I've recently installed SuSE 9.2 with a Windows XP already installed. Linux loads perfectly while Windows XP can't boot with Grub. They are both installed in different partitions. Linux even recognizes that the Windows partition is bootable, but when I try to do it, nothing happens (not even an error message). Here's how my HD is partitioned:

Disk geometry for /dev/hda: 0.000-39205.687 megabytes
Disk label type: msdos
Minor Start End Type Filesystem Flags
1 0.031 4816.362 primary reiserfs type=83
2 4816.362 5349.770 primary linux-swap type=82
3 5349.801 18237.854 primary ntfs boot, type=07
4 18237.854 39205.502 primary ntfs type=07


Here, the Windows is on hda3. The Windows entry on grub.conf is

title Windows XP
root (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
makeactive

It simply freezes and nothing happens - the Windows XP splash screen doesn't even show up nor any error screen. I've already tried to run the fixboot, bootcfg and fixmbr (applications included in the Windows Installation CD) and had no success. Please, can anybody help me?

I think the problem is that Windows bootloader wants/needs to be on the first primary partition. As you have it on hda3, this might cause problems.

Have a look here: http://portal.suse.com/sdb/en/2002/0...grub_win2.html

Are you sure that XP is (hd0,2)? Generally Windows is the first partition. (hd0,0) That might be your problem right there.
Windows (of all flavors) likes to be the first partition on the hardrive, and tends to act up when it isn't. If it is on hda3, you may have to use a boot floppy/cd. Microsoft has like a 6-floppy set used for booting XP off of floppies, and I assume if you burn them all to a cd (under linux, K3B) that it might work.

By the way, if you DID run "fixmbr", that tends to wipe out grub, period. The only reason you're booting into linux (unless after your BIOS flashes by you see "GRUB loading stage x") at all is because it is on hda1. You might need to reinstall grub from inside of Suse. Out of curiosity, what is on hda4? NTFS storage? Is THAT you're windows boot drive?

What kernel does Suse 9.1 use? You might want to post your whole grub.conf file, just to see what's going on.

Try editing your menu.lst entry for windows to:


title Windows XP
hide (hd0,0)
unhide (hd0,2)
root (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
makeactive


or

title Windows XP
hide (hd0,0)
unhide (hd0,2)
rootnoverify (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
makeactive

Thanks everyone, that makes a lot of sense!

This morning I tried to convert the partition where Windows was to FAT32. Just for kidding, once everything else I tried, in fact, failed. Well, at least now it boots the Windows partition but with the message that NTLDR is missing.

About the fixmbr, I was desperate and tried everything within my sight. I thought "well, now Windows might work and Linux not... but maybe Linux is easier to fix it out". Unsuccesful. I had to repair SuSE.

But one thing I still cannot understand... my Windows XP was never on primary partitions. In fact, it was yet in an logical one and always worked (alone). If I hide the other partitions while booting with Grub, will Windows work properly?

Someone has posted that it might be sufficient for windows to have a windows-formated partition as #1. It is going to use this as pagefile (like swap). But I don't know any details about this. On my system, XP is on the second primary partition. First primary is a small dell partition with a lot of dos files.

What was on your first primary before you replaced it with Linux?

Simply use only Linux!!!
Linux does all you need!!
XP survive 1 month in dual boot then died!!!
And now I live better with Linux!!

Sounds like I'm having the same problem as you. You can check my post in this forum for more details, maybe you will find something our problems have in common. My XP partition is the first partition on my drive and it still doesn't work. Maybe I just need to reformat the drive as FAT32 - like you. In regards to walker's response: Unfortunatly, not everyone can install only Linux. I use Windows for audio and video editing. I also have to do .net development from time to time (and its awful) but I need VS.NET for that.


Llama

Just a suggestion!
Have you tried to reinstall linux without bootloader??
It's possible.
Than tried to start XP with is on boot loader and check out if XP bootloader recognize Linux installation??
XP isn't the old win98 and should boot more then itself.

It's not simple as it seems, walker. There are a lot of programs that I couldn't find a similar on Linux that I need for the university and besides, most of games wouldn't run under Wine or VMware (that's the price you pay having a girlfriend who plays SimCity 4 and Day of Defeat everyday).

AngryLlama, I'll surely look for your thread. Thx =)

Abisko, the first partition was only for backup. That's because since I had this HD, I reinstalled Windows tons of times, over and over, in different places. So I was forced to use the remaining partitions as storage. The ancient mesopotamic civilization named this fact as "mess".

Ah, I forgot to add. I tried Lilo as well, and it didn't work. So I think the trouble isn't with Grub; it lies on Windows.

Well, When I installed Windows I tried to boot it right after that (with the Windows loader installed in my MBR) that didn't work. So I booted into the recovery console and ran fixboot and fixmbr.. Windows still failed to load. I don't actually have Windows fully installed, since I can't get past the first installation reboot. So I reinstalled grub so that I can use Linux. More details here. If I could get the Windows bootloader to actually load, then I wouldn't mind using it to boot linux also.

Soldeace, yes I know the problem must be inside my partitioning scheme, or windows itself. I believe this because XP won't even boot with its own loader.

Llama

Walker, I tried that too. Didn't work at all... but I've heard of methods to make the XP boot manager recognize the Linux installation. I'm still after this.

When you boot linux can you see xp as alternative system to boot??
For example:
##########################
# grub xx.xx #
# #
# Linux #
# #
# WinXP #
# #
##########################

If you are asking if Win XP is listed as an option from the Grub menu. Then yes. And attempting to boot Win XP from this menu fails. Grub clears the screen, displays the boot options. and sits there.. doesn't look like windows is touched at all. But, it could be, since Windows wont even boot up on its own. My grub.conf is in the other thread, which I referenced in my previous post.

.
The same thing happened to me the other day.
Maybe it can help.

This is what I did: (To cause the problem and then fix it)

I had XP ans SuSe 9 working fine, using grub to boot them.
Then I decided that everything was working too well, so I upgraded the bios on my Tyan s2468.
This resulted in boot issues...

I was able to boot my linux installation with the help of a disk, but grub couldn't boot windows.
After a while I became angry, booted linux, accesses the partition where xp lived and grabbed my emails....then reloaded xp (this is not the answer, but it made me feel better.)

The XP setup kept rebooting and then would start in the same place.
So I smacked myself in the head and realized I had some more BIOS tinkering to do.
As soon as I disabled LBA for the primary master....she come up.

now you boot to XP and never see grub.

So I put in the SuSe cd and chose install --> boot installed system....reconfigured the bootloader from there.

[I think the following was the problem/solution]
While the setting for my primary master (hd0) was configured with LBA, grub would come to either a black screen after I chose XP, or would give an error.

On my system, both linux and xp are located on hd1 which is sda....windows likes to have that hda partition though.

so, what stupid thing messed yours up?
.

...oh yeah I forgot you have SuSe too.

fire up Yast and go to system-->boot loader and choose reset--->propose new, then exit and reboot.(if you dare) but it worked for me.


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