[SOLVED] help needed after dual-boot instalation

[it06128]

Hi all, this is my first so forgive me for any mistakes i make ;p

Here's what happened...

i thought i 'll install both XP and Ubuntu 8.04 on one of my HDDs.
It is ~150GB and has three (3) partitions. The first is for XP, is ~40GB large.
The second is for 8.04, is ~20GB large and the rest is a DATA partition [filled with data, not empty].

So i begin.
First, i format partition #1 using XP's cd and when that is done, i install XP on that partition.
Second, i run 8.04 live cd, format the partition #2 using gparted, double click Install, go through to the screen that has to do with the partitioning, select manual.
There i select the free space [the whole partition #2], click new partition, make a 4GB partition for SWAP [virtual memory] and select ok. Next i select the remaining free space [from partition #2], press new partition, select type EXT3 with journal or something like that, select mounting point to be / and it is also being check to be formated. OK, Next, Install.
The instalation finishes. I choose to reboot, i remove 8.04's cd from the drive.

Here is the problem. When my system restarts, after it checks for a cd while booting, it ends up with "boot disc failure, insert system disc and press enter".
But here's the weird thing. If i restart, having the Windows XP cd inserted on my pc, while booting, at the same spot, while checking for any cd, it asks me to press any key to boot from cd. I do NOT press any key, and it continues with GRUB screen, it lets me select the OS i want to boot in, i boot in both XP or Ubuntu without having any problem. But this happens only if XP's cd is inserted during CDROM check. if it is not, it keeps saying "boot disc failure, insert system disc and press enter". I thought something is messed up with GRUB. What am i doing wrong? if anyone can help me i'd love that thanks again...

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

Have you set Harddisk as First Boot Device in BIOS?

GRUB is a boot loader of Linux and manages dual/multibooting.

[it06128]

Hi and Welcome !

Have you set Harddisk as First Boot Device in BIOS?

GRUB is a boot loader of Linux and manages dual/multibooting.

yeah, sorry for that, i meant GRUB.

well, here's what happens...

I had my CDROM boot priority like:
#1 Removable
#2 CD ROM
#3 Hard Disk
Boot other device -> Enable

I tried to re-order it like you said:
#1 Hard Disk
#2 Removable [or #2 CD Rom]
#3 CD Rom [or #3 Removable]
#4 Enable [or #4 Disable]

but if i do so, then the same message appears. this time, it appears even if i have XP's cd inserted. So i restore the sequence to: Removable -> CD ROM -> HDD -> Enable and i am at the same state i was. Everything is fine with XP's cd inserted ONLY.

Any ideas??

My HDD priority is:
#1 HDD with XP,UBUNTU, DATA
#2 HDD with DATA

i really hope my PC doesn't like XP's cd that much, because i don't ;p ;p

[yancek]

You have two drives, which did you install Grub to the mbr of? Probably the simplest thing to do is boot into Ubuntu and post the output of command:

sudo fdisk -l (lower case letter L)

as well as the contents of /boot/grub/menu.lst

[it06128]

You have two drives, which did you install Grub to the mbr of? Probably the simplest thing to do is boot into Ubuntu and post the output of command:

sudo fdisk -l (lower case letter L)

as well as the contents of /boot/grub/menu.lst

well, i didn't install GRUB, i think it was installed during UBUNTU instalation, so it should be in the drive where xp, ubuntu, data are [that is sdb].

there is what you want to see...

output of command "sudo fdisk -l":
================================================== ==
Disk /dev/sda: 200.0 GB, 200049647616 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24321 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xdec6dec6

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 24320 195350368+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd0c0d0c0

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 5099 40957686 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 5100 5707 4883760 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3 7640 19457 94928085 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdb4 5708 7639 15518790 83 Linux
/dev/sdb5 7640 19457 94928053+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Partition table entries are not in disk order
==============================================
contents of "/boot/grub/menu.lst"

default 0
timeout 15
color white/black

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic
root (hd1,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=33fdb673-cf9f-4436-bdf2-a50674f61b10 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd1,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=33fdb673-cf9f-4436-bdf2-a50674f61b10 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic
root (hd1,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=33fdb673-cf9f-4436-bdf2-a50674f61b10 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd1,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=33fdb673-cf9f-4436-bdf2-a50674f61b10 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, memtest86+
root (hd1,3)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

title Other operating systems:

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
savedefault
makeactive
================================================

hope these help...

[it06128]

ok guys thx, i made it.. i had to change a setting in my bios that had to do with the HDDs..sorry for the trouble

thanks again

p.s. although, it's weird that everything was ok with the cd inserted..;p

[devils casper]

Well Done and Glad to help you !
Do start a new thread if you have any other question.