Dual Boot trouble

[Plasma_Snake]

I installed OpenSUSE 10.3 on my second HDD where I'd left 60GB as RAW partition area for it. Since by Windows side system is not dual-bootable, I manually made my 500GB HDD, having Windows XP on it, as the secondary HDD and Linux one as the primary one.
Now my system boots, GRUB does his thing and I'm presented with 5 options:

1. OpenSUSE 10.3
2. Windows 1
3. Windows 2
4. Windows 3
5. OpenSUSE 10.3 (FailSafe)

Now option 1 works like it should, same goes for the option 5. When I select option 2 or 3 I get this message:
Bootnoverify(hd0,5)
Chainloader(hd1,1)+1
NTLDR missing
Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to Restart

Now in option 3 I get only the first 2 lines and nothing else. I've understood this much that these first 2 lines are giving info about my HDD and the partitions on them but what I don't get it is that I've installed XP only on C drive in the 500GB HDD and Linux in the seperate 250GB HDD. Why is it showing 3 Windows ? Also atleast one Windows should work, why isn't it working. Now if I revert back to my old settings, everything works fine and dandy. Help me to migrate on Linux, please brothers!

[Faun]

post the output of
kwrite /boot/grub/menu.lst
kwrite /boot/geub/device.map

Windows is happy to be on first HDD. How stupid. You may have to logically swap the HDDs to make windows wish come true.

[Plasma_Snake]

I know I'm a n00b in the field of Open Source so no need to remind me of that. All the stuff you have mentioned in to-do list, illustrate it in more simpler terms if you please.

[Rahim]

Here it goes brother. Open a Terminal (DOS like in Linux) and enter these commands :
If using GNOME

gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

& and if using KDE open a Konsole and enter

kwrite /boot/grub/menu.lst

Plz forgive me of little grey cells that i have , explain the Hard Drive part clearly and in simple words,will you?
Which one is Primary and Slave?

Dont panic, its just the grub entries have been messed up and as soon as you get those o/p posted here we can help rectify that.

[Faun]

Originally Posted by Plasma_Snake

I know I'm a n00b in the field of Open Source so no need to remind me of that. All the stuff you have mentioned in to-do list, illustrate it in more simpler terms if you please.

I meant how stupid for windows It like to be installed on first HDD and wouldn't even boot if its on secondary HDD.

[Plasma_Snake]

I have 4 SATA and 1 IDE port on my motherboard(ASUS P5LD2 VM-SE 945G Chipset).
Anything connected to IDE port is the 1st IDE Master. I've connected my DVD Writer and both HDD to the SATA ports so now the HDD config is like:
3rd IDE Master (My DVD Writer)
3rd IDE Slave (My 250GB HDD with Linux on it)
4th IDE Slave (My 500GB HDD with Windows on it)

Also the command you mentioned is this:
gedit/boot/grub/menu.lst
Well when I type the whole line, message appears saying "No such file was found"
If I just write gedit and press enter, the gedit software opens.
What to do, I'm so confused I seriously want to move to Linux side and this problem and the Network problem are like 2 tounsils preventing me from doing so.

[Faun]

^^there is a space between gedit and the file path
you forgot that !

type

su -

you will be in root mode after entering the password

Now
Assuming you have installed windows on first partition of the 500GB drive, add these lines at the very end of the menu.lst file and save(to save the file you need to be in root mode) it then close it.

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd3,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd3)
map (hd3) (hd0)
chainloader +1

[Plasma_Snake]

Brothers (Liquid,Solis,Solidus) this is what I do

1. Go to Gnome Terminal
2. <my username>@linux-hdla:~>su
3. Password
4. linux-hdla:/home/<my username> # gedit/boot/grub/menu.lst
5. bash: gedit/boot/grub/menu.lst : No such file or Directory

Now tell me where I'm doing wrong and what to do now. BTW I'm trying to learn Linux from some CBTs I downloaded. Moreover going to have it as my 7th Semester subject so want to know it before that i.e. before September.

[Faun]

gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
.......^^
see the space

or

kwrite /boot/grub/menu.lstmind the gap here too

[Plasma_Snake]

Thank You! Thank You! T159, the file opens up but since its Linux, I'm too scared to prod it so before doing those changes which you have mentioned please tell me the way by which I can save that file to a folder other than Grub. I've tried Save As but no fruitful result. Also whenever I try to copy something from one of my Linux partitions to Windows partitions, it tells me that I don't have access to it

[Dark Star]

To provide access in SUSE 10.3 install ntfs-3g drivers.. Also use the inbuilt partitioner to mount the hDD in /windows/Xyz or /media/sdax !

The files didn't allow you to save becuase you are opening it as normal user.. use su root command the follow what said

[Plasma_Snake]

OK, I did what T159 said as Root and now I'm getting this message:
Savedefault
Makeactive
Error 12: Invalid Device requested
Press Any Key to Continue.

Also the below attachment contains the original menu.lst file

[Faun]

^^where are the lines which i told you to paste at the end of menu.lst ?

seems like you didnt save it.

[Plasma_Snake]

The file is before editing and after editing and saving file in the root mode, I got the aforementioned error when I booted. If you want then I can upload the edited file too for comparison sake.

[Plasma_Snake]

Here's the menu.lst file modified as told by T159. If I've done something wrong please forgive me and tell me the solution.

[Faun]

if the partition is 1st then the below value in root(hd2,0) is 0, if its 2nd then root(hd2,1) and so on.
And HDD numbring starts from 0 so hd0 is first HDD, hd1 is second
similarly first partition on hd0 is represented as hd0,1
I hope you can try the combos now for the template I provided, remember linux is about learning.

k tell me the partition(remember 1st partition is 0 in the value after comma in root(,)) on which you installed windows in 500GB drive and it comes at 4th palce in BIOS entry including an IDE drive that takes the 1st place (so counting from 0- assigned to IDE HDD, 1-assigned to DVD Drive, 2-assigned to 250 GB HDD and 3-assigned to 500GB HDD). If you have no IDE drive then probably hd3 will be hd2, edit that too then.

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd3,1)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd3)
map (hd3) (hd0)
chainloader +1

and remember to provide a space between two partition Grub entries.
like this

title Failsafe -- openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160215AS_9RA520LZ-part6 vga=normal showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off 3
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-default

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root(hd3,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map(hd0)(hd3)
map(hd3)(hd0)chainloader+1

[Plasma_Snake]

In my Windows setup, the C drive is the one having XP on it bu the D drive is the second HDD partition and remaining E,F and G are again the 500GB partitions but in Linux as these partitions have been permanently mounted so in Windows folder the Window's C drive is the D there and all other are mixed up too. So how to set partitions, acc. to Windows or acc. to Linux?

[Rahim]

You have to edit /etc/fstab file to mount Windows partitions in Linux.
Have your boot problem solved? If not give the output of:
1: Open a Konsole and enter su and enter the root password.
2. Now enter fdisk -l and paste it in here.
3. Again sice you are at it, paste whats in /etc/fstab file, gedit /etc/fstab and remember the space after gedit

[Plasma_Snake]

But the OpenSUSE OS has created permanent mount points for them, I think because I'm able to access them from File System menu..

[Rahim]

^^Then whats the problem?

[Plasma_Snake]

Read my initial posts Rahimveron. T159 please help me out bro!

[Faun]

I told you a brief walkthrough, just see whats the problem.
Answer these question?
1) How many HDDs you have ?
2) Is there a HDD on IDE bus
3) How many SATA ports are connected to and to what Drives. In which order are they seen in BIOS ?
4) Does your Windows boot when you remove your Linux HDD ?
5) On what partition is Windows installed (see it in disk management in windows)

Provide the output of (remember to run the below command as root) :

fdisk -l

paste the output here.

[Rahim]

Originally Posted by Plasma_Snake

Read my initial posts Rahimveron. T159 please help me out bro!

Problem is you are not giving any clear info, yaar. Its too confusing and incomplete, even the info about hard drives is unclear.
Give some clear answers to T159 queries and you will get the help, brother

1: Open a Konsole and enter su and enter the root password.
2. Now enter fdisk -l and paste it in here.
3. Again sice you are at it, paste whats in /etc/fstab file, gedit /etc/fstab and remember the space after gedit

Havent given the o/p of fdisk -l or /etc/fstab, then how can anybody help you?

[Plasma_Snake]

Originally Posted by T159

Answer these question?
1) How many HDDs you have ?
2) Is there a HDD on IDE bus
3) How many SATA ports are connected to and to what Drives. In which order are they seen in BIOS ?
4) Does your Windows boot when you remove your Linux HDD ?
5) On what partition is Windows installed (see it in disk management in windows)

First of all check this pic:


Now the answers

1. 2 Hard drives. 400GB and 160 GB earlier was a typo error.Sorry
2. No Hard drive connected to IDE port, all SATA but my motherboard's BIOS doesn't officially supports SATA so all SATA devices work in 'Enhanced PATA' mode. Anything connected to PATA port becomes Primary and Master.
3. 4 SATA ports, a DVD Writer and the 2 HDD connected to each one. Their order in BIOS is as such;3rd IDE Master (My DVD Writer)
   3rd IDE Slave ( 160GB HDD with Linux on it)
   4th IDE Slave ( 400GB HDD with Windows on it)
4. The boot options in my motherboard include only one HDD at any given time and whichever HDD I give as First HDD, its MBR is referred to in case of Bootup so to run Linux I've to manually change the HDD order as 160GB to first HDD and changes are automatically reflected in Boot Device Priority section. Thus even if I remove the 160GB HDD, which has Linux on it, and make 400GB as the first HDD, my system will boot into Windows.
5. Well I think the image answers this question.

Hope this defogs the problem a bit...

[Faun]

after a blank line add this to the menu.lst, save and reboot.

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root(hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map(hd0)(hd1)
map(hd1)(hd0)
chainloader+1

I hope this works

[Rahim]

Also remove those extra entries for windows 1, windows 2 etc. in your menu.lst

[Plasma_Snake]

I did what you told me to do and still get the same error of calling an Invalid device. Also you asked my device order at BIOS screen so here it is:

1. Primary IDE Master - DVD Writer
2. Primary IDE Slave - 160GB HDD
3. Secondary IDE Master- Not Detected
4. Secondary IDE Slave - 400GB HDD

Please help me out guys!

[Rahim]

Plz read what is asked and arey bhai give the output of these commands: damn i am reapeating it again

1: Open a Konsole and enter su and enter the root password.
2. Now enter fdisk -l and paste it in here.
3. Again since you are at it, paste whats in /etc/fstab file, gedit /etc/fstab and remember the space after gedit

This will give a clear idea to us.

[Faun]

Originally Posted by Plasma_Snake

I did what you told me to do and still get the same error of calling an Invalid device. Also you asked my device order at BIOS screen so here it is:

1. Primary IDE Master - DVD Writer
2. Primary IDE Slave - 160GB HDD
3. Secondary IDE Master- Not Detected
4. Secondary IDE Slave - 400GB HDD

Please help me out guys!

Ok add these entries after a blank line and if none of these entries works then its seems I cant help much . be quick buddy, you take a long time to reply

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root(hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map(hd0)(hd1)
map(hd1)(hd0)
chainloader+1

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root(hd2,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map(hd0)(hd2)
map(hd2)(hd0)
chainloader+1

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root(hd3,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map(hd0)(hd3)
map(hd3)(hd0)
chainloader+1

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root(hd4,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map(hd0)(hd4)
map(hd4)(hd0)
chainloader+1

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root(hd5,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map(hd0)(hd5)
map(hd5)(hd0)
chainloader+1

lolz

[Rahim]

^yeh toh usey paagal hi bana dega oops..shhhhh...quiet Rahim...