Configuring GRUB for Windows

**tristanlee85** · 07-03-2004

On my primary HD, I have RedHat 9.1 installed. GRUB automatically starts when my system starts and asks me which OS to boot to. As of now, there is just my Linux OS. On my 2nd HD I have Windows 2000. Within Linux, how can I configure it to list Windows as a boot option?

Also, when I am in Windows (if I set the Windows HD as master and Linux as slave, I will boot directly into Windows, but I am not able to browse into the Linux HD. Is this a security feature or a problem on my side?

BTW, I did use the search feature before posting, but what I found di not necessarily help me 100%.

**sarumont** · 07-03-2004

You need to add the following to your grub.conf:

Code:

title=Windows
root &#40;hd1,0&#41;
rootnoverify &#40;hd1&#41;
chainloader +1

That should enable you to choose between Windows and Linux at the grub prompt.

**tristanlee85** · 07-03-2004

I'll give that a shot. Thanks

**white scorpion** · 07-03-2004

and as for browsing the linux partition in windows, there are some tools that allow you to do that, one of them is "explore2fs.exe"
with this you can only read from the linux partition, not write to it.

you can get it here.

**tristanlee85** · 07-03-2004

Ok, actually I have one question before attempting this:

The Linux HD will be my primary drive (HD1) and the Windows will be the slave or HD2. So, in grub.conf, would it be:

Code:

title=Windows 
root &#40;hd2,0&#41; 
rootnoverify &#40;hd2&#41; 
chainloader +1

**variant** · 07-03-2004

No.. drive letters/numbers in grub start from the number 0 whereas under linux they start at A or 1 for a partition.

/dev/hda1 in linux is (hd0,0) in grub.

/dev/hdb3 in linux is (hd1,2) in grub

:P confusing? - it sure is!!
so it would actualy be as sarumont says :)

It was a very good question though, and Important that you query these things if they concern you.

**tristanlee85** · 07-03-2004

Awesome! Thanks for the quick response. Make sense...I jut gotta put it through my head that it goes that way.

**Dolda2000** · 07-03-2004

Just a small correction - it's supposed to be "title Windows", not "title=Windows".

**tristanlee85** · 07-04-2004

I assumed it was 'title Windows' since it was like thatin the grub.conf file. Now, here lies the problem:

I got it added to the menu. Here is the entire source:

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE&#58;  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root &#40;hd0,0&#41;
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda2
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=2
timeout=10
splashimage=&#40;hd0,0&#41;/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Red Hat Linux &#40;2.4.20-30.9&#41;
	root &#40;hd0,0&#41;
	kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-30.9 ro root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi
	initrd /initrd-2.4.20-30.9.img
title Red Hat Linux &#40;2.4.20-8&#41;
	root &#40;hd0,0&#41;
	kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-8 ro root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi
	initrd /initrd-2.4.20-8.img
title Windows 2000 Professional
	root &#40;hd1,0&#41;
	rootnoverify &#40;hd1&#41;
	chainloader +1

When GRUB loads, the Windows option is automatically selected. If I select the Windows boot option, the screen will turn black like it is going to boot, and then it says that there is no operating system found. Any thoughts?

**tristanlee85** · 07-04-2004

Here is the actual error:

Code:

Booting command-list

root &#40;hd1,0&#41;
  Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
rootnoverify &#40;hd1&#41;
chainloader +1

Error loading operating system

Hopefully that helps.

BTW, the OS is Windows 2k Pro on NTFS if that means anything.

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