Dual Boot WinXP_32 with Fedora9_64 without re-installing anything

LuigiAngeloAntoniol · 07-14-2008, 10:05 AM

I have searched the other threads for the answer to this one, but it seems I have to post my own thread.

I have WinXP_32 on a 80GB HDD and Fedora 9_64 on a 40GB HDD. I have installed them independently of one another at different times.

I would like to have a dual boot system without having to re-install anything (F9 has been updated with all the latest stuff and WinXP is a pain in the arse to rebuild).
I also do not want to have to change anything in the CMOS and I most certainly do not want to swap and change power cables inside the computer (have been doing this for a year with F8 and I am getting sick of doing it, plus it's probably damaging the contacts).

What do I need to alter in the MBR (and other places) to get this to work? I'd prefer to have F9 as the "dominant" OS. F9's HDD is set as master, WinXP's HDD is set for slave.

Any takers?

Berticus · 07-14-2008, 10:39 AM

I have a pretty similar set-up as you. On one hard drive I have Windows XP 32-bit, and on the other hard drives sport Arch Linux 64-bit. The hard drive with Windows has the ntbootloader, but one of the hard drives with Arch on it uses GRUB (I've also done this with LILO). Just make Linux the first hard drive, and then have this for /boot/grub/grub.conf:

Code:

title Fedora Core 9
  root(hd0,1)
  kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root/dev/sda2 ro
  initrc /boot/kernel26.img

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

LILO:

Code:

boot = /dev/sda
other = /dev/sdb1
  label = Windows XP
  table = /dev/sdb
  boot-as = 0x80
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/sda1
  label = Fedora Core 9
  read-only

Of course change kernel options and hard drive names accordingly

John VV · 07-14-2008, 11:59 PM

Quote:

I most certainly do not want to swap and change power cables inside the computer (have been doing this for a year with F8 and I am getting sick of doing it, plus it's probably damaging the contacts).

WHY??? did you not search for" dual boot fedora" or search http://www.fedoraforum.org/ or hear at LQ
ok Berticus's use of using grub to boot windows with fedora in the first slot is the best way .
there is another way with windows in the first slot and using the windows bootloader to start grub ( i use this method )

LuigiAngeloAntoniol · 07-16-2008, 10:43 AM

Thanks for all your help, guys. All this assistance has become nothing. My WinXP HDD crashed taking everything with it (except for my spreadsheets and text files which were already saved to F9).

I only wanted a dual boot to ease the transition to F9, but it looks like I am to be thrown into the deep end.

I have little intention of doing anything more with Windows other than loading it into F9 through a SUN program called Virtual Box.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.