Linux - NewbieThis Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question?
If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
I am will and I am trying to dual boot suse linux 9.1 personal with windows xp pro. This is on a 40gig ide hard drive. It is partitoned as the following:
30gigs NTFS XP PRO SP2
9.5gigs REISER SUSE 9.1 PERSONAL
500mb LINUX SWAP
I have windows xp running and Suse is installed altough I can't access it to finish the install, ie language options. I installed grub onto the beginning of the linux partition and NTLDR is installed onto the MBR as i have heard that windows won't work if NTLDR is not on the MBR.
Do you know how to config ntldr so that linux will boot through the boot.ini file. This is boot.ini at the moment:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /SOS
By the way this is the personal Suse 9.1 downloaded from the website and burned onto cd.
I got it working on it's own before on one partition on it's own without windows.
Then I couldn't install windows so i used the dos rescue on the win install cd and typed fixmbr to put NTLDR onto it instead of GRUB and windows would then install on the 30 gig partition. Then I installed Suse Linux 9.1 but I can't get into it so I haven't run my 1st boot yet.
I have tried with grub before but my windows partition would not work (NTFS.) It gives the error message:
ROOT (HD1,1)
FILESYSTEM TYPE UNKNOWN, PARTITION TYPE 0x7
CHAINLOADER +1
That is why last week I reinstalled windows but had problems indoing so, so I had to install NTLDR and the setup worked fine. I now have win XP Pro SP2 on a NTFS Partition of about 30gigs in size (which is working perfectly) and Suse 9.1 on a 9.5gig REISER partition. the spare 500mb is the linux swap file. However, SUSE has not got to it's first boot yet to finish the install.
I need to keep my windows installation for gaming and at the moment for internet as I only have a soft modem, otherwise I would happily have just linux, seeing as I use firefox and open office in both anyway.
I have also read on a website (can't remember which one) that you should not install grub on the MBR if you are trying to dual boot Suse Linux 9.1 and XP because windows only accepts NTLDR.
Thank you for your reply
Last edited by willkill69; 09-18-2004 at 07:01 AM.
O.K., try the following at the grub prompt to boot Windows :-
grub> rootnoverify (hd0,0)
(Sets the partition to boot and tells grub to ignore the file system)
grub> makeactive (Makes the partition active)
grub> chainloader+1
(starts the boot process from the first sector of the partition)
grub> boot (begins the boot process)
This should get Windowsup and running.
If you have installed grub as the boot loader for the Suse installation, the following may get you going (No guarantees I am very much a newbie to linux myself)
grub> root (hd0,1)
grub> configfile (hd0,1)/boot/grub/menu.lst
if you don't succeed with this, you need to find the kernel, which you can do from grub using the following
grub> root(hd0,1)
grub> cat (Hd0,1)/boot/grub/menu.lst
this should give you the kernel details, then try
grub> root(hd0,1)
grub> kernel (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz... (or whatever kernel is setup)
Only one problem though, how do I get grub onto the mbr without reinstalling linux again!!
I do have working knoppix though. Can I modify the grub options through a text file like NTLDR does. Or do I just reinstall linux and set the preferences to put GRUB on the MBR and then type that stuff in when i boot and get to the GRUB command prompt.
Thanks very much for your help.
Last edited by willkill69; 09-21-2004 at 11:08 AM.
Thank you very much Baldrick!! I will try that this evening when I have left school. I just type that from any shell in knoppix? Or only one in particular?
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.