[gogalthorp]

When you installed windows exactly how did you do it?

It is strange that windows is on the first partition. Also you have strange spaces between partitions. Did you move things around with a partition manager? If so which?

Windows simply does not like any other OS to be on a system. It is always better to install it first then install Linux. If you install Windows second you must reinstall grub to be able to dual boot.

[silentsoldier]

the following happens when you boot your system:

1. the BIOS starts a program called 'stage1'.
2. stage1 looks for and starts a larger program called 'stage2'.
3. stage2 to starts the 'kernel'.
4. the kernel starts a program called 'init'.
5. init starts everything else on the system.

Thus, in order to boot your OS, first the bios must find 'stage1'.

It looks like a simple reinstall of grub should do the trick But how?

1. slip in an emergency disk, such as 'knoppix' or 'system-rescue'.
2. at the command line, type:

#grub (this starts the grub program).
grub> (your shell should now look like this)

3. at the grub prompt, type:

grub> root (hd0,2) #just a sample line!

(this represents how the BIOS sees your hardrives--bios starts numbering from 0. So, using the example above(which is ONLY an example), bios sees your root partition is on the first hardrive(thus the '0') and the third partition of that drive( thus the '2'). Remember: the bios starts numbering from 0. Your OS starts numbering from '1'. Thus the same root partition represented from the OS's view would be: 'hda3'. Let's compare, side by side:

Bios View of partition OS(Fedora,Ubuntu,Suse, Debian) of same partition

hd0,2 -------------------hda3 (how bios/os sees the same partition)
hd3,4 ------------------ hdc,5
hd0,6 ------------------ hda,7

Note: the Bios always represents both the hardrive and partition with NUMBERS and a comma in between. The OS uses letters for the hardrive and numbers for the partitions on that drive.

How to reinstall grub:
1. find out on which partition you've installed root. Right this down.
2. install an emergency disk, like knoppix or sys-rescue.
3. run the grub program:
#grub
grub>
4 from grub prompt, type:
grub> root (hd#,#) (this is wherever root is as the bios sees it)
5. next, type:
grub> setup (hd0) (this install grub--stage1 and 2--on the MBR--master boot record)
6. finally, type:
grub>reboot
7. Success! No? Then be sure of the following:

1. You chose the correct partition for the root directory.
2. you typed the above commands correctly.
3. Your 'menu.lst' file is properly edited.

Good Luck!

[silentsoldier]

Always Install Windows First, Then Linux. Never The Reverse!

[seifullaah73]

Originally Posted by silentsoldier

the following happens when you boot your system:

1. the BIOS starts a program called 'stage1'.
2. stage1 looks for and starts a larger program called 'stage2'.
3. stage2 to starts the 'kernel'.
4. the kernel starts a program called 'init'.
5. init starts everything else on the system.

Thus, in order to boot your OS, first the bios must find 'stage1'.

It looks like a simple reinstall of grub should do the trick But how?

1. slip in an emergency disk, such as 'knoppix' or 'system-rescue'.

how do i create an emergency disk is it the emergency disk in YaST > System > Boot or Rescue floppy or do i do something else

2. at the command line, type:

#grub (this starts the grub program).
grub> (your shell should now look like this)

3. at the grub prompt, type:

grub> root (hd0,2) #just a sample line!

so i shall type this down and what do i do with the result
(yes i am a newbie)

Note: the Bios always represents both the hardrive and partition with NUMBERS and a comma in between. The OS uses letters for the hardrive and numbers for the partitions on that drive.

How to reinstall grub:
1. find out on which partition you've installed root. Right this down.
2. install an emergency disk, like knoppix or sys-rescue.
3. run the grub program:
#grub
grub>
4 from grub prompt, type:
grub> root (hd#,#) (this is wherever root is as the bios sees it)
5. next, type:
grub> setup (hd0) (this install grub--stage1 and 2--on the MBR--master boot record)
6. finally, type:
grub>reboot
7. Success! No? Then be sure of the following:

1)how do i find out where i installed root
2)is there a method to create an emergency disk
3)do i run the grub after i placed the disk in and reboot the machine and boot the floppy
4)remember i wrote setup (hd0) Error 15: missing file but this is without a emergency floppy so will it work with the emergency floppy.
then i reboot and voila it should work right

1. You chose the correct partition for the root directory.
2. you typed the above commands correctly.
3. Your 'menu.lst' file is properly edited.

Good Luck!

what do you mean it is properly edited

Yes i know i realize now that i should've installed windows thne linux so after windows installation and when i install linux it installs grub properly. does it matter whether i format partition as fat32 or ntfs.

Thanks for your reply
i hope i get this sorted i am going to put the live cd and try repair grub
and see what happens,

[mahalingam]

Hi all, I remember when you want to install an XP OS Coexisting with one linux OS you must install first the XP OS because if you install the linux OS before XP OS the last one make the first invisible for boot from it.

I installed first the XP and then linux and i dont have any problem.

I imagine this would cause you Several disadvantages , perhaps you have data on your linux sistem that you don't want lost it!!!.

if you can, my recommendation is you install before the XP OS and after the Linux OS

I hope that helps

Cheers, Juan

[gogalthorp]

Originally Posted by seifullaah73

how do i create an emergency disk is it the emergency disk in YaST > System > Boot or Rescue floppy or do i do something else

Knoppix is an other distro (not Suse) that is often used to rescue problem drives (both Linux and Windows). It runs from the CD. Any distro that runs from the CD could be used, such as system-rescue, gparted or even the Suse demo.

Originally Posted by seifullaah73

so i shall type this down and what do i do with the result
(yes i am a newbie)



1)how do i find out where i installed root

if you don't know then you would need to mount the partition and look to see if it is the root partition or the home partition.

Originally Posted by seifullaah73

2)is there a method to create an emergency disk

Download one

Originally Posted by seifullaah73

3)do i run the grub after i placed the disk in and reboot the machine and boot the floppy

Not sure this can be done from a floppy boot. best to use a CD bootable distribution.

4)remember i wrote setup (hd0) Error 15: missing file but this is without a emergency floppy so will it work with the emergency floppy.
then i reboot and voila it should work right

See above

Originally Posted by seifullaah73

what do you mean it is properly edited

That it is pointing to the correct partitions and has the proper form. I don't think this is a problem here but it looks like you may have reorganized the partitions when you added Windows. That is why Windows is on the first partition. So if you did and the new partition ID's have changed you would need to modify the /boot/grub/menu.lst file so that each grub menu selection points to the correct partition.

Originally Posted by seifullaah73

Yes i know i realize now that i should've installed windows thne linux so after windows installation and when i install linux it installs grub properly. does it matter whether i format partition as fat32 or ntfs.

Thanks for your reply
i hope i get this sorted i am going to put the live cd and try repair grub
and see what happens,

I think if it were me I'd simply reinstall Suse. You can preserver your personal data (ie /home), When the install comes to the partition scheme manually do the selections. Be sure that that the installer is pointing to the correct root partition and is set to reformat and that the new home points to the old home partition and is set to NOT format and it is to mount the partition as /home. This will preserve your personal data and settings.

I never trust a MS product to do the right thing

[seifullaah73]

if you don't know then you would need to mount the partition and look to see if it is the root partition or the home partition.

could you give me a command which would do this and do i do it to all the partitions. and what result should i expect to see if is the root partition or the home partition

3. at the grub prompt, type: grub> root (hd0,2) #just a sample line!

i tried that and it gives me the following message Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83 so could you tell me a command that would help me identify which partition the root is installed in.

edit: i just went to home and clicked on root folder and saw the folders it contained and then i went to my computer searching the hda partitions and saw that hda4 contained the same files as the root folder is this the partition which the root is installed in then to put it in the way the bios sees it it would be written as
(hd0,3) is this correct.

im just trying to insert live cd and repair grub and see what happens

thanks

[seifullaah73]

Ok here is what happened i inserted the live cd opensuse 10.3 in the dvd-rom i get the following error message

data|prog
: | :
: | :
: | :
: | :
0: 0. 0 | :
1: 0. 0 | :
2: 0. 0 |0: ffffffff. 5
3: c00000.1|1: 1e81. 15
-----------------------------------
err 8
ip.ie38..........10.7
---------------------------------

but when i insert it in the dvd-rw it works does any one know why and for the repairing grub can any one tell me the instructions using the live cd,
thanks

[gogalthorp]

Originally Posted by seifullaah73

could you give me a command which would do this and do i do it to all the partitions. and what result should i expect to see if is the root partition or the home partition

the command is mount

type info mount at the command line to see the help about the perameters. BTW you can use info,help,man for any command to get help on its usage.


i

Originally Posted by seifullaah73

tried that and it gives me the following message Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83 so could you tell me a command that would help me identify which partition the root is installed in.

edit: i just went to home and clicked on root folder and saw the folders it contained and then i went to my computer searching the hda partitions and saw that hda4 contained the same files as the root folder is this the partition which the root is installed in then to put it in the way the bios sees it it would be written as
(hd0,3) is this correct.

im just trying to insert live cd and repair grub and see what happens

thanks

Yes

[seifullaah73]

I just inserted the System Rescue CD and did what you said

i typed root (hd0,3) as that is where root is installed as i saw that the folders in the root folder is in the hda4

i then typed setup (hd0)
then it was successful.
i then typed reboot to exit grub then typed reboot again to restart the computer

i then go to windows in the grub option and then the same error message i wrote on my first post

what should be written on the menu.lst
title windows
rootnoverify (hd#,#)
chainloader (hd#,#) +1

# what partition should be here which the bios recognises.

i try to boot from the dvd cd but it won't boot but i think there is something wrong with the dvd probably so i will burn a new copy of the dvd.

yout reply will be appreciate

p.s. things ar e starting to come together after the setup (hd0)
root (hd0,3)
Filesystem type is reiserfs, partition type 0x83