Difficulty setting up dual boot ubutnu & xp grub problem?

[Morella]

I'm trying to create a dual-boot system, but having some difficulty. I'm a linux newbie. I'm using an article by acp for a guideline

Here's the hitch, for some reason my Windows CD refuses to boot on my system. It works on my laptop no problem so I don't think it's the CD. So I remembered I had my dad's Norton Ghost. I figured I could ghost my windows drive onto a partition and get it to work. The files seem to be there, but I've never booted from it since it was added after Ubuntu. So maybe my problem lies here.

I've gone into the grub menu and tried to Add an entry for windows, but so far no success. Here is the file info:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default		0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout		10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root		(hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader	+1
#
# title		Linux
# root		(hd0,1)
# kernel	/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=3d6e36a9-8357-4b48-aea5-f2a6e881a02b ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##      lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
##      indomU=true
##      indomU=false
# indomU=detect

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=3d6e36a9-8357-4b48-aea5-f2a6e881a02b ro quiet splash 
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=3d6e36a9-8357-4b48-aea5-f2a6e881a02b ro  single
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.27-14-generic
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.27-14-generic root=UUID=3d6e36a9-8357-4b48-aea5-f2a6e881a02b ro quiet splash 
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.27-14-generic
quiet

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.27-14-generic (recovery mode)
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.27-14-generic root=UUID=3d6e36a9-8357-4b48-aea5-f2a6e881a02b ro  single
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.27-14-generic

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.24-24-generic
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.24-24-generic root=UUID=3d6e36a9-8357-4b48-aea5-f2a6e881a02b ro quiet splash 
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.24-24-generic
quiet

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.24-24-generic (recovery mode)
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.24-24-generic root=UUID=3d6e36a9-8357-4b48-aea5-f2a6e881a02b ro  single
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.24-24-generic

title		Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/memtest86+.bin
quiet

title 		Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root 		(hd0,4)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

Here is my fdisk -l output:

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd903a5a7

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1          12       96358+  83  Linux
/dev/sda2              13      121601   976663642+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5              13        3747    30001356   83  Linux
/dev/sda6            3748        4743     8000338+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7            4744        8478    30001356    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda8            8479      121601   908660466    7  HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 750.1 GB, 750156374016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 91201 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x436b436a

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               2       91201   732563968+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdb5               2        1021     8193087   83  Linux
/dev/sdb6            1529        8055    52428096    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb7            8056       91201   667870213+   7  HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdc: 200.0 GB, 200049647616 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24321 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x43124311

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1   *           1        5222    41945683+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdc2            5223       24321   153412717+   7  HPFS/NTFS

I need to boot from sda7. So I think that should be hd0,4? But it doesn't work. I get "Error 12: Invalid device requested"

[devils casper]

I need to boot from sda7. So I think that should be hd0,4?

Its hd0,6.

title 		Microsoft Windows XP Professional
rootnoverify	(hd0,6)
chainloader +1

[Morella]

Already tried hd0,6, but it looks like the
rootnoverify
chainloader +1
did it, but I still can't get windows up. It now says starting up but then just hangs. Maybe the Norton ghosting didn't work?

[devils casper]

Windows OS doesn't boot up in a few machines if you install it after Linux. Try to remove GRUB and check if Windows OS boot up fine.

Boot up from Windows Installation CD, select repair and execute fixmbr command at repair prompt. It will remove GRUB and Windows OS should boot up fine on reboot.

Its really easy to re-install GRUB.
Boot up from Ubuntu LiveCD, open Terminal and execute this

sudo grub

You will get a grub prompt, grub>
Execute this:

root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
quit

Reboot machine.

[Morella]

I'll try that's what I was trying to do in the first place, but I can't get the windows cd to boot up. I will try to put in another drive to see if that helps cause the disk boots up fine on my laptop. Otherwise I don't know what to do since the stupid thing refuses to boot. I know the BOIS settings are correct.

[devils casper]

Windows installation CD is not working because of GRUB only. It's a GRUB/BIOS compatibility problem. You can try SuperGRUB CD/USB to remove GRUB.

[twoHats]

I am currently using Ubuntu 9.04 and Vista on dual boot - have run many dual-triple-quad boots -

The rule of thumb seems to be:

No matter which windows or which Linux - windows first then Linux.

has always worked for me.
HTH

[Lostfarmer]

You likely have 2 problems.
1) Your XP's boot.ini file will be wrong, it will be set to boot from the original XP's partition #.
2)your hdd ID in the MBR will be wrong if the hdd ever was in a XP booted system.

With your current setup you will NOT be able to do a clean or repair install of XP, to install XP Must have a primary partition that it can read and write it's boot files to. It should run with no problems where it is. Did you ghost XP from sdc1 ?