Dual Boot Probs

[graynightblue]

I have a PC that I wiped clean and installed Ubuntu on to get to know a bit about Linux. So far I have a looooooong way to go it looks like. I'm still trying to figure out how to install some programs. lol My problem now is that my GF wants XP installed on it. So I used Parted Magic to make a second partition for XP. I installed XP fine with no problems and it runs great. My problem now is that I can't get back to Ubuntu... It's still there I've checked it with PM I just can't figure out how to get it so when I boot up I have a choice between the two. Any clue how I can do this? Thank you all.

Widj

[oz]

Windows will always overwrite the MBR if you install it after Linux.

You can use the SuperGrub LiveCD to reinstall GRUB to the MBR:

Super Grub Disk Webpage: Download

It's a very small download and burn to CD.

[graynightblue]

OK I was able to get the MBR back with SGD. Ubuntu boots fine now.. no probs. Now... the question is... how do I set it up so I can choose which OS to boot with at start up? Is there a way to do this with SGD? If not is this something I have to set up with Ubuntu? Again, thanks for the info so far. The learning experience continues.

Widj

[oz]

If you are booting from GRUB again and want to change what OS boots by default (Windows or Ubuntu), open a terminal in Ubuntu and enter this:

sudo nano /boot/grub/menu.lst

enter your password when requested

Look for the default line in the menu.lst file and change the digit beside it to correspond with whatever you want to boot by default. The first OS entry starts counting at 0. It looks like this:

default   0

After making the change, save the file and reboot to make sure it worked.

[devils casper]

Boot up Ubuntu and open /boot/grub/menu.lst file as suggested by ozar.
Put # sing before hiddenmenu line and increase value of timeout too.

timeout 15
# hiddenmenu

Save file and reboot machine.

[graynightblue]

I made the changes as suggested except for the default. If the default is 0 and 0 is Ubuntu then how do I find out which number would then belong to windows? Without changing this one I did get a menu but the choices on it are 5 different types of Ubuntu and no Windows. Is there somewhere in Ubuntu that I need to set it so it recognizes that I have XP installed? Remember I installed XP second if this makes any difference. Thank you again for all the help!

Widj

[devils casper]

If the default is 0 and 0 is Ubuntu then how do I find out which number would then belong to windows?

Count title lines in menu.lst file and count starts from zero.

Post the output of sudo fdisk -l command here.

[graynightblue]

root@Nistroma:/home/jonathan# sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id
System
/dev/sda1 1 2049 16458561 83
Linux
/dev/sda2 * 2050 4660 20972857+ 7
HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 4661 4865 1646662+ 5
Extended
/dev/sda5 4661 4865 1646631 82
Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 300.0 GB, 300069052416 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36481 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id
System
/dev/sdb1 1 36481 293033601 7
HPFS/NTFS

No time for anything else this morning, off to work I go! Weeee! More coffee please!

Widj

[devils casper]

There are two NTFS Partitions. /dev/sda2 ( First HD ) and /dev/sdb1 ( Second HD ). Which HardDisk has Windows OS installed?

[graynightblue]

The Win XP OS is installed on the primary 40 gig HD. The second HD is my USB2 one I use for a network drive'ish.

Widj