windows dual-boot problems: grub 2 does not boot windows

[ivanhelguera]

Hello everyone,
I bought a dell d620. I took the original drive with xp sp2 out, created a .tib image with Arconis, put a 250gb drive in, installed linux mint 8 (Ubuntu 9.10+ customizations), and restored the xp partition on a 50 gb one.
after update-grub i got a proper entry. The thinng is that the xp won't boot.
here's my grub.cfg

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
  have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
  saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
  save_env saved_entry
  prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 85268878-23a5-4778-a914-b95dbc6513b2
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod vbe
  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
    # understand terminal_output
    terminal gfxterm
  fi
fi
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=3
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/white
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 85268878-23a5-4778-a914-b95dbc6513b2
insmod png
if background_image /boot/grub/linuxmint.png ; then
  set color_normal=white/black
  set color_highlight=white/light-gray
else
  set menu_color_normal=white/black
  set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Linux Mint 8 Helena, linux 2.6.31-14-generic (/dev/sda2)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
	set quiet=1
	insmod ext2
	set root=(hd0,2)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 85268878-23a5-4778-a914-b95dbc6513b2
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=85268878-23a5-4778-a914-b95dbc6513b2 ro   quiet splash
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Linux Mint 8 Helena, linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
	insmod ext2
	set root=(hd0,2)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 85268878-23a5-4778-a914-b95dbc6513b2
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=85268878-23a5-4778-a914-b95dbc6513b2 ro single 
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sda5)" {
	insmod ntfs
	set root=(hd0,5)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cc4c93034c92e80a
	drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
	chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

is it that windows needs to be on the first partition? or something?
Thank you in advance
IH

[coopstah13]

are you getting an error message?

[ivanhelguera]

are you getting an error message?

no. blanking _ cursor, nothing happens. The disk appears to have proper xp files when viewed from mint.
EDIT It is, however, on an extended /dev/sda1 partition, containing /dev/sda5 and /dev/sda6 (a small partition to hold the .tib file)

[coopstah13]

windows partition needs to be set to bootable I believe, make sure it is

[Lostfarmer]

It could be one of several problems. XP should be on a primary partition, it will run from a logical volume but you will not be able to do a repair install. I'm also not sure if all the the Recovery Consoles commands will work.

1) problem could be XP's boot.ini file is not correct for the new partition # it is now at.
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(XX)\WINDOWS XX= the number of primary partitions +1

2) problem could be XP's hdd ID # is wrong, if the hdd was ever in a XP booted system. If that might be the problem , it will require zeroing out the MBR with exception of the Partition Table and reinstalling MBR boot code, very likely grub. Hopefully #1 will fix problem.

If more help is needed post output from linux 'fdisk -l' l=small L and command needs to be ran as root user.

If you can would suggest redoing and put XP on a primary partition and avoid the headaches. #1 could still be a problem if XP is not on the same partition # as it was cloned from, where XX=partition #.

[ivanhelguera]

It could be one of several problems. XP should be on a primary partition, it will run from a logical volume but you will not be able to do a repair install. I'm also not sure if all the the Recovery Consoles commands will work.

1) problem could be XP's boot.ini file is not correct for the new partition # it is now at.
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(XX)\WINDOWS XX= the number of primary partitions +1
If you can would suggest redoing and put XP on a primary partition and avoid the headaches. #1 could still be a problem if XP is not on the same partition # as it was cloned from, where XX=partition #.

Sounds like that could be the source of the problem.
well, here's my boot.ini:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
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" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
~

and here's fdisk-l

 Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               2        6079    48821535    5  Extended
/dev/sda2            6080        7052     7815622+  83  Linux
/dev/sda3            7053        7174      979965   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4            7175       30401   186570877+  83  Linux
/dev/sda5   *           2        5714    45889641    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6            5715        6079     2931831    7  HPFS/NTFS

XP is on /dev/sda5, part of /sda1/ extended partition.
Any suggestions as to how to change the boot.ini? Is the number after partition supposed to be the number of primary partitions on the whole disk+1? Shall this include the extended partition?
I'm a bit lost, as you see .
Thanks for help!

[Lostfarmer]

it would be

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

just add the above and change the partition(4) on default. If it still does not boot it will help to see just where it stops.

I do have a booting XP on a extended partition (sda5) but yesterday wanted to do some testing and redid the cloning to (sda5) and could not get it to boot. So some times it works good but not always. Likely due to registry hdd mount points and MBR hdd ID.

Would be best to start over, put image of XP partition on sda1 & 2, install linux root on sda3 with rest of linux on sda5 & 6. Watch the suggested partition setup and do not let it do the same way again. That way it would be a normal setup and avoid headaches later.

[ivanhelguera]

it would be just add the above and change the partition(4) on default. If it still does not boot it will help to see just where it stops.

I do have a booting XP on a extended partition (sda5) but yesterday wanted to do some testing and redid the cloning to (sda5) and could not get it to boot. So some times it works good but not always. Likely due to registry hdd mount points and MBR hdd ID.

Would be best to start over, put image of XP partition on sda1 & 2, install linux root on sda3 with rest of linux on sda5 & 6. Watch the suggested partition setup and do not let it do the same way again. That way it would be a normal setup and avoid headaches later.

It didn't work.
I'll try to put the XP on first primary partition, and report the news here.
Thanks!