dual boot on two harddisk
 

Hi,

I have installed Windows XP Professional on SATA harddisk, and would like to install FC4 on another IDE harddisk, but to use bootloader of FC4. Is that possible? I tried to install FC4 GRUB on master boot record, but it booted directly into WinXP after installation, which means that GRUB is not active. I also tried to choose the other option for GRUB installation, and choose the drive to boot as the IDE harddisk, but it still didn't boot the GRUB after installation. What should be done during the installation of the GRUB?

Thanks.


tkt

post your grub config file and (if you know and remember them) the specific commands used to install the bootloader(*).

Also, be aware that windows needs to imagine that it's on the first disk (I wouldn't know about partition though), so you have to use the grub equivalent of lilo's map-drive. RTM.

--Jonas

hi,

Thanks for the reply. The problem is, I couldn't even enter FC4 now, and it didn't prompt for making bootdisk when the installation completed. Is it correct to install it on Master Boot Record, which is the SATA harddisk which WinXP is installed? I tried that way and it seems doesn't work also. I also tried the other option(which is the only option left during grub installation, and I couldn't remember the name of it) and it doesn't work as well. Perhaps I'm doing it using wrong way. Any idea?

paraphrased:
I would think not--windows probably has its bootloader there, and won't accept anything else. So I suggest installing in on the IDE MBR.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

--Jonas

have a good read of the tutorial if you dare....heh heh

I would like to correct one of the posts so forgive any rudeness.
You choose in your bios the boot order no-one else.

If you want sata b4 IDE then make it so. But after you have made that choice, that drives MBR must have a bootloader to get to the other drive, such as grub but MS bootloader NTLDR.exe can not so I let you choose.

Scared persons can take the safe option and change bios to IDE then if grub does not appear....re-install grub to IDE MBR then edit the grub speak for the drive ide is now counted from zero and sata should now be 1....then see if the chainloader command in the tut works.

Fearless persons can the risky view that grub will go into the sata mbr and know how to chainload to get to the bootloader for MS so MS can boot and of course what to have in the menu for your favourite linux boot up.

windows can not stop you putting any bootloader you choose where-ever you choose...but if you do not understand the terms you may not be able to boot MS.....end of rant

Wow, cryptic responses.

I have a similar setup, so:

Leave XP alone on the sata, it doesn't take much to upset it.

Change the order of the boot drives in your bios so that the ide drive boots first (can't help much more than that, read the mobo manual).

If you have to, change to the advanced configuration options for grub during installation, and make sure that grub is installed in the MBR of (probably) /dev/hda and not /dev/sda.

When that's all done you should be able to boot to linux, then edit your /boot/grub/grub.conf to include the following:

title Windows XP
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
chainloader +1
makeactive

That should do it (it's worked for me in FC1, 2 & 3).

Now you're free to enjoy the limitations of FC, like the support for NTFS and MP3...

In part what I tried to point out too. I think I should learn to express myself clearly :\

Clear, concise and to the point. Couldn't have done better (or even just as well) myself.

+2 Insightful, +87 Karma :)

--Jonas

Hi,

I don't really understand what is map hd(0) hd(1) and map hd(1) hd(0) for. Can someone explain to me on that? Thank you very much.

grub no longer needs the rootnoverify command but can happily use root command
(see my tut)

comments

A) its how the bios sees the drives that GRUB uses for its counting.....so its possible I may have mislead some if bios not up to date and so old bios often will see ide b4 SATA or scsi.

B) but for the original poster he/she only has 2 drives so either grub is right for hd0 or we change it to hd1 and never hd2.

C) the mapping command is to trick MS so when it writes data it goes to the correct partition. So map tricks MS but must allow once tricked .....to allow the correct parttiion to have data written to it.

D) A trap for those who think they know grub....heh heh heh
eg pretend I have 6 drives.....target drive is drive 5 or hd4 in grub speak
the root command (or the rootnoverify ) command but be issued for the TARGET partition and not the alleged tricked target.

so the answer would be
root (hd4,0)............not root (hd0,0) which is the tricked parition that MS will see.

I no longer have much spare time so feel free to expand on my answers