Hi All,

I have a PC with three HD's. My primary hard drive has a single partition and contains Win XP SP3. I have a second hard drive which I use to store junk (pictures, movies, etc). The third, 60GB HD, I just put into my PC and I wanted to install Fedora 11 onto it. I want to have a dual boot system with WinXP being the default boot.
I downloaded the latest build of Fedora 11, created a LiveCD out of it and I tried to install the OS onto this third new hard drive. I installed the OS, I told it to use the entire third HD and to have a dual boot setup and make the WinXP OS be the default boot. The installation seemed to go without any problems. However, after restarting the PC, the PC stops booting right after the DELL screen. It gives me a cursor and that's it. It just sits there. I have tried redoing the install about 4 different times now and no matter how I change the different installation options, I get the same result. Now I can't even boot into XP even after I disconnect the third drive.
I am guessing that the dual boot got screwed up; I just don't know how to fix it and more importantly, how to install Fedora, dual boot.
Everybody made installing Linux/Fedora sound so easy! Well, so far it has been a nightmare!

Please help!

P.S. I am brand new to the Linux world!

Thanks!

It will not be too hard if you can boot fedora live cd or the fedora install. This should be no big deal. What has happened is the boot loader probably selected to boot a recovery partition. First hookup all the hds and bring up Fedora terminal and run command 'fdisk -l'. This will show us your disc and partitions. Something that may be easier for you is to download a copy of 'Super Grub' boot disc. This will automatically find your systems and boot. Then we can try and go from there.

I can most definatelly still boot using the LiveCD. I am not near the PC right now but will try it later on tonight...

Now, how will knowing my partitions help me though?

It will me how the partitions are formated and their size and which is marked bootable. With these I can give you the commands to boot the hd hopefully.

Got it! Thanks a bunch! I will post that later on tonight!

OK. Either I am not using FDisk correctly or something is very wrong. Here's what I get when I try to run FDisk using the Fedora LiveCD:

[liveuser@localhost ~]$ fdisk -l /dev/sda
Cannot open /dev/sda
[liveuser@localhost ~]$ fdisk -l /dev/sdb
Cannot open /dev/sdb
[liveuser@localhost ~]$ fdisk -l /dev/sdc
Cannot open /dev/sdc
[liveuser@localhost ~]$

I hope that the Fedora install didn't completely destroy my computer....

Am I not doing something right?

OK...I didn't know that I have to be logged in as root... Here it is:

[liveuser@localhost ~]$ su
[root@localhost liveuser]# fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9726 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6a916a91

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 5 40131 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 6 9333 74927160 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 9334 9725 3148740 db CP/M / CTOS / ...
[root@localhost liveuser]# fdisk -l /dev/sdb

Disk /dev/sdb: 60.0 GB, 60022480896 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7297 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xbd17bd17

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 26 204800 83 Linux
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb2 26 7297 58408321 8e Linux LVM
[root@localhost liveuser]#



Hope this helps!

thought you had 3 hd's? I'd agree with the previous post...except it sounds like the grub screen isn't showing up...

when you installed..did you select "install bootloader to mbr"?

When you try to boot either os do you get a grub prompt or boot screen? If not with your live cd in terminal as root see if you can bring up the grub prompt by typing grub then hit enter. If you get a
grub>
enter the following

root (hd0,1)
makeactive
map (hd0,1) (hd0,0)
map (hd0,0) (hd0,1)
chainloader +1
boot

Windows is particular and needs to think it is booting from the first partition but appears on the second. If this boots windows then we will straighten out your menu.lst

Chilly, I didn't FDisk the last HD since that isn't playing a role in this.

Larry, here's what I get:
_____________________________________________________________________________

[liveuser@localhost ~]$ su
[root@localhost liveuser]# grub
Probing devices to guess BIOS drives. This may take a long time.


GNU GRUB version 0.97 (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)

[ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB
lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
completions of a device/filename.]
grub> root (hd0,1)
root (hd0,1)
Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
grub>
________________________________________________________________________________

BTW, how do I type multiple lines in Terminal without executing each line after entering it. I am assuming that you wanted all of those lines executed all at once, kind of like a batch file, correct?

That's cool...was just checking...and when you type grub it should give you a grub> prompt...you can type the commands from the previous post there and then quit

Yeah...I already did that...I show the results in my previous post...

Larry, to answer the first half of your previous question:

No, I do not get the Grub screen regardless of which OS I try booting into. I get nothing but the cursor...

The answer to the second half of your question is above..

Thanks!

Just wondering are all 3 drives sata or pata or a mix. Sometime a mix confuses the grub installer (at least the Debian one).

also Grub numbers drives by the the boot order reported by BIOS. If you change the boot order GRUB gets confused as to which drives is which. Just from looking at it once you get GRUB straighten out your computer should dual boot just fine.

To get a good look at your setup - boot the Live CD and download the Boot Info Script - SourceForge.net

It need to be run as root - and just guessing the file will be downloaded to your desktop - the command to run it:
That will create a "RESULTS.txt" file in the same directory from where the script is run, namely your desktop; please copy/paste the contents of the RESULTS.txt file to your next post, highlight the copied text, and click the pound/hash sign # graphic in the Ubuntu forum message box so that the text will get "code" tags put around it. The results of that script will help clarify your setup.

Here you go:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Grub0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 141377 on
boot drive #2 for the stage2 file. A stage2 file is at this location on
/dev/sdb. Stage2 looks on partition #1 for /grub/grub.conf.
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb
=> No known boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc

sda1: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Dell Utility: Fat16
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda2: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM

sda3: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: DEll Restore: Fat32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sdb1: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /grub/menu.lst /grub/grub.conf

sdb2: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: lvm2pv
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed:
mount: unknown filesystem type 'lvm2pv'

sdc3: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sdc5: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sdc5 starts
at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sdc6: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sdc7: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sdc7 starts
at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9726 cylinders, total 156250000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6a916a91

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 63 80,324 80,262 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 80,325 149,934,644 149,854,320 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 149,934,645 156,232,124 6,297,480 db CP/M / CTOS / ...


Drive: sdb ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 60.0 GB, 60022480896 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7297 cylinders, total 117231408 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xbd17bd17

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 * 63 409,662 409,600 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 409,663 117,226,304 116,816,642 8e Linux LVM


Drive: sdc ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdc: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders, total 234441648 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x09083406

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdc3 16,065 234,436,544 234,420,480 f W95 Ext d (LBA)
/dev/sdc5 16,128 136,857,734 136,841,607 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdc6 136,857,798 190,113,209 53,255,412 83 Linux
/dev/sdc7 190,113,273 234,436,544 44,323,272 7 HPFS/NTFS


blkid -c /dev/null: ____________________________________________________________

/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/loop2: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/loop3: LABEL="Fedora-11-i686-L" UUID="d8394cd3-060a-42c8-8585-aebb23927bcb" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sda1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" LABEL="DellUtility" UUID="07D5-0B1B" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sda2: UUID="80640A10640A0A1C" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: LABEL="DellRestore" UUID="0000-0000" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sdb1: UUID="7bfa3c0c-9b9c-4905-877a-94871052e913" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"
/dev/sdb2: UUID="C0viWB-I881-yiGs-2l9Y-RW8w-i2vy-hjBVSM" TYPE="lvm2pv"
/dev/sdc5: UUID="40E419AAE419A368" LABEL="Data" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sdc6: LABEL="LinuxSmall" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"
/dev/sdc7: UUID="80640A10640A0A1C" LABEL="Images" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/dm-0: LABEL="Fedora-11-i686-L" UUID="d8394cd3-060a-42c8-8585-aebb23927bcb" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/dm-1: LABEL="Fedora-11-i686-L" UUID="d8394cd3-060a-42c8-8585-aebb23927bcb" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/dm-2: LABEL="Fedora-11-i686-L" UUID="046537e6-d79b-47aa-b4c8-f0076910d1e5" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/dm-3: UUID="470fc061-8166-496d-861d-32869c8d0f1e" TYPE="swap"

=============================== "mount" output: ===============================

/dev/mapper/live-rw on / type ext4 (rw,noatime)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
tmpfs on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw,rootcontext="system_ubject_r:tmpfs_t:s0")
none on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)
/dev/sr0 on /mnt/live type iso9660 (ro)
varcacheyum on /var/cache/yum type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755,rootcontext="system_ubject_r:var_t:s0")
/tmp on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,rootcontext="system_ubject_r:tmp_t:s0")
vartmp on /var/tmp type tmpfs (rw,rootcontext="system_ubject_r:tmp_t:s0")
sunrpc on /var/lib/nfs/rpc_pipefs type rpc_pipefs (rw)
gvfs-fuse-daemon on /home/liveuser/.gvfs type fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=liveuser)


================================ sda2/boot.ini: ================================

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect


============================= sdb1/grub/grub.conf: =============================

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd1,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_nagylinuxpc-lv_root
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=1
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_nagylinuxpc-lv_root rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586.img
title WinXP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


.0GB: grub/grub.conf
.0GB: grub/menu.lst
.0GB: grub/stage2
.0GB: initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586.img
.0GB: vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586

================================ sdc7/boot.ini: ================================

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown MBR on /dev/sdc

00000000 90 e9 7d 01 fa 33 c0 8e d0 8e c0 8e d8 bc 00 7c |..}..3.........||
00000010 8b f4 fb bf 00 06 b9 00 01 f3 a5 bb 20 06 ff e3 |............ ...|
00000020 90 90 be 7d 07 81 3c aa 55 75 11 e8 58 00 73 0c |...}..<.Uu..X.s.|
00000030 e8 65 00 72 07 e8 b1 00 72 3b eb 2c be 7d 07 c7 |.e.r....r;.,.}..|
00000040 04 00 00 ba 80 00 be be 07 b9 04 00 f6 04 80 75 |...............u|
00000050 07 83 c6 10 e2 f6 eb 1d 8a 74 01 8b 4c 02 bb 00 |.........t..L...|
00000060 7c b8 01 02 cd 13 72 0d 81 3e fe 7d 55 aa 75 05 ||.....r..>.}U.u.|
00000070 ea 00 7c 00 00 be 6a 07 ac 0a c0 74 fe bb 07 00 |..|...j....t....|
00000080 b4 0e cd 10 eb f2 bb 00 7e c6 07 13 c6 47 01 00 |........~....G..|
00000090 b2 80 b8 00 e0 cd 13 c3 bf 00 7e ba f0 01 b3 a0 |..........~.....|
000000a0 e8 84 00 72 0c b1 01 e8 48 00 72 05 e8 19 00 73 |...r....H.r....s|
000000b0 16 f6 c3 10 75 05 80 cb 10 eb e5 81 fa 70 01 74 |....u........p.t|
000000c0 05 ba 70 01 eb d8 f9 c3 81 bd fe 01 55 aa 75 17 |..p.........U.u.|
000000d0 8b 75 02 81 fe be 01 77 0e 03 f7 81 3c aa 55 75 |.u.....w....<.Uu|
000000e0 06 f6 44 02 01 75 01 f9 c3 bf 00 7c b1 0a e8 01 |..D..u.....|....|
000000f0 00 c3 52 57 83 c2 02 b0 01 ee 42 8a c1 ee 42 32 |..RW......B...B2|
00000100 c0 ee 42 ee 42 8a c3 ee 42 b0 20 ee e8 33 00 ec |..B.B...B. ..3..|
00000110 24 fd 3c 58 75 0d 83 ea 07 b9 00 01 fa f3 6d fb |$.<Xu.........m.|
00000120 f8 eb 01 f9 5f 5a c3 52 83 c2 07 ec a8 80 75 0f |...._Z.R......u.|
00000130 4a 8a c3 ee 42 ec 24 d0 3c 50 75 03 f8 eb 01 f9 |J...B.$.<Pu.....|
00000140 5a c3 51 8b 0e 6c 04 83 c1 12 81 c2 ff 01 ec 8a |Z.Q..l..........|
00000150 e0 80 e4 d8 80 fc 58 74 06 3b 0e 6c 04 75 ef 81 |......Xt.;.l.u..|
00000160 ea ff 01 b9 00 20 e2 fe 59 c3 0d 0a 45 72 72 6f |..... ..Y...Erro|
00000170 72 20 4c 6f 61 64 69 6e 67 20 4f 53 00 aa 55 00 |r Loading OS..U.|
00000180 00 e9 80 fe 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000190 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001a0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001b0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 06 34 08 09 00 00 00 00 |.........4......|
000001c0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001d0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001e0 01 01 0f fe ff ff c1 3e 00 00 00 f9 f8 0d 00 00 |.......>........|
000001f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa |..............U.|
00000200

Unknown BootLoader on sdc6

00000000 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 f6 |................|
*
00000200


_______________________________________________________________________________________