windows/kubuntu dualboot

[Blackmamba]

Hi,
is there any good howtos on installing windows (dual boot) with existing Kubuntu machine ?

[Qqmike]

Re: windows/kubuntu dualboot

Here’s two How-To’s:

How To GRUB Methods - Toolkit
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0
In particular, scroll down to:
Install Windows XP *after* Kubuntu, and install XP to a non-first hard drive: map command;
on 7-24-07

And:

Bigpond, home: http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/
(See Herman’s GRUB page)

When you install Windows, it will want to overwrite the Master Boot Record of the first-in-sequence boot hard drive (in BIOS setup). So be aware of that. (If so, OK, you will then just re-install GRUB later on, etc,) – it’s all in the How-To’s.

[dibl]

Re: windows/kubuntu dualboot

Lot of good stuff about dual-boot setups (and other relevant topics) on this site:

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/index.php


If you plan to mix 'n match IDE and SATA drives, better ask for more guidance!

[Qqmike]

Re: windows/kubuntu dualboot

Here’s an outline of what to look for in the How-To’s:

If you install XP to a non-first HDD, use the reference above, as I noted.
If you install XP to the same HDD as Kubuntu, then:

Step 1: Install XP to (hd0,y). That’s hd0 = the first HDD; partition y, where the counting starts from zero; so partition 1 (of HDD hd0) is (hd0,0), partition 2 is (hd0,1), etc. Kubuntu is already there in (hd0,z), where z is probably 0, 1, or 2 (?). At a GRUB prompt, use the geometry command to find out (see the first How-To); don’t overwrite your Kubuntu of swap or /home.

Step 2: Re-install GRUB to the Master Boot Record of the HDD hd0 (because XP overwrote GRUB in the MBR with its bootloader NTLDR):

At a terminal (Konsole using Kubuntu Live CD), type sudo grub to get a GRUB prompt, grub>,
grub> find/boot/grub/stage1 # this will return some (hd0,w) where GRUB is located
grub> root (hd0,w)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
$ exit

Step 3: Edit the boot menu in Kubuntu (/boot/grub/menu.lst) to include a boot entry for XP.
Use the Kubuntu Live CD, open Konsole, and proceed as explained in the first How-To (Edit /boot/grub/menu.lst from Live CD, using the mount command, etc.).
Include this entry for XP in /boot/grub/menu.lst:

title Windows XP or whatever you wish to call it
root (hd0, y) # See Step 1, where you installed XP
makeactive
chainloader +1

[Blackmamba]

Re: windows/kubuntu dualboot

Wow, thanks guys I got two HDD's. Right now i'm in the menu.lst and fallowed http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0 .
And i set Kubuntu to (hd0,0)as it were and windows to (hd0,1).

i did add : title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,1)
makeactive
chainloader +1

...ontop of the other boot entries and when i reboot i get this error:

Error 12: Invalid device requested
press any key to continue

not sure what i missed lol.Getting abit sleepy.. maybe thats it :P

And its just IDE.

[Qqmike]

Re: windows/kubuntu dualboot

You have 2 HDDs but you are only using the first one for Kubuntu and Windows, and that drive is the boot drive (in BIOS it is set to boot first after the CD drive)?

You installed Kubuntu to the first partition (hd0,0) and Windows XP installed to the second partition (hd0,1)? Then, where is the swap file for Kubuntu? -- It must go on a separate partition, so it must be on (hd0,2) or (hd0,3), or . . .?

The device error simply means that GRUB is reading one of your device references (one of the (hdx,y)) and not liking what it reads or it is not making sense or something like that.

If you use your Live Kubuntu CD, boot it up, open a terminal (Konsole), and type sudo fdisk -lu, you'll get a list of your partitions, like sda1, sda2, etc, sdb1, sdb2, etc. (-lu is “l” as in “list”, “u” as in “units”)
Can you copy that list and post it here for us to see what's where?


Also, you did the re-install GRUB, right? As follows:

At a terminal (Konsole using Kubuntu Live CD), type sudo grub to get a GRUB prompt, grub>,
grub> find/boot/grub/stage1 # this ** should ** return (hd0,0) (right?) where GRUB is located (at Kubuntu)
grub> root (hd0,0)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
$ exit

One more thing, but it shouldn't be an issue with XP (it is an issue with Vista), but doesn't hurt to change it:

title Windows XP or whatever you wish to call it
rootnoverify (hd0, 1) # assumes XP is at (hd0,1) but I wonder about that!!
makeactive
chainloader +1

You edited /boot/grub/menu.lst * as root*, and then after editing it, you * saved * the changes (File > Save)?

The other powerful command for finding your hard drive information is a GRUB command called geometry (it's in the How-To at the end somewhere).
$ sudo grub
grub> geometry (hd0)
and also
grub> geometry (hd1)

should also tell you what's where on those two drives.

[eriefisher]

Re: windows/kubuntu dualboot

The easiest way to dual boot is with two hard drives. You already have Kubuntu installed on one so the best thing would be to install XP on the second.

I would disconnect the Kubuntu drive and plug in your 2nd drive and install windows normally. When finished connect your Kubuntu drive back in as the primary drive and the windows drive as secondary and boot. The press <ALT-F2> and type kdesu kate /boot/grub/menu.lst. This will open the grub menu to edit then add these lines:

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

This way either OS will boot without depending on the other. This assumes you do not have a recovery partition for windows and the hard drives are ide. This is how I did it and it works perfectly.

eriefisher

[eriefisher]

Re: windows/kubuntu dualboot

More info:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ghlight=124989

eriefisher