hi all,

I'm new to linux and I would really appreciate if anyone could help me to solve a problem in dual boot system with windows xp pro and fedora 5 in raid configuration.

system info:
AMD 64 3200+ 939 overclocked to 2.4
1 gig memory
msi neo4 platinum 939
NEC DVD burner
74 gig raptor sata 1.5 10k using sil image 3114 chipset
one hitachi 80 sata 1.5 using sil image 3114 chipset
two hitachi 80 sata 3.0 in raid 0 using nvdia chipset

Current installations of OSs
1)windows xp pro 32bit- installed on two hitachi 80 gig sata 3.0 in raid 0
2)windows xp pro 64bit- installed on one hitachi 80 gig sata 1.5 in raid concatenation
3)fedora core 5 - installed on 74 gig raptor sata 1.5 10k raid concatenation

All OSs are in working condition. But here is what I want to do:

I want to use nt boot loader from my windows xp 32bit to boot all OSs including fedora 5. I don't want to install grub or lilo on my windows partitions. I've googled and read so many threads that related to this topic but none really help.
If there's any information you need please response and i'll provide as much as i can. Thanks

Does XP allow booting multiple OS's? I never knew it did, but i may be wrong. I just don't see MS doing something like this, esp with Linux as an option. regardless, you don't need to install a linux bootloader on your windows partitions, you would just install it to your MBR.

i read somewhere that it does allow multi boot including linux. how would i go about to install linux boot file to windows mbr? i've edited windows boot.ini to add a boot option for linux like this:

[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" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\boot.lnx="Linux"

but the system halted after I chose linux. I read somewhere that i need to save the first 512 bytes of linux boot partition. then save this in my c:\ as boot.lnx. this is where i'm stuck because i don't know enough about linux commands.

Hi Eric,

DId you solve your boot wish ?
I used some DOS type Booting utilities that can install on hardrive (or not) in order to create a menu so as to Boot on whatever partitions you like with dif. Oses, but it does much more, like formating...

I don't really get Why you prefer the Windows VS Linux booting menu, just know that this last one in hard to get rid of without loosing access to Windows partitions too.

As for me I'm looking for the most recent Linux version supporting the Silicone Image 3114 SATA.
So how is your Fedora 5. runing with that one, beside the boot matter...

Have you ever tried to upgrade to the Recent Fedora 6 ?

Looking for more info. about Fedora XX !


ABIT KV8-MAX3
AMD 64 3200+
SATA MAXTOR 160GB
SIL image 3114 chipset built-in

Can you install GRUB on you Linux drive(s) and get it to boot?

If so, all you need to do is copy the boot sector from the Linux system to a file (using dd is easiest - just dd -if /dev/sd? -of /tmp/Linux.bin -b 512 where the "?" is your Linux boot drive)

Then copy the bin file to the C: drive from which you normally boot (a floppy or usb drive works well for this), and add a line to C:/boot.ini so it's similar to this:(which is what I use to boot this laptop.)

Hi PTrenholme,

I wrote that down !

Still, how do you make 'the System' to start reading your c:\boot.ini file BEFORE it reads the GRUB booting ?

Right now, My booting reads First, Linux grub, and then...offer me the second XP boot.ini menu for the 2 Windows partitions I can choose from.

How do make it to read the Boot.ini before (eventualy selecting Grub from that menu) ?

it seems to me there is another step to do, or no ?


Thanks

Ah, you must have installed GRUB in your MBR. So you already have a working GRUB MBR to copy.

Note that what we're doing is asking the M$ loader to transfer control to GRUB so it can boot Linux. Actually having M$ boot Linux directly is a much harder problem, and one for which I know of no solution. But this, as a "work around," is fairly good.

So, first do the above and verify that the GRUB transfer to the NT loader gives you the Linux boot option, and that it works. (Yes, this means you're going around in circles, but it's a check that the NT side is working before you do anything else. This is, actually, a "good thing," since it let's you test your boot options before you commit to using it. Making sure it works before you have to use it is always useful.)

Then boot from your handy XP/NT/Vista/whatever M$ install CD/DVD and select the repair option. Then use the fixmbr command to replace the GRUB boot record with the M$ one. Reboot, and you should see the NT boot menu with the Linux option.

Oh, by the way, the /etc/grub/grub.conf or /etc/menu.lst file contains three options you might want to change after you get this working. Those are the hidemenu option which suppresses the display of the GRUB menu, the default= option which specifies the "default" GRUB entry to boot (default=0 means "use the first entry," and kernel upgrades put themselves first, so this is usually a good choice) , and the timeout= one which tells GRUB how long to wait before starting the default entry.

F.Y.I.: I was forced into this because my laptop has a brain-dead BIOS which verifies the NT MBR before booting, and won't let me use the GRUB MBR. So I'm forced to dual-boot even though I seldom use M$.

If grub is already in the MBR, just use it. Grub will easily allow you to boot multiple OSes, and it won't freak out. It automatically detects the main windows install, and may well detect both of them. You could also chainload the OSes, like booting gives the choice on linux or windows through Grub, then if you pick windows, the nt bootloader can give you the choice of 32 or 64 bit windows. Or you could make it 100 times easier on yourself, and just use Grub.

Peace,
JimBass