Windows will not boot.

[D92]

Hey,

I can now select win 98 and xp (and kubuntu) seperatly (on grub),
but xp displays a new error:

Booting Win xp

hide (hd 0,0)
unhide (hd 0,4)
root (hd 0,4)

Filesystem type unkown
partition type 0x7

save default
make active

Error 12: Invalid device requested

My menu.lst:
# menu.lst - See: grub(Cool, info grub, update-grub(Cool
# grub-install(Cool, grub-floppy(Cool,
# 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 change this entry to 'saved' 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 3

## 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=/dev/hdb5 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd1,4)

## 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

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

## 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

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hdb5 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hdb5 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

title Windows98 SE
unhide (hd0,0)
hide (hd0,4)
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

title Win XP
hide (hd0,0)
unhide (hd0,4)
root (hd0,4)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

Dean.

[D92]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Sorry for bumping but I have a thought:

* Could the problem be that XP and 95SE are on the same disk but on a diff. partition?

[podunk]

Re: Windows will not boot.

So far - I haven't managed to mess my system up like this - yet. :-)

I hope you backed up your important stuff.

You can't have but one OS per partition - so Xp and 98 *have* to be on different partitions

Something I noticed comparing your menu.lst with mine and that is that mine does not have the
unhide
hide
options that yours does. Are you using Dapper Drake (6.06) or Edgy?

Mine  looks like this:

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda2
title		Windows NT/2000/XP
root		(hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hdb1
title		Windows 95/98/Me
root		(hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map		(hd0) (hd1)
map		(hd1) (hd0)
chainloader	+1

If the hide/unhide stuff comes from Edgy - you may want to post your question in the Edgy forum rather than here? If it didn't come from Edgy - where did you find it at? :-)

Since yours hangs right at the start - maybe you could restore the master boot reccord(MBR) and see if that helps?
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/p18.htm

[analyticalman]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Podunk - the hide/unhide came from me in response to an earlier question (but it didn't solve the problem)?

See here
DOS/Windows

GRUB cannot boot DOS or Windows directly, so you must chain-load them (see section Load another boot loader to boot unsupported operating systems). However, their boot loaders have some critical deficiencies, so it may not work to just chain-load them. To overcome the problems, GRUB provides you with two helper functions.

If you have installed DOS (or Windows) on a non-first hard disk, you have to use the disk swapping technique, because that OS cannot boot from any disks but the first one. The workaround used in GRUB is the command @command{map} (see section map), like this:

grub> map (hd0) (hd1)
grub> map (hd1) (hd0)

This performs a virtual swap between your first and second hard drive.

Caution: This is effective only if DOS (or Windows) uses BIOS to access the swapped disks. If that OS uses a special driver for the disks, this probably won't work.

Another problem arises if you installed more than one set of DOS/Windows onto one disk, because they could be confused if there are more than one primary partitions for DOS/Windows. Certainly you should avoid doing this, but there is a solution if you do want to do so. Use the partition hiding/unhiding technique.

If GRUB hides a DOS (or Windows) partition (see section hide), DOS (or Windows) will ignore the partition. If GRUB unhides a DOS (or Windows) partition (see section unhide), DOS (or Windows) will detect the partition. Thus, if you have installed DOS (or Windows) on the first and the second partition of the first hard disk, and you want to boot the copy on the first partition, do the following:

grub> unhide (hd0,0)
grub> hide (hd0,1)
grub> rootnoverify (hd0,0)
grub> chainloader +1
grub> makeactive
grub> boot


So there are two windows on different partitions

[D92]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Yes, XP is on a different partition as 95SE, I made sure of that.
Also: Grub can access 95SE, but it crashes (this is a win 95SE problem, not Grub). But it wont even access Windows XP, that's the problem.

So what to do now?

[analyticalman]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Well - as I've already pointed out - I can't solve the problem - but I'm pretty sure what the cause is - two windows on the same disk - If you put windows XP on your first partition you will be fine!

[D92]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Well, how?, format :O?

[analyticalman]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Sorry - don't understand your problem - Do you want to rearrange your partitions - if not, just use your XP install disk (if you have one)

[D92]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Huh, could you explain that last option somewhat clearer?

[analyticalman]

Re: Windows will not boot.

What I suggested was that you reinstall XP on the first partition of your disk - /dev/hda1 (overwriting the 98 installation which is broken anyway) To do that - you just need to put the XP install disk (if you have one) into your machine and it will do it.

[D92]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Ok, but wont that terminate in data loss?
Also: cant i just format the 95 partition?, cuz I havent got anything on there?

[analyticalman]

Re: Windows will not boot.

I think if you want to do that you are better of deleting the 98SE partition - What you want is to have XP on the first primary partition.

If you are worried about data on your XP partition, you should be able to get into your XP partition from Kubuntu. It should be mounted automatically - if not then it should be mountable and I can tell you how to do it if necessary. THen you can move your XP stuff over onto your kubuntu disc, or onto a USB thumb drive. You should do this backup before you do anything else really.

[D92]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Ok, so what now?

Delete win 95SE - (How?)
And then xp works again?

[analyticalman]

Re: Windows will not boot.


You really should back up your data in your XP partition using Kubuntu as I said in my last message - I can give you more instructions if you need them but hopefully you will find your XP partitions mounted under /mnt in konqueror. Then - when you have got everything "safe" you can decide on options. As this involves messing round with partitions, there are always risks.

You can delete your first partition /dev/hda1 while you are in Kubuntu using a program called Gparted which you can download from Adept. You probably also don't need your extended partition /dev/hda3 either (but I'm not sure if you can delete that with your XP partition inside it) don't worry, GParted shows you what your changes would look like and you can choose to "undo" or "apply" - all you need is /dev/hda5 which you need to make sure is a primary partition. Make sure when you right click on it in Gparted that it has the boot flag selected. Then make a note of the partition number for XP, if it has been renamed to dev/hda1 you need to alter the root command in the Grub menu.lst to root (hd0,0) - you can then lose the hide and unhide commands and delete the Grub entry for 98SE

If this still does not work, then there is the "nuclear" option open to you. Use Gparted to delete every partition on hda and reinstall XP using the whole disk - then re-install Grub. Everything should then work

[podunk]

Re: Windows will not boot.

Do back up your data.

I don't know much about Linux so I cheat a lot. Feeling lucky?

The first time I set up I did something wrong and couldn't get to my windows. Like you I had XP and 98 on the same disk - installed Ubuntu on the other.

It turned out I could get to my XP by changing boot order in the BIOS. In other words boot hard disk B instead of hard disk A. This won't take but 30 seconds or so the check. Why don't you try that?

On one of my computers I can change the boot order by pressing F8 on start up. On the other I have to hit F1 to enter the BIOS. Someplace in there there will be a Boot Options menu - just change the order of the boot up device and see what happens.

If I were going to delete and reinstall anything it would be Kubuntu. XP is truly a pain in the ass to set up. I'm to the point I can set up and configure *everything* in Kubuntu in an hour and a half (including Samba and Wine) and I never even came close to that in XP.

If you can get into Windows (or repair the MBR) I would change either the jumpers on the hard drive or the drive order in the BIOS (you need a fairly new BIOS for this option) so the drives were in the proper order so I didn't have to jump through hoops to get my grub to work.