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-   -   Two bootloaders: Install issue with ubuntu (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/two-bootloaders-install-issue-with-ubuntu-674953/)

JohnLocke 10-07-2008 10:41 PM
Two bootloaders: Install issue with ubuntu
 
I have a machine with two 40 gb sata hard drives. The master has WinXP on it.

I booted up Ubuntu 8.04 from the cd and told it to install to sdb in a guided (don't know why it's called guided when it doesn't ask me any other questions). It installed and told me to reboot.

It came back up with a grub prompt. I'm /guessing/ it installed the bootloader onto the sda drive over the windows bootloader, but something isn't working? I type "boot" and it tells me the kernel must be loaded first.

I looked up this issue as best I could and it was recommended to re-install and put the boot loader on sdb and boot to sdb.

That gives me a "graphical" boot loader (in that I can use the arrow keys to select all the OS options: ubuntu 1,2,3, and XP), but none of them actually boot an OS.

Before I see the graphical bootloader on sdb, I get:
Error 15 file not found

When I try to load ubuntu from the bootloader, I get the same error.

When I try to load XP from the bootloader, I get:
Error 13: Invalid or unsupported executable format

All options then just dump me back in the bootloader.

I lose!

billymayday 10-07-2008 11:24 PM
When you get to the grub menu (from memory here so read the screen as you do it):

Hit escape to go into edit mode.
Select the Ubuntu option
Hit E to edit

The lines used to boot probably have entries along the lines of

root (hd0,1)
kernel ....

etc.

Try changing "hd0" to "hd1" (or if it's saying hd1, change to hd0).

If that works, you can change it permanently by editing /boot/grub/menu.lst (or it could be called grub.conf in Ubuntu)

See how you go.

JohnLocke 10-08-2008 12:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by billymayday (Post 3303662)
When you get to the grub menu (from memory here so read the screen as you do it):

Hit escape to go into edit mode.
Select the Ubuntu option
Hit E to edit

The lines used to boot probably have entries along the lines of

root (hd0,1)
kernel ....

etc.

Try changing "hd0" to "hd1" (or if it's saying hd1, change to hd0).

If that works, you can change it permanently by editing /boot/grub/menu.lst (or it could be called grub.conf in Ubuntu)

See how you go.
I love you, dude.

Got Ubuntu working great with this switch.

Still haven't got windows to boot from here ... got an idea on that one? It was set initially on hd1,0 and hd0,0 has worked for all Ubuntu. Windows, I tried setting to 00, 01, 11, and 10, but none of them booted Windows. I just got the grub "Starting up..." and then a blinky cursor.

Maybe throwing in the windows xp disk and doing a recovery? Not sure if that would repair the windows bootloader (or even if that's the issue).

billymayday 10-08-2008 01:13 AM
You will probably need to reinstall the Windows loader. I know you do it with a Windows install/rescue disk, but if you search LQ you'll find a description.

You'll need to fiddle a bit for the Windows side, because Windows likes to feel important (it needs to think it's on the boot device). Here's how I call it from grub:

Code:
title Windows
    rootnoverify (hd1,0)
    map (hd1) (hd0)
    map (hd0) (hd1)
    makeactive
    chainloader (hd1,0)+1
Adjust hd0 and hd1 accordingly

billymayday 10-08-2008 01:26 AM
See post #3

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ows+bootloader

Sounds like you need fixmbr on the Windows rescue disk.

billymayday 10-08-2008 01:55 AM
Actually, if you haven't changed anything yet, I'd try booting directly from your Windows drive (interrupt the BIOS boot process with the del key or whatever your copmputer uses and select the relevant HDD)


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