Kubuntu / Win7 dual-boot installation does not show boot menu

[qajaq]

I've set up Kubuntu / Windows dual-boot systems several times previously, and haven't run into this problem until today. I installed Windows 7 on one partition (in a two-HDD desktop computer), then installed Kubuntu 12.04 on five partitions, mostly on the second HDD. My partitions and installation are as follows:

sda1: NTFS - Windows 7
sda2: ext3 - Kubuntu /boot
sda3: NTFS (reserved for Windows data)
sda4: ext3 - (reserved for Linux RAID-1)

sdb1: ext3 - Kubuntu /
sdb2: ext3 - Kubuntu /usr
sdb3: ext3 - Kubuntu /home
sdb4: [extended]
sdb5: Linux swap
sdb6: ext3 (reserved for Linux RAID-1)

FWIW, the disks were partitioned and formatted with gParted before doing either installation. During the Win7 installation, I used the sda1 partition as-is, but in the Linux installation, I had the installation disk re-format sda2, sdb1, sdb2, sdb3, and sdb5 as part of the process. Partitions sda3, sda4 and sdb6 were not touched in either installation process.

Neither OS installation reported any problems, and I've done them twice, getting this result both times: When I reboot the computer after installing the Kubuntu 12.04 OS, it automatically loads Windows 7, without showing a menu from which I can select my desired OS.

In all the instances I've installed dual-boot systems in the past (including a few times on this same machine, as well as on a different desktop and on two different laptops), the Linux installation sets up a Grub menu. (And come to think of it, during the Linux installation I'm usually asked which Linux boot-loader I want: Grub or LILO -- didn't get that question this time.)

Any ideas how I can get a Grub menu to show up?

[vinnywright]

2 questions ....did you install Kubuntu first and windows second ?

did you on the manual partitioning page of the Kubuntu installer tell it where to install grub (their is a dropdown box at the bottom of that section )?

VINNY

[qajaq]

"...I installed Windows 7 ... then installed Kubuntu 12.04..." I.e., Windows first, then Kubuntu second. I had missed that grub-installation-location question on the manual disk-partitioning page, but I've just now re-installed, identifying sda2 as the location for Grub . . . and still get the same result. The computer boots automatically to the Windows OS -- no Grub menu.

[qajaq]

...However, after I posted that last reply, I did some more searching with Google and found a reference to the "boot flag," so I ran gParted again and found that sda1 was still flagged as the boot partition. I reset the system so sda2 (the Linux /boot partition) carried the boot flag, and -- hooray, hooray! -- I have the Grub, dual-boot menu.