Dual booting Linux with Windows

Baron · n00b Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 3

Ok, I had win XP setup on 1 of 3 partitions, I then installed mandrake 9.1 on partition 2 and then another install of XP on partition 3.

When i installed XP, then linux...it was fine as the linux boot loader would let me select windows or linux. When i put the other install of XP on there it got rid of the linux boot menu and just loaded the windows one, so I cant' boot into linux any more.

What would be the best/easiest way to get either of these menus to show linux and windows? Mind you I don't know a ton about linux yet, and am still learning it.

gwydion · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2003 12:02 am Post subject:

basically, the easiest would be to install xp:xp:linux

The reasoning behind this comes from how windows[insert version here] handles the boot loader/process/files/whatever on install. Whenever you install windows, it assumes two things: one, the MBR *must* be updated; two, the only operating systems that should be available after it's done installing are MS operating systems. Therefore, because of this hijacking process, one would normally install any and all MS systems first, then linux. In your particular instance, you can go from this point of having both windows installs recognized and just re-install linux.

Disclaimer: yes, I know I'm somewhat vague, and I know there's more to it, exceptions, yada yada yada... but this is the basic general breakdown funky groove thing. so there.

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Baron · n00b Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 3

Well I always change OSes around and such...so having one permanent setup wouldnt work as i'd keep changing it.

Any way to have the windoze boot.ini point to the linux OS?

stonent · Veteran Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Posts: 1139 Location: Texas

I launch windows from Grub:

Baron · n00b Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 3

jsc1959 · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2003 4:50 am Post subject:

Boot off of the Disk 1 for Mandrake , at the boot prompt type "rescue" and press enter. This will bring up the rescue portion of Mandrake. The first option is to reinstall Lilo if that is what you were booting with before. Just do that and you should have you boot options back. Hope this helps.

slarti` · Retired Dev Joined: 20 Sep 2003 Posts: 376 Location: UK

Essentially windows has it's own bootloader that is installed in the MBR every time you install Windows [bloat number], overwriting LiLo/GRUB. If you are constantly switching OSes around, your best bet is to make a LiLo/GRUB bootfloppy, and set your BIOS to boot from A: first. This way, when you have the bootfloppy in, you get your bootloader prompt, and can choose whatever OS you want, as long as the bootloader is configured to it.

The configuration file for Grub is /boot/grub/grub.conf

The configuration file for LiLo is /etc/lilo.conf (remember to /sbin/lilo after making any changes)

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plate · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2003 10:39 am Post subject:

Check the documentation and the FAQ sections of this forum before you post anything regarding one of the most frequent problems here. Besides, debugging Mandrake setups has no business in Installing Gentoo...