I've been messing around with trying to dual boot WinXP and FC4 using Grub, but I can't get it to work.

I want to have both OS's installed on a single 80GB SATA drive, and I have tried several different partitioning and installation schemes, and I can always get one OS to boot, but not the other. I'm a total linux n00b, so I will probably get some of the terminology wrong. Anyway, my current setup is a 100MB partition at the beginning of the drive that i set as /boot with Disk Druid. Next on the disk is a 50GB partition for Windows, and the remainder of the disk is for FC4. I told Grub to install in the first sector of /boot.

The problem is when I restart, the Grub menu comes up, and if I select Fedora, it boots up fine. If I select Windows, it basically spits out part of grub.conf:

title Windows
makeactive
unhide (hd0,4)
rootnoverify (hd0,4)
chainloader +1

_ (blinking cursor, just stalls out here)

I added makeactive and unhide (hd0,4) based on some stuff I found with Google, but there is no change with or without those lines.

Any advice? I am willing to completely start over with fresh Windows & Linux installs if needed, I just want to get this working.

Thanks!

11/17/2005 8:15:33 PM

go to fedora
open a terminal

type 'su'
enter root password
type 'gedit /boot/grub/grub.conf'

make sure your windows line looks like this:

title windoze
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1


and that /should/ work
I dont know, I never had an issue with it myself

11/17/2005 8:26:47 PM

isn't hd0,0 my /boot partition though? I'll give it a try

11/17/2005 8:28:01 PM

Dual-booting used to be a nightmare ... its gotten a LOT easier. GRUB will cause some headaches if you aren't familiar with Linux. You have a couple of options:

1) Install Microsoft Virtual PC 2004.
-Free from MSDNAA, depending on your major/access.
-You'll need to mount the Fedora DVD as a Virtual CD-ROM drive, as Microsoft Virtual PC doesn't support >2GB disks at the moment (!@#$)
-Slow ass (2 hr) install, blame Microsoft, VMware is much better about this.

2) Install Linux on its own partition
*I can't remember the exact Linux installation procedure and whether I ignored GRUB or had it install. Regardless, you don't need to boot into Linux at this point, you need to be able to boot into Windows.
-Look up a utility called "BootPart", make yourself a bootsect file. (PM an email if you want a screenshot of this)
-Your boot.ini will be updated to look something like this:
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
c:\bootsect.lnx="Red Hat Linux - Fedora Core 4"

I would go with the first unless you need hardcore linux functionality. I'd rather have both OS's running at once than have to reboot between the two.

11/17/2005 8:41:44 PM

yick
its worthless to use linux if you're just running it ontop of windows

it doesnt run nearly as fast, and you have all of windows' flaws

I dual boot between windows xp and fedora core 4, and I log into windows once a month to update my virus definitions
I keep it so that I can use the occasional app that doesnt have a good linux substitute yet, like photoshop and dreamweaver.. though gimp and nvu work alright
using wine (and the help of cxoffice) I get all the windows browser plugins including wmp..

btw, if you're using fedora, use the livna repo as well
I think its http://livna.org
there's instructions on how to set it up

it has useful things like xine, ntfs kernel patches, etc..

11/17/2005 8:57:24 PM

do not go the virtual route unless it is a necessity you have both running at once

im guessing you installed fc4 first and xp 2nd

11/18/2005 8:31:38 AM

^Win XP would overwrite grub wouldnt it? he's not having a problem gettin grub loaded..

but yeah, usually install windows before linux.. it just works better

11/18/2005 10:15:18 AM

it doesn't matter WHAT ORDER if you have a linux bootup disc.

11/18/2005 10:44:43 AM