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Linux and Windows XP on one hard drive question
Hi there,
I'm new to Linux, and i've encountered this problem: I've installed Fedora Core 3, and left some space for Windows XP instalation. How I create my patitions: /dev/hda /dev/hda1 /boot /dev/hda2 /home /dev/hda3 /wxp #the place where I've installed "XP" later /dev/hda4 /dev/hda5 / /dev/hda6 swap /dev/hda7 /store After the installation of Fedora, i've installed "XP" on the partition /wxp. I've tried some configurations for GRUB, to load "XP" but none of them worked.. My questions is: How do I configure GRUB, so that I'll be able to load Windows XP? Thanks in advance! |
you need to edit /boot/grub/grub.conf
and add the following: title Windows root (hd0,2) chainloader +1 #sorry dude! i changed it from (0,4) to (0,2) |
Normally, it's a whole lot easier to put Windows on the first partition of the first drive. Since this is a new install and you need the practice, I recommend that you Scrub that FC3 install and create your empty partition at /dev/hda1. Then you can go ahead and install FC3 on any remaining partitions.
If you do it this way, it is easy to get Windows in the boot menu by adding a line like this to the /boot/grub/grub.conf like this...... title Windows rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1 |
grub has a strange way of ID'ing partitions(dejavu!!!! :) )
basically /dev/hda1 to grub would be (hd0,0), /dev/hda2 -> (hd0,1), /dev/hda3 -> (hd0,2) /dev/hdb2 -> (hd1,1) hdb2 being the second partition on a second drive ;) and so on. no offense to Homey, but i think you'd learn more by understanding why/how grub works. just as a matter of interest....what're u using hda4 for? |
Quote:
Am I missing something? Referring practice.., i've configured many other things in my Linux BOX, so i don't want to reinstall, but if it's necessary.. In my first post I've entered the tree as it was in my installation screen in the disc druid... so /dev/hda4 is.. I''m not sure how to interpret this... |
i got mixed up between booting linux and win. 'root' is for linux and 'rootnoverify' is for windows.
here's what mine looks like: title=WinXP rootnoverify (hd0,5) makeactive chainloader +1 but obviously u must change (hd0,5) to (hd0,2) |
Nope, it doesn't work.. I still get some strange symbols, and the computer stops loading...
Maybe i haven't describe what have i done by now.. Here it is again: I've installed Fedora Core 3, and i left some space for Windows XP installation. Then I tried to install XP, but it said that it must have at least ~500 MB to store the installation files, so the installer had quit! There was another solution - I took one old hard drive ~ 3G and installed XP on it, then I made my primary hard drive a slave, and using the "old" hard i've manage to install XP on the partition /wxp of my primary hard drive(which was a slave at that time..). So at the end the situation was as follows: I have one hard drive ~3G with Windows XP and one hard drive 80G with Fedora core 3(there is a partition with Windows XP - the same which i can't load..) My question is, again: How do I configure GRUB(and are there any other files/configurations to copy/make) to load my WIndows XP(the one on my 80G hard drive)? Maybe I should copy some files from the 3G hard to the 80G one? If you have any fresh suggestions, please reply! Thanks for your help and your quick response! :D |
One possible problem I see is that you used the Fedora Core installer to create a windows partition. That is "possible" if you told FC to format the partition with FAT, FAT32 or a window$ supported file system. If you made all your partitions with ext2, ext3 or reiser filesystems, then window$ will not be able to install, as it can't "see" the free space.
Also, as people have told you already, it is many times easier to install window$ first and then put linux on a single drive system. I would expect with enough research and understanding you could get away with installing Redmond's worst second, but I'll bet you'll have to have a boot disk or something for linux, because the XP install will probably trash your lilo or grub. A possible solution - if you still want to try doing in reverse the usual order, you can use fdisk to convert your 80 gig space into fat32 filesystem. Both windows$ and linux can read and write to it. When the XP installer wants to convert it to ntfs, just tell it no, leave the filesystem as fat32. You still might have problems with your bootloader getting screwed up, and will only be able to boot into XP, but you can solve that with a rescue disk or boot disk. Peace, JimBass |
MYGAAWWWWD!!! are u TRYING to confuse me? :D
where did the 3gb drive come from all of a sudden?? let me see if i get what ur saying... you installed linux on the 80gb which was master at the time. then the windows install failed so u moved the 80gb to slave and put a 3gb as master and installed XP to it. that CAN'T be right 'cos grub would be installed on the 3gb. when you said that u left 'some' space for XP, how much did you leave? |
Not at all.. I'm just trying to explain my problem more clearly.. :D
This 3G hard drive wasn't present when I installed FC3. I used it just to point Windows installation what I have enough space, and to be able to install "XP" on my 15G partition(which i left for "XP" when installing FC3). You get it , but maybe you are a bit lost in my explanations.. so lets try again..: 1. Install FC3 on 80G hard drive. Partitions as follows: /dev/hda /dev/hda1 /boot #100MB /dev/hda2 /home #15GB /dev/hda3 /wxp #15GB, (partition formated vfat and left for Windows XP) /dev/hda4 /dev/hda5 / #15GB /dev/hda6 swap #512MB /dev/hda7 /store #30GB 2.Unsuccessful try to install Windows XP - reason:"Windows need ~500MB bla bla, windows doesn't find enough space, install will exit.. bla bla" 3.Inserting small ~3GB hard drive making it master and removing 80GB master; 4.Install Windows XP on 3GB drive. 5. Installing 80GB as a slave(3GB is the master) 6.Rebooting computer, and running XP from 3G drive - then I see the partition /wxp on the 80GB as a drive..I don't remember the letter.. 6.Installing Windows XP on the 80GB on partition /wxp 7.Removing 3Gb drive and making 80GB drive master again.. 8.Booting Linux, and trying to boot Windows XP but nothing happens.. 9.Asking in linuxquestions.org for help.. 10. Trying..Trying..Writing..Trying..Writing.. and so on and so on.. 11.Help! :D |
Simple solution is GAG bootloader. Supports up to 9 OS. Try first safe variant to boot from floppy, if works then go for HD variant;)
http://gag.sourceforge.net/ |
try setting the rootnoverify part to (hd0,0) 'cos now that u've moved the 3GB to master linux should register it as hda and if there's only one partition on it, then it would be hda1.... it's amazing what a strong cup of coffee can do for u :D
or set the 80GB back to master and the 3GB to slave then rootnoverify should be (hd1,0) 'cos i think it's trying to boot from the XP partition on the 80GB which doesn't exist. |
Nice :D
It really works.. It's a little bit strange and tricky, but it works! Thanks! |
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