[surj08]

i have 2 hard drives the first one was configured like: installed xp, then vista so it would take over the boot loading
Then one the second hard drive i installed fedora and pointed it at the vista boot loader so i would have to use grub to select either fedora, which went straight to fedora, or windows which took me to vista's boot loader. the only problem was it wouldnt lemme select xp. i checked vista's boot loader and it had been deleted but booted into vista fine. so i decided to try this again all on 1 hardrive and use the other one for NTFS space and the swap for linux.
what order do i install them in/how to configure grub so that it works right??
i had someone tell me vista last but that sounds iffy. and i know fedora would have to go b4 ubuntu cuz fedora doesnt detect ubuntu or some crap(so ive been told)
any help is much needed.
and i already have xp installed (thats how im typing this)

[devils casper]

Install XP, then Vista, Fedora and Ubuntu in the last.
If you want to keep Windows OSes and Linux OSes on separate HDs then plug-in Windows HD as Primary Master and install XP/Vista.
Un-plug Windows HD and plug-in other HD as Primary and install Fedora -- Ubuntu. Plug-in Windows HD as Secondary(Slave) and boot any Linux OS. Open Terminal and execute this

su -
fdisk -l

Post output here.
I will post the code for dual boot setup and you will have to edit only one file ( menu.lst ).

Installing Windows and Linux OSes in separate disks is best way imho.

[surj08]

id like to keep all the o/s on one harddrive but if you think thats the best way ill try that soo do i install grub to the MBR or the boot sector for that distro?
Order Of Installation For Vista/Linux - The NeoSmart Forums
thats why i was wondering and ill post output later, working.
Thank you

[Jonathan183]

If you are set on a re-install then follow devils caspers advice above. It may be possible for you to fix Windows boot without re-install. If you want to try this first then post the output of

su -
fdisk -l
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

or

cat /boot/grub/grub.conf

[devils casper]

Originally Posted by surj08

id like to keep all the o/s on one harddrive but if you think thats the best way ill try that soo do i install grub to the MBR or the boot sector for that distro?

Let installer do the job of GRUB installation. Do not change any thing in Boot Loader section during installation. Install will take of dual booting and its easy to add an entry of Windows OS in GRUB later on.

Originally Posted by surj08

Order Of Installation For Vista/Linux - The NeoSmart Forums
thats why i was wondering and ill post output later, working.

I wont recommend you to use any third Party Boot Loader for Dual boot setup. GRUB is one of the best Boot Loader.

If you want to fix problem without re-installing OSes, post the output of commands suggested by Jonathan183.

[surj08]

its a little late of the reinstall i already wiped them in hopes of redoing the whole thing thank you tho. what order do i install the o/s's??? if you install vista it takes over the xp bootloader correct? and then i dunno if grub can access it,

[devils casper]

Install XP first. Install Vista after XP and installer will setup dual boot with XP itself.

If you want to install all OSes in Single HD then install Fedora. Fedora installer will detect Vista Boot Loader and add its entry in GRUB.
You will have options to boot up Fedora, invoke Vista boot loader to boot up either XP/Vista in GRUB Menu.
Install Ubuntu after Fedora.

If you want to install Linux and Windows OSes in separate HDs then unplug Windows HD, plug-in other as Primary and install Fedora and then Ubuntu as suggested earlier.

[surj08]

thats basically how i did it the first time but i never made it to ubuntu. after i pointed it to the vista bootloader it never got into xp. like the selection was there from the vista boot loader but when i selected it, it would just restart

[devils casper]

Something was wrong with Vista Boot Loader.
Did you install all OSes in Single Disk?

[surj08]

i got xp vista and then fedora in text based so i just kinda let it do its thing, fedora was on a diff harddrive. the vista bootloader was gone, deleted. and not by me!