[SOLVED] Dual boot config, Windows won't boot

slipstreamed · 04-27-2012, 01:40 AM

I've installed slackware 13.37 x64, alongside windows 7, here is what cfdisk shows:

sda1 primary ntfs PQSERVICE 1502MB
sda2 boot primary ntfs System Reserved 104MB
sda5 logical swap 2048MB
sda6 logical ext4 15665MB
sda4 primary ntfs Acer 435255MB

My problem is that although Lilo shows windows on OS selection screen, when i boot windows up it redirects me to "Recovery Manager for windows", i think its because sda2 has boot flag enabled.
I tried enabling boot flag for sda4 (My windows Partition) in cfdisk and then "Write" for writing the changes to disk but it still won't boot up my windows partition. Please help

Slackyman · 04-27-2012, 01:45 AM

What's in your /etc/lilo.conf?
If you have something like this:

Code:

other=/dev/sda2
    label=win

then you have to change it in

Code:

other=/dev/sda4
    label=win

and then run lilo.

slipstreamed · 04-28-2012, 01:14 AM

Here is how lilo.conf looks

# Windows bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/sda2
label = Windows
table = /dev/sda
# Windows bootable partition config ends
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda6
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

I've tried changing /dev/sda2 to /dev/sda4 but it still drops me at recovery manager screen, the data i have on my windows partition (Acer)seems intact though, and its accessible through slackware

Slackyman · 04-28-2012, 02:04 AM

After your changes have your run /sbin/lilo?

slipstreamed · 05-02-2012, 11:28 PM

ran /sbin/lilo, but now when i boot windows it shows "Bootmgr is missing", guess i should have stuck with grub.
This is my first time with Lilo, is this to be expected?

vdemuth · 05-03-2012, 12:54 AM

Just been through the exact same thing.
1st thing is to reset /dev/sda1 as the bootable partition, then make sure your lilo.conf looks like this

Code:

# Windows bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/sda4
label = Windows
table = /dev/sda
# Windows bootable partition config ends
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda6
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

re run lilo (as root)

you should then be good to go.

slipstreamed · 05-03-2012, 01:12 AM

What do you mean by " 1st thing is to reset /dev/sda1 as the bootable partition" do you mean setting /dev/sda4 as the bootable partition?, as it is my windows partition

markush · 05-03-2012, 01:24 AM

Hi,

the bootable partition for Win 7 is the one where it's bootloader resides. Here on my system it is /dev/sda2 but from your postings it is not clear where the bootloader of your Win 7 resides.

Here an example from my laptop:

Code:

samsung:~# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 Köpfe, 63 Sektoren/Spur, 38913 Zylinder, zusammen 625142448 Sektoren
Einheiten = Sektoren von 1 × 512 = 512 Bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x096716b2

   Gerät  boot.     Anfang        Ende     Blöcke   Id  System
/dev/sda1            2048    31459327    15728640   27  Hidden NTFS WinRE
/dev/sda2   *    31459328    31664127      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3        31664128   236791807   102563840    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda4       236791808   625137344   194172768+   5  Erweiterte
/dev/sda5       236791871   289234259    26221194+  83  Linux
/dev/sda6       289234323   299740769     5253223+  82  Linux Swap
/dev/sda7       299740833   331212104    15735636   83  Linux
/dev/sda8       331212168   373173884    20980858+  83  Linux
/dev/sda9       373173948   499027094    62926573+  83  Linux
/dev/sda10      499027158   625137344    63055093+  83  Linux

as I wrote, the Win 7 bootloader resides in /dev/sda2 and here my entry in lilo.conf

Code:

# Windows bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/sda2
  label = Win7
  table = /dev/sda
# Windows bootable partition config ends

you should try all your NTFS-Partitions if you are not sure. When the recoverymanager opens, lilo has tried to boot the recoverypartition (on my system /dev/sda1), I've made this mistake once

Markus

lazardo · 05-03-2012, 01:28 AM

xyzzy

vdemuth · 05-03-2012, 01:29 AM

No, set /dev/sda1 as the bootable partition. Although it is shown as PQSERVICE, it seems it is where Windows expects to find bootmgr, at least in my experience at least. The win bootmgr then presumabely hands off its own boot process to windows drive c: which in your case by the look of it is on /dev/sda4.
Don't ask me why this works for me, but that's the way mine works.
Of course. your disk may be setup differently to mine.

markush · 05-03-2012, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vdemuth

No, set /dev/sda1 as the bootable partition. Although it is shown as PQSERVICE, it seems it is where Windows expects to find bootmgr, at least in my experience at least. The win bootmgr then presumabely hands off its own boot process to windows drive c: which in your case by the look of it is on /dev/sda4.
Don't ask me why this works for me, but that's the way mine works.
Of course. your disk may be setup differently to mine.

The question is: what is with /dev/sda3?

The OP should try any of his ntfs partitions or please post the output of (execute as root)

Code:

fdisk -l

Markus

slipstreamed · 05-04-2012, 10:38 PM

fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xeca74491

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 29362175 14680064 27 Hidden NTFS WinRE
/dev/sda2 * 29362176 29566975 102400 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 29566976 935811071 453122048 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda4 935811072 976773167 20481048 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 935813120 940007423 2097152 82 Linux swap
/dev/sda6 940009472 976773119 18381824 83 Linux

I've reinstalled Windows 7 and slackware on my system,
sda1 is PQSERVICE
sda2 is System reserved( contains partition table i think)
sda3 holds Windows 7.
After installing slackware this time too Windows again showed "Bootmgr missing", lilo.conf had sda3 set as bootable partition, i changed it to sda2 and voila! Windows now boots without any problems. What i don't understand is that when i used Fedora the GRUB was installed on /dev/sda and showed sda3 as the bootable partiton for Windows in grub.conf and Windows would boot without any errors,
Why does lilo point to sda2 then?