Fedora Linux and Windows XP Dual Boot Problem

[cr1]

I have just installed Fedora Linux in a DELL machine. After the installation, the Linux system works perfectly. However, I am not able to start the Windows XP.

Here is my hard disk partition information:
[root@localhost ~]# /sbin/fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14589 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 13 104391 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 5100 14588 76220392+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda3 14 5099 40853295 8e Linux LVM
/dev/sda5 5100 10198 40957686 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 10199 14588 35262643+ e W95 FAT16 (LBA)

The grub info is below:
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=2
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.20-1.2925.fc6)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.20-1.2925.fc6 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.20-1.2925.fc6.img
title Fedora Core (2.6.18-1.2798.fc6)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,4)
chainloader +1

I also have the problem to mount the two windows partition in linux so that I can back up some data there.

I greatly appreciate it if anyone can give me hint to solve this problem.

cr

[retired1af]

As usual, XP wants to be first in all things, this includes where it's installed. The order of installation for a dual boot machine is load XP first, then load Linux.

[cr1]

I have noticed that Windows should be in first partition. The question is that I have installed Windows first and can I get back the data in windows partition?

[devils casper]

Fedora doesn't support NTFS out of box. install kmod-ntfs package to enable NTFS read access. log in as root and execute this

yum -y install kmod-ntfs
cd /media
mkdir win1 win2
mount -t ntfs /dev/sda5 /media/win1 -o defaults,umask=0
mount -t vfat /dev/sda6 /media/win2 -o defaults,umask=0

check win1 and win2 folders in /media.

[cr1]

Dear devils_casper,

Thank you for your reply. I have update the kernal using the command: "yum -y install kmod-ntfs" and then restarted the system.

However, I am still not able to mount the windows partition and bwlow are the error message:

# mount -t ntfs /dev/sda5 /media/win1 -o defaults,umask=0
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ntfs'

# mount -t vfat /dev/sda6 /media/win2 -o defaults,umask=0
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda6,
missing codepage or other error
In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
dmesg | tail or so

The dmesg | tail shows this:

FAT: bogus number of reserved sectors
VFS: Can't find a valid FAT filesystem on dev sda6.

Any more hint please?

[retired1af]

If your system BIOS is old enough, it won't see anything past the default sectors. If your NTFS partitions are beyond what the BIOS can see, nothing, short of reflashing your BIOS will allow Linux to see those partitions.

[devils casper]

post the output of 'yum -y install kmod-ntfs' command.

[firepong]

if you want, you can just install ntfs-config (yum install ntfs-config). Then, all you have to do is go into System Tools on the applications tab and click NTFS Config or somthieng like that, not on my home comp atm. From there, just tick the box you want to use and it will automatically find your ntfs drives and mount them in /media.

[cr1]

Thanks firepong. I am now able to access the NTFS directory after install ntfs-config. However, I still have the problem to access other 2 windows partition.

if you want, you can just install ntfs-config (yum install ntfs-config). Then, all you have to do is go into System Tools on the applications tab and click NTFS Config or somthieng like that, not on my home comp atm. From there, just tick the box you want to use and it will automatically find your ntfs drives and mount them in /media.

[cr1]

post the output of 'yum -y install kmod-ntfs' command.

Here is the output of the command.
# yum -y install kmod-ntfs
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Setting up Install Process
Setting up repositories
Reading repository metadata in from local files
Parsing package install arguments
Nothing to do