = "ide"

I ended up downloading VMWare's free "image" creation utility. (the exact name escapes me at the moment). I don't care enough about running windows to have this working the way I'd prefer....I just needed to get the silly machine online.

The vmware utility builds an image file of the running OS. The allowed me to boot the system via a real "VM image" rather than futzing with the junk on the physical hard-drive.

Problem solved. Now I can finally whack this partition and get my space back. )

Thanks for all the suggestions and tips everyone.

Cheers,
-Chris