Hi!

Three days ago, I had in my PC Windows 98 and XP, with a dual boot configuration that worked fine.

I decided to install Linux Mandrake 9.1 instead of Windows 98, so I should have a dual boot system with Linux and Windows XP.

The problem is I can't make them work properly. Since I installed Linux, I've lost Windows XP and I can't recover it.

Linux is booting and working fine, but I need XP.

I've read "hundreds" of articles and howto's, I've tried with several LILO and Grub configurations, and I'm about to format everything and make a XP installation from scratch, and forget Linux.

I wonder if someone can help me. These are the details:

- Only one HD
- Output of fdisk, "p" command:

---------------
Disco /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 cabezas, 63 sectores/pista, 9729 cilindros
Unidades = cilindros de 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Disposit. Inicio Principio Fin Bloques Id Sistema
/dev/hda1 * 1 349 2803311 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 350 9728 75336817+ f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5 350 412 506016 82 Linux swap
/dev/hda6 413 638 1815313+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda7 639 9728 73015393+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
----------------------

I guess Windows XP is hidden in /dev/hda7. It was formerly the "F" unit, and as far as I have found out, now is "C" (and this is also a problem).

Can anybody help me?

Thanks,
Xavo
Galicia

Microsoft os requires that you use the chainloader to boot them from grub

ex:
title Red Hat........

title Windows...
rootnoverify (hdx.x)
chainloader +1

the rootnoverify indicates that grub should not try to mount that partition and the chain..... indicates to hand control the booting of the os to another boot loader [+1 = first sector = partition used as boot loader[

Hi xavo

Post your bootloader configuration file - either Lilo.conf or Grub.conf.

dear xavo , i donot use mandrake , so i am not familiar with the installation .. anyway since from my previous redhat installations i can suggest you some remedies. you had 98 and xp , so if you install linux you should get xp and linux ... anyway i agree with Skyline abt posting your lilo.conf or grub.conf and menu.1st to the site. i donot know what bootloader ur using , anyway it seems the win9x partition also is intact ... perhaps there is some problem with the bootloader. It failed to write the boot information for windows. please do post the grub.conf file , as it is the most widely used bootloader in mandrake installations. I will try to elaborate on that , plz do it..
and erasing out the system is not going to help , troubleshooting it can be helpful in future installations.
Best Of Luck ....

Shaheen

Hi!

I've tried with LILO and GRUB.

This is my lilo.conf file:

-----------------
boot="/dev/hda"
map=/boot/map
default="linux"
keytable=/boot/es-latin1.klt
prompt
nowarn
timeout="100"
message=/boot/message
menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw
vga=788

image="/boot/vmlinuz"
label="linux"
root="/dev/hda1"
initrd="/boot/initrd.img"
append="quiet devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi acpi=off"
vga=788
read-only
image="/boot/vmlinuz"
label="linux-nonfb"
root="/dev/hda1"
initrd="/boot/initrd.img"
append="devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi acpi=off"
read-only
image="/boot/vmlinuz"
label="failsafe"
root="/dev/hda1"
initrd="/boot/initrd.img"
append="failsafe devfs=nomount hdd=ide-scsi acpi=off"
read-only
other=/dev/hda7
label="xp"
--------------------------------

With this configuration file, if I choose "xp" in the boot menu, I get a "Loading xp" message and it remains there forever.



This is my menu.lst (grub)

---------------
# Boot menu configuration file

color black/cyan yellow/cyan
i18n (hd0,0)/boot/grub/messages
keytable (hd0,0)/boot/es-latin1.klt
# altconfigfile (hd0,0)/boot/grub/menu.once


# Por defecto, arrancar opcion 0 (linux)
default 1

# Arrancar automaticamente tras 5 segundos
timeout 100

# Se a opcion 0 non vai, probar coa opcion 1
# fallback 0

# Arrancar Linux
title linux
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda1

# Arrancar Windows XP
title XP
root (hd0,6)
makeactive
chainloader +1

------------------------

With this menu.lst, if I choose "XP" in the boot menu I get the following messages:
-------------------
Booting 'XP'
root (hd0,6)
Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7

makeactive
Error 12: invalid device requested
--------------------

If I replace "root" by "rootnoverify", I don't get the "Filesystem file unknown..." message, but I get the "Error 12" message and the problem is the same.



I haven't found any grub.conf file. Does it exist? Where is it?


Saúdos,
Xavo

Hi xavo

Try adding this :

table = /dev/hda

to lilo.conf in the XP section at the bottom - your new section should look like this

other=/dev/hda7
table=/dev/hda
label="xp"

remember to run as Root user (su to root)

/sbin/lilo

after you have done this

Hi Skyline,

I've already tried that configuration. I have repeated it, and this is the result:

- First I modify the lilo.conf, adding the "table=/dev/hda" entry.
- Now, when I run /sbin/lilo, I get the following error message:

-----------
[root@cm52129 etc]# /sbin/lilo
Added linux *
Added linux-nonfb
Added failsafe
Fatal: Partition entry not found.
------------

Thank you for your interest.


Saúdos,
Xavo

Just a guess - but its all probably to do with the partition table changing when youve installed Linux - you originally had 98 and XP and a normal partition table - everything was ok - when Mandrake's been installed the partition table has changed in such a way that the XP partition is now not recognised/configured right.

One solution is of course to re-install from scratch - if you do this then :

Install - XP 1st - leaving some unpartitioned free space at the end of your drive for Linux

Install - Mandrake 2nd - into the free space - let Mandrake put either LILO or GRUB in the MBR

Just an idea - sometimes its easier just to start again.