I just used all day setting up a xp/Feisty Fawn dual boot, only to find that Ubuntu hadn't installed a bootloader.

It just boots directly into xp.

I was wondering if there is a LiveCD distro, ala GParted, that will let me install and configure eihter grub or lilo.

iAlta

It's probable that you have installed the bootloader to the wrong place i.e. to the first part of the linux partition - it's a very easy mistake to make.

It needs to be on the first part of the MBR (major boot record) on the first part of the first hard drive (if more than one).

You should be able to boot the Ubuntu from the install disc - though you might have to dig around for how thats done i.e. when booting mandriva I used to just go for the "more options" and then "rescue" which would enable me to start the linux partition as well as "re-install linux bootloader" and things like that. I should suspect that the *buntus offer something similar.

Theres got to be a way of running grub again, so that you can tell it where you want it to go - I can't tell you what it is though, I suspect that you'd have had to be in linux first anyway - can you not change the boot order in the BIOS settings until you get it sorted out ???

Sorry, I know thats not definitive advice, just ideas of where I'd be looking.

regards

John

p.s. Oh and this looks like the "definitive" answer, though it'd take a fair bit of reading.

Thanks for your response!

That seems that what you explained is what I've done, however after snooping around, I found a 'RIP Linux', I'll see if that distro will help me..

iAlta

Or you can just run the install again - it should just re-install over the top, you just have to make sure that you tell it the correct place to put the bootloader. I've not heard of RIP linux, and am thinking that any other problems you experience would be easier to correct un the *buntu i.e. theres considerably more knowledge around for it.

regards

John

Or that...

How would a correct location typically be?

I'm presuming you're asking where the bootloader should go ?

It's quite normal for it to be on the first part of the first hard drive a.k.a. the "MBR" (major boot record).

Yes, that means that it will overwrite the windows bootloader, but it's supposed to do that. So that "it" can see all installed OS and offer you the choice.

It is also possible (apparently, though I've only read about it) to make a windows bootloader boot a linux distribution, but because I understand that that is very involved/convoluted, it's considerably easier to install the linux bootloader (I believe that the *buntus use grub by default) to the MBR and use it to boot all installed OS.

regards

John

I was more looking for what to type into th bootloader-field to get it on the correct place. By default it says '(hd0)'.

I have erased the xp partition, but i haven't erase the problem. (wow, I didn't know I was that poetic.)
It still boot's into xp, which isn't there and it says hal.dll is missing or damaged. there probably is some windows code left on the mbr, so it's basiclly the same porblem.

I got a feeling this thread may just do the trick for you.

If you don't known whee is the Ubuntu partition post here the output of

Problem solved, and I feel like an f***ing idiot. Ubuntu was installed on hd0, boot sequence was floppy, cdrom, hd1. Idiot!!!