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**flarson** · Mar 25, 2009, 02:45 PM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

There should be no need to reinstall but we will need some information. Since you are booting into linux type "cat /etc/issue" and hit return. Post the results here.

When your computer boots do you see any kind of menu? It might be a 2 second message to Hit escape now for a menu, or it might be a list that has some number of lines that you can select with the up and down arrows.If you find one of these use it and see if your problem is solved.

Otherwise your linux system contains a file /boot/grub/menu.lst which tells it how to boot. Please post that here and we can tell you how to modify it to get Windows to boot.

**dsaourid** · Mar 25, 2009, 06:43 PM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

When i start the computer, i get a black screen where it says GRUB loading stage 1.5, if i don't press something, it gets the counting which is 2 seconds. If i still don't hit any button, it gets me in the screen to log in my pass etc. If i hit escape, i get in the screen with 3 options, ubuntu, ubuntu recovery, and ubuntu something else, i don't remember the rest written, even if i have kubuntu, it says ubuntu i think it has 86 written there too. When my friend had done it, i was doing the same thing, hitting escape, getting in that screen and choosing windows or linux, but now i don't see windows in that screen, i don't know what he did though in order to be able to choose windows from that point. The other thing you told me to type, type it where? i tried it in the konsole, but doesn't do anything, excuse me, but i am not good with linux yet.

**flarson** · Mar 25, 2009, 09:00 PM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

You are doing just fine, and this will not be too hard. You have now confirmed the behavior of GRUB. The command of "cat /etc/issue" should be done at a terminal or console. You can use K->Applications->System->Terminal or use Alt-F2 and then type konsole. It would tell us which version of Kubuntu you are running, but it is a moot point now.

You need to edit your /boot/grub/menu.lst file. To do that from a console type
sudo kate /boot/grub/menu.lst and hit return.

The installation should have added a stanza toward the end of hte file that looks like this.
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

The title can be anything. It is what will show in the boot menu.
the root (hd0,0) refers to the hard disk and partition containing your windows. It is probably the first disk and the first partition, but some will have a repair partition as the first partition and the installation as the second partition. You can see the partitions by running
sudo parted -s /dev/sda print
Then if it is the first partition use (hd0,0). If it is the second use (hd0,1).

If that is there but commented uncomment it. If it is not there, add it and reboot. A comment is any line starting with #. To uncomment it remove the #.

**dsaourid** · Mar 26, 2009, 06:01 AM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

The version it says that it is: Ubuntu 8.04.2 \n \l

The menu.lst kate: (I believe you mean to change the red highlighted part? but i am not sure)

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# 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 use 'savedefault' 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=UUID=36ba8439-5a25-43bd-a2ce-4127eedaa72e ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

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

## 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

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

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

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=36ba8439-5a25-43bd-a2ce-4127eedaa72e ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=36ba8439-5a25-43bd-a2ce-4127eedaa72e ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=36ba8439-5a25-43bd-a2ce-4127eedaa72e ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=36ba8439-5a25-43bd-a2ce-4127eedaa72e ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, memtest86+
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

The partition i see when i type (sudo parted -s /dev/sda print):

Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 100GB 100GB primary ext3 boot

Those are the information you are telling me to look at, from what i understand i made a mistake at the partition part. I didn't change anything, just got the information and posted them here, i am waiting you to tell me what to change now that you see what i see.

**flarson** · Mar 26, 2009, 09:45 AM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

The part highlited in red is NOT what you should edit, but rather the part that comes after it. The part the is "automagic" is best left alone so that future kernel installs will be added correctly. You should add your windows info right after
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

However, something is not right. In your original post you said you had installed Windows on 100 GB at the beginning of the disk, but that is not there. You have one partition on your harddisk and it has a linux ext3 filesystem. I think you removed your windows installation in the process of installing Kubuntu.

You should reinstall windows, using its functionality to create a partition of 100GB, and leaving the rest of the disk blank. Then install Kubuntu and leave the 1st partition alone. It will show up as /dev/sda1 and will have an NTFS filesystem. /dev/sda is the entire disk, /dev/sda1 is the first partition on that disk.

You might want to think about using 2 partitions to install Kubunto on. Depending on how you want to use your computer you might want to create a partition about 30 GB to mount as / and a partition about 119 GB for /home. On the remaining create a swap partition.

This business about what partitions to use is one that people love to argue about and in reality a good decision can only be made if you know exactly what you will do with the computer and how much disk space it will take.

The computer I am writing from has only 3 partitions, one for Windows, one for swap, and one for linux. Other servers I runn have many partitons with /,/usr,/var,/home,/tmp,/opt and often other custom mounting points. My point here is DON'T GET BOGGED DOWN IN PARTITIONING. You would do perfectly well with just the 3 like this system has.

Let me know how it goes.

**dsaourid** · Mar 26, 2009, 04:42 PM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

So basically now i have to format the whole thing, and install windows from the beginning, then go straight and install kubuntu again, though what you are saying for 3 partitions, swap etc, sounds greek to me, as i messed up doing two partition ending up losing one of my OS

, the thing i know though is, that it's easier to install first windows and then linux, at this time you say that i have only linux, as i screwed up with my windows, so how am i going to install windows having linux on at the time? will i format? or go straight and install windows as i installed linux, boot from CD etc? will it get me a screen to choose which partition to use?

**flarson** · Mar 26, 2009, 06:03 PM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

I am afraid that is true. In Windows XP when you install from the CD it reaches a point where it shows you which partitions are on the drive and allows you to change them or to select one to install into. I think when you get there it will say that your whole drive is an unrecognized partition and you can tell it to delete it. Then it will show your entire disk as free space and you can tell it to create a partition of 100 GB. Then tell it to install to the 100GB partition. After that, and probably before you invest too much time in updating and installing drivers. install linux. That way it is less effort if you end up doing this again.

When you install linux it will almost certainly do by default exactly what you want it to do. I think that you now have a better understanding of what you are doing and it will likely work this time. Then you can get your friends started.

**dsaourid** · Mar 26, 2009, 06:16 PM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

Thank you very much for the help, i will update you with my process.

**The Liquidator** · Mar 26, 2009, 07:50 PM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

It might be worth your while getting hold of a gparted or parted magic live cd. The main purpose of both of these is to provide you with a GUI to enable you to safely partition your drive before you install anything. That would enable you to set up your partitions before anything is installed and then you can proceed to install windows and 'buntu to their own partitions.

Worth a try as I know it's scary partitoning whilst you install.

**Qqmike** · Mar 26, 2009, 07:59 PM

Re: Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

Agree w/The Liquidator.

GParted is quite intuitive and about as graphical as software gets:
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php
Get the GParted Live CD (download and burn the iso.)

Do the partitioning logistics beforehand, in a safe environment, keeping it separate from installing operating systems. Much more relaxing. Easier to control outcome-quality.

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Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

Question about installing Kubuntu and XP in same hard drive

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