XP doesn't recognize Ubuntu, Ubuntu installed first.

MonkeyBusiness · 07-26-2005, 10:48 AM

Here's the deal. I installed Ubuntu first after getting a new HD, and Ubuntu did the partitioning. Then I installed XP and never heard from the Ubuntu partition again. Other forums say use Explore2fs, but that doesn't work with the ReiserFS that Ubuntu is on. How do I get the option to boot either OS at startup?

ctkroeker · 07-26-2005, 10:59 AM

Bootloader problem. That's why people always say to install windows first, then linux. Linux is smart and sees windows, but not the other way around.
Re-install... I guess.

Nylex · 07-26-2005, 11:00 AM

Maybe there's a rescue disk or something for Ubuntu, so you can just use that to reinstall the bootloader instead of starting from scratch. I hear you can use Windows' bootloader to boot a Linux OS too, but I don't know how.

deviance99 · 07-26-2005, 03:35 PM

You could always boot up a live CD distro, or something along those lines and just reinstall the linux boot-loader... or you can fish around MS's website and try to find out how to edit the XP bootloader so it gives an option for linux.

tim_abell · 06-20-2006, 04:28 PM

i wrote a really useful reply, but lq.org refused the link i posted and lost everything i typed. so tough, you're on your own. grrrrrrr

tim_abell · 06-20-2006, 05:16 PM

wonder if i have the required three posts yet for submitting a url?

....

nope

tim_abell · 06-20-2006, 05:17 PM

maybe now....

this is what i was going to post:
http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com/2005/1...-and-boot.html

though i'm not repeating my synopsis

Gethyn · 06-20-2006, 05:41 PM

There have been a lot of threads about this kind of issue, particularly recently. Try searching the forum for "reinstall grub".

scweej · 06-21-2006, 01:34 AM

i had a similar problem whilst installing Kanotix on a desktop.

installed Kanotix first, then WinXP. Bootloader kept loading XP automatically.

there are a lot of threads about altering Grub or MBR to fix this up, but i found

the easiest way was to install Kanotix again.

tim_abell · 06-21-2006, 03:58 AM

i tried the new ubuntu 6.06 boot cd, but couldn't get it to do what I wanted.
i used knoppix 4 in the end

- boot: "knoppix 2"
gives just a shell (quicker)
- it had already put hda1 in fstab (linux was hda1, xp hda2)
so "mount /mnt/hda1" worked
- cd /mnt/hda1
- had a quick look to see if the files were there (ls)
- from that dir ran:
sbin/grub-install --root-directory=. /dev/dha
which worked with some errors
- rebooted from hdd (yay linux)
- edited /boot/grub/menu.lst to add windows
- re-ran "grub-install /dev/hda"
sorted