Boot problem W2k/FC4 -

bobgoodwin bobgoodwin at att.net
Sun Feb 26 21:37:29 UTC 2006


Tim wrote:

>bobgoodwin wrote:
>  
>
>>>>I have installed Windows 2000/NTFS on /dev/hda and FC4 on /dev/hdb but 
>>>>Grub is never displayed, Windows is booted immediately.  I've tried 
>>>>installing grub in boot and mbr as offered in the installation routine 
>>>>with the same result.
>>>>        
>>>>
>
>
>Tim:
>  
>
>>>Some people dual-booting with Windows find it easier to keep Linux
>>>completely on its own drive (bootloaders, and all), and put an entry
>>>into the NT loader file so that the Windows boot menu gives you the
>>>options of which drive to boot from.
>>>      
>>>
>  
>
>bobgoodwin:
>  
>
>>I don't recall seeing an option to do that with Windows 2000 but it may 
>>not be a menu item?
>>    
>>
>
>The boot.ini file (if I've remembered the correct file) in the Windows
>C:/ drive is read just before Windows boots up.  In it are entries for
>what windows will boot up.  If you can understand how to refer to the
>right drive and partition, you can add an entry for your Linux drive.
>  
>
I will look at that.

>There's a plethora of webpages describing how to do this.  It might even
>been in one of the Fedora FAQ websites.
>  
>
I will check that if I can find the right search terms.

>>There is an option offered right at the install start that I didn't 
>>comprehend ...
>>    
>>
>
>Well, unless you tell us what it is, we won't be able to offer any
>advice.
>  
>
I will have to run the Windows install again to answer that, but the 
opportunity is only there fro a few seconds after the install disk 
starts, something about having another application to install I 
believe?  In this case the Windows installation is just a bother to me 
since I'm primarily interested in getting his customer database set up 
in FC4/MySql.  I bought a copy of Navicat/Linux to get the gui, it seems 
to work well.

My son-in-law has been putting customer information in a DOS program for 
fifteen years and it has a lot of records!  Unfortunately no one could 
deal with the old database and I spent a number of weeks copying 4000 
plus records, about 60,000 fields that I was able to copy/paste to 
insure some degree of accuracy.  The DOS program could not deal with the 
Y2K transition and has been a problem since.  The new system using MySql 
should be a major improvement if he can adapt to the different interface.

The computer I'm working on was built by a piano tuner and a PBS-TV 
video editor from parts bought at a "computer show!"  It is less than 
optimal but It works now, has about 400 megs of RAM and an 1100 mHz AMD 
processor.

>  
>
>>I solved the problem by doing 'Linux rescue' from disk #1 and then 
>>'grub-install /dev/hda' to fix the problem.  However I still don't
>>understand why the Install/Upgrade routines that I ran several times
>>did not accomplish this?
>>    
>>
>
>Again, without knowing exactly what you did, we can't really make a good
>guess.
>
>You haven't mentioned which drive you tried installing GRUB onto the
>first time around.  You only said you've put it onto *a* MBR, not which
>drive.
>  
>
Windows 2000 would not permit me to install it on the second drive.  I  
could enter all the configuration instructions but nothing happened 
until I let it install on drive hd0, /dev/hda, and I assume that's where 
the mbr is located that Fedora offered to install it in?  Ultimately, 
that is where I put it from the Linux rescue on FC4 disk #1.  FC4 is 
installed on hd1, /dev/hdb. Everything appears to be working, I've 
installed XFCE, MySql, Navicat, etc. and have it connected to three 
other here via Ethernet so I can transfer files as needed.

Again, thanks for the assistance.

Bob Goodwin




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