About bootloader

[satimis]

Hi folks,

sda Windows7
sdb Ubuntu 10.04
bootloader Grub

On installing Ubuntu Grub was saved on sda Windows7. The system works without problem by selecting the 1st boot HD = Windows7 on BIOS.

I'm curious to know is there any way moving Grub to Ubuntu? If YES, please advise HOW? TIA

B.R.
satimis

[devils casper]

You can use Ubuntu LiveCD to re-install GRUB in MBR of Ubuntu disk.

Boot up from LiveCD and execute this in Terminal :

sudo mount /dev/sdbX /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb
sudo umount /mnt

Replace X with partition number assigned to root partition of Ubuntu.
Set Ubuntu disk as First Boot Device in BIOS. If everything works fine, boot up Ubuntu from Hard disk and execute sudo update-grub command in Terminal to add an entry of Windows OS in GRUB Menu.

[satimis]

You can use Ubuntu LiveCD to re-install GRUB in MBR of Ubuntu disk.

Boot up from LiveCD and execute this in Terminal :

sudo mount /dev/sdbX /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb
sudo umount /mnt

Replace X with partition number assigned to root partition of Ubuntu.
Set Ubuntu disk as First Boot Device in BIOS. If everything works fine, boot up Ubuntu from Hard disk and execute sudo update-grub command in Terminal to add an entry of Windows OS in GRUB Menu.

Hi,

Thanks for your advice.

Actually there is no problem on booting. Ubuntu can boot automatically after displaying the bootloader (grub) screen. To boot Win7 I must select it manually on the screen.

But I don't understand why the BIOS setup on boot must be as follow?

1st Drive - Win7
2nd Drive - Ubuntu

Boot
Win7 Drive

With following setup;

1st Drive - Ubuntu
2nd Drive - Win7

Boot
Ubuntu Drive

Ubuntu can't boot and the bootloader screen doesn't display.


$ cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
  set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then
    saved_entry=${chosen}
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 4bd744f4-6710-4cef-ba8e-92dc1f64da93
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod vbe
  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
    # understand terminal_output
    terminal gfxterm
  fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 4bd744f4-6710-4cef-ba8e-92dc1f64da93
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=C.UTF-8
insmod gettext
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-24-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd1,1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 4bd744f4-6710-4cef-ba8e-92dc1f64da93
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=4bd744f4-6710-4cef-ba8e-92dc1f64da93 ro   splash quiet
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-24-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd1,1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 4bd744f4-6710-4cef-ba8e-92dc1f64da93
	echo	'Loading Linux 2.6.32-24-generic ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=4bd744f4-6710-4cef-ba8e-92dc1f64da93 ro single 
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd1,1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 4bd744f4-6710-4cef-ba8e-92dc1f64da93
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd1,1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 4bd744f4-6710-4cef-ba8e-92dc1f64da93
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" {
	insmod ntfs
	set root='(hd0,1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set be165b2e165ae745
	chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000c92e3

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1      118707   953510912   83  Linux
/dev/sda2          118707      121602    23248897    5  Extended
/dev/sda5          118707      121602    23248896   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000d09a7

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *           1        9729    78148161    7  HPFS/NTFS

B.R.
satimis

[devils casper]

GRUB has been installed in MBR of Hard disk having Windows 7. Both Hard disks are dependent on each other. If you unplug any, OS in other disk will not boot up. That's why I suggested you to install GRUB in MBR of Hard disk having Ubuntu.

If you just want to change boot order and set Windows 7 as default OS, edit /etc/default/grub file. Set default OS in that file and execute sudo update-grub command to generate new GRUB Menu.