Grub Vs. Ntldr (boot issues, help more then welcome)

[General Idea]

My hardware/os setup goes:

hda
partition 1> windows xp install (fresh)
partition 2> a fat32 data part.
partition 3> backups

hdc ?! (< my computer believes my second hard drive is hdc, perhapses because its on second slave and not master?)
partition 1> /swap file for fedora core 6
partition 2> page file for windows xp
partition 3> / fedora installation

I followed a tutorial this morning on getting the ntldr to point to a grub installation and from there you can run linux, however I had issues with getting grub to load (the " Grub _ " blinking coursor issue that some other folks have reported) anyway, I reinstalled with default options (erase linux partitions and create default partitions) and I figured then I wouldn't see the ntldr menu. < angst. I was surprised to see the two options I wrote were still in place [boot windows xp pro] & [fedora 6 linux] in ntldr, windows boots fine, but now when I try to boot grub using the [fedora 6 linux] option it says:

Cannot boot from hard drive.
insert systemdisk and press any key to continue.

Phew, I've been having quite a hard time trying to get xp and fedora to play nice, but I think its imperative, xp is definitely going to be my last windows os.

Anyway, thanks so much for your time. A reinstall of fedora would be no problem, but I'd rather not reinstall xp.

-GI

[Vergil83]

I don't know about ntldr, but you should be able to make the bios but grub. Then from grub, fedora should boot fine, and to make windows boot correctly do

# (1) Windows XP Pro
title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
map (hd2) (hd0)
map (hd0) (hd2)
makeactive
chainloader +1

[devils casper]

where did you install GRUB? in MBR of Windows Harddisk or Fedora Harddisk?
unplug Fedora Harddisk and boot from Windows Harddisk. does Windows Boot up?
in case it doesn't, post the contents of /boot/grub/grub.conf and /boot/grub/device.map files.





Casper

[General Idea]

Thanks much to your quick replies. As of now I'm still learning my way around the terminal, so unfortunately getting the information from the config and map may take a bit longer then it might otherwise. I'll swap the boot orders and disconnect the drives individually and edit this post if and when I have anything new to share.

Again thanks so much for your input.

/My fathers a network admin but it never seemed like a logical idea to dual boot to him and perhaps it isn't.

[devils casper]

login as root in Command line and execute this.

less /boot/grub/grub.conf
less /boot/grub/device.map

Casper

[General Idea]

It doesn't seem as if the rescue linux mounted the /boot partition, also I'm not sure how to boot the os from the fedora core 6 cd


-GI

[devils casper]

boot up from Fedora Installation CD, type 'linux rescue' at boot: prompt and hit Enter key. this will drop you at shell prompt. execute this

chroot /mnt/sysimage
less /boot/grub/grub.conf
less /boot/grub/device.map

post output here.






Casper

[General Idea]

Allllright, from grub.conf:


# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to return grub after making changes to this file
# Notice: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all your kernel and intrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd1,0)
# kernel /vmlinux-version ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.18.1.2798.fc6)
root (hd1,0)
Kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
initrd /initrd-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0.0)
chainloader +1


From /boot/grub/device.map:


# this device map was generated by anaconda
(hd0) /dev/hda

[devils casper]

boot up in linux rescue mode, after executing 'chroot' command, excute this

nano /boot/grub/device.map

this command will open device.map file for editing.
add this line in device.map file

(hd1)  /dev/hdc

save file and reboot.
if it doesn't solve the problem, post the output of 'fdisk -l' command.






Casper

[General Idea]

Didn't seem to do anything. I was supposed to add and not replace correct?

Fdisk -l reads as follows:

Disk /dev/hda: 160.0 GB 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 2611 20972826 7 hpfs/ntfs
/dev/hda2 2612 19457 135315463 f w95 ext'd (lba)
/dev/hda5 2612 19457 135315463 f w95 fat32

Disk /dev/hdc: 40.0 GB 40020664310 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 *512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hdc1 1 13 104391 83 Linux
/dev/hdc2 * 45 4865 38724682+ 5 Extended
/dev/hdc5 45 929 7108731 7 hpfs/ntfs
/dev/hdc6 4846 4865 160618+ 7 hpfs/ntfs
/dev/hdc7 930 4845 31455238+ 8e Linux LVM



----------------------
^ hdc is set to boot?? edit* hdc2 ?!
editedit* wooo, just got my GED in the mail!


-GI