LinuxQuestions.org - Xubuntu don't let me boot XP anymore

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Xubuntu don't let me boot XP anymore

I am completely new to Linux - after reading how it is now easy to install I thought I would give it a try. I downloaded XUbuntu 11 and burned it to CD and rebooted my pc.
I got the install options and as I already have XP on one partition (C:) I thought i would get an easy option to install LInux on the other partiton (D:) But i didnt seem to get that option. Well I went with "INstall alongside XP" and hoped it would give me the option of putting it on the D: drive but it just went ahead and installed on C:
Anyway it booted up fine, so I thought I would reboot and try booting into XP
I got the boot screen with the linux choices at the top and xp at the bottom so I chose XP. The boot options went away for a second then came back with the Linux option highlighted. I again tried highlighting XP but it wont boot XP at all!!!!!
I need XP for when I have to use my canon printer or my canon scanner!
What do I do?
I am so new to Linux that i dont know what file to alter or even how to uninstall it completely!!! HELP, SOS!!!

Okay, for starters, there is a line of small-print on every Linux tin:

dont panic, all is well

Let's see:

Quote:

I need XP for when I have to use my canon printer or my canon scanner!

So? Linux can print too, you know...

Quote:

What do I do?

If that's the only reason to hold on to xp, dont, just install the printer in Linux :) ...
However, there's the tricky question about your data in the xp section of the disk. Is there data? Can we tempt you to (at least) install the printer in Linux? Can we at all dare to tempt you to make the complete hop to Linux? I guess some tinkering is called for but dual boots are possible.

I personally never install more than one OS per box...so, had I known, I would have suggested a (redundant) box to test-drive Linux and then hop over...

I'll keep this thread on the radar to help out if possible. In the mean time, try to find a file called menu.lst , this file lists the partitions on the disk, maybe a tinker in there will help. When found, post the contens here.

And again, dont panic :)

Thor

I did a search for a linux driver for my canon pixma 2ooo and there are none - same for my scanner
but my main problem at the moment was I was told LInux would install alongside xp no problem but instead I cant even boot into xp any more.

Hmm, okay, well, I've looked up some tutorials, this one seems pretty okay, have a read-over...
You'll have to do a bit of read-n-learn though, no escape :)

Okay, post the grub.conf and the menu.lst here. Let's look at these first. Will you manage in finding them?

Edit, there is a driver page from Canon themselves...source is available to compile yourself, it's feasable...

Ok, before we start lets just check some things out.

Are you able to see XP at all, when Xubuntu is running, in the file manager (I think it's called Thunar). You might see something that doesn't have a linux type name but instead named like the size of a drive. If you do can you click on it and see what is in it? Be careful that you do not accidentally delete anything. Is there anything in it that looks remotely like a Windows system?

Ok, if we have confirmed Windows still exists back in Xubuntu look for /boot/grub/grub.cfg copy the contents of the file and paste them here in a code box (the thing that looks like #) so we can see what your entries look like. It may be there is an error in Grub and it just needs tidying up a bit.

yes my windows folder and files are all there still, its just that I have made the mistake of trusting the install option "install alongside xp" of having some brains - but its really crazy, what has happend it that it has intalled grub to the same partition as xp - why would it ever do that?
here is the info you said i should post

Code:

#

# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE

#

# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates

# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub

#



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then

  set have_grubenv=true

  load_env

fi

set default="0"

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then

  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"

  save_env saved_entry

  set prev_saved_entry=

  save_env prev_saved_entry

  set boot_once=true

fi



function savedefault {

  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then

    saved_entry="${chosen}"

    save_env saved_entry

  fi

}



function recordfail {

  set recordfail=1

  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi

}



function load_video {

  insmod vbe

  insmod vga

  insmod video_bochs

  insmod video_cirrus

}



insmod part_msdos

insmod ext2

set root='(hd0,msdos5)'

search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb

if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then

  set gfxmode=auto

  load_video

  insmod gfxterm

  insmod part_msdos

  insmod ext2

  set root='(hd0,msdos5)'

  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb

  set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale

  set lang=en_GB

  insmod gettext

fi

terminal_output gfxterm

if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then

  set timeout=-1

else

  set timeout=10

fi

### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

set menu_color_normal=white/black

set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray

### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then

  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then

    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then

      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then

        set linux_gfx_mode=keep

      else

        set linux_gfx_mode=text

      fi

    else

      set linux_gfx_mode=text

    fi

  else

    set linux_gfx_mode=keep

  fi

else

  set linux_gfx_mode=text

fi

export linux_gfx_mode

if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi

menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.0.0-15-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

        recordfail

        set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode

        insmod gzio

        insmod part_msdos

        insmod ext2

        set root='(hd0,msdos5)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb

        linux        /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-15-generic root=UUID=543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb ro  quiet splash vt.handoff=7

        initrd        /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-15-generic

}

menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.0.0-15-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

        recordfail

        insmod gzio

        insmod part_msdos

        insmod ext2

        set root='(hd0,msdos5)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb

        echo        'Loading Linux 3.0.0-15-generic ...'

        linux        /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-15-generic root=UUID=543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb ro recovery nomodeset 

        echo        'Loading initial ramdisk ...'

        initrd        /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-15-generic

}

submenu "Previous Linux versions" {

menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.0.0-12-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

        recordfail

        set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode

        insmod gzio

        insmod part_msdos

        insmod ext2

        set root='(hd0,msdos5)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb

        linux        /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb ro  quiet splash vt.handoff=7

        initrd        /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic

}

menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.0.0-12-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

        recordfail

        insmod gzio

        insmod part_msdos

        insmod ext2

        set root='(hd0,msdos5)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb

        echo        'Loading Linux 3.0.0-12-generic ...'

        linux        /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb ro recovery nomodeset 

        echo        'Loading initial ramdisk ...'

        initrd        /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic

}

}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {

        insmod part_msdos

        insmod ext2

        set root='(hd0,msdos5)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb

        linux16        /boot/memtest86+.bin

}

menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {

        insmod part_msdos

        insmod ext2

        set root='(hd0,msdos5)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 543f53e7-5e76-4528-a38d-bc4a02cd03fb

        linux16        /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8

}

### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sda1)" --class windows --class os {

        insmod part_msdos

        insmod ntfs

        set root='(hd0,msdos1)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root D09CCFC29CCFA178

        drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}

        chainloader +1

}

### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the

# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change

# the 'exec tail' line above.

### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

if [ -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then

  source $prefix/custom.cfg;

fi

### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

OK my problem is solved, I first tried bootng with my windows cd and choosing repair mode and then fixing the MBR with the fixmbr command - although it said it rebuilt it Linux still booted and I couldnt boot into windows. In the end I went though a new intall of xp but installed to a different folder so that my original xp is fine. So I am now back in XP and have fully erased Linux- Hoooray!
Now IF I am ever brave/foolish enough to try Linux again - what would anyone recommend as a better to install version of LInux - should I have gone with an older more tried and tested version like Ubutu 10.04 ? or something different

I wouldn't have done anything like that until you had exhausted a few more options.

Xubuntu 11.04 and 11.10 should be fine but that shouldn't stop you from trying 10.04.

Just doing the math it took you 9 minutes to do a fresh install of XP, that's pretty good I've never seen it that quick yet.

9 mins? I think it took about 25 mins because I used a tiny xp version called the beast.

What you have to understand is that only one who made a mistake is you. I have a PC, dual boot, Xubuntu and Winblows 7.

What I did is and it's the lovely way of doing things;

First I've installed Winblows 7. I have 300 GB hard drive, I let it have 200 GB, then I burned Xubuntu CD, booted from it and when partitioning came up in the installer I choosed "Something Else". On a 100 GB space that's left on the hard drive I created separate / (root) partition, /home partition and swap partition, then as I remember Xubuntu will automagically install GRUB (the bootloader) on the MBR (Master Boot Record) which will then give you a nice little title "Windows bla bla bla" in the menu. All works. If it's not automatic, on a dual boot system, Linux - Winblows, just install GRUB on the MBR.

Thing about Linux is that, sometimes you just have to think a little and read a little, especially when you're new to it, but after and if you do that, you should not regret.