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**Qqmike** · Nov 23, 2009, 05:53 PM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

Well, I'm not using Windows much (except an XP that just sits there on sda1), but if you now have GRUB running the boot show, then you must have Windows re-write its bootloader to the MBR of the drive that is set to boot first in BIOS (and in so doing, Windows will overwrite GRUB which is now in the MBR). And for that, you would use (I suppose) one of your Windows' CDs. => The controlling bootloader must be installed to the MBR of the first BIOS boot drive.

Also, this:

Vista *** The definitive dual-booting guide: Linux, Vista, 7, and XP step-by-step
http://apcmag.com/dualboot

**Master Chief** · Nov 23, 2009, 07:35 PM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

Well, currently GRUB is still in charge (GRUB shows both 7 and XP, but booting into 7 still shows longhorn menu with XP and 7, so that's how I'm testing). I'm wondering if perhaps I need to install GRUB to the bootsector of the drive that holds it, then direct the Kubuntu boot entry there. Here's the lowdown of my SATA configuration and the locations of the OSes:

SATA 0: Storage of all my personal files, as well as the active bootsector.
SATA 1: Windows 7
SATA 2: Windows XP/Kubuntu half and half.

Hope that helps. And thanks for that link, I'll be going over it now.

**Qqmike** · Nov 23, 2009, 07:44 PM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

"I'm wondering if perhaps I need to install GRUB to the bootsector of the drive that holds it, then direct the Kubuntu boot entry there."

I don't know; no idea about using EasyBCD. However, since you have GRUB in charge anyway, I can't see that it would hurt to install GRUB to both the MBR of that SATA 2 drive, and just for good measure install GRUB to the boot sector of the Kubuntu partition (this latter measure definitely will not harm anything).

GRUB 2 A Guide for Users
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3106368.0

Inside Kubuntu, you have to know how GRUB sees the drives
sudo fdisk -lu

Then use
sudo grub-install /dev/sdX
and
sudo grub-install /dev/sdX2

where SDX= that SATA 2 drive, and Kubuntu is on SDX2 (the 2nd partition of that drive). (So, SDX will be something like sda or sdb or sdc, probably sdc?)

When GRUB is installed to either the MBR of a drive or to a partition (of a drive), then you can boot that drive (or partition) by chainloading, which is handy.

**Master Chief** · Nov 23, 2009, 08:17 PM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

OK I'm trying to add the NeoGRUB entry to my bootloader via EasyBCD now, but I can't find menu.lst in Kubuntu's partition. Can someone toss me a location?

**Qqmike** · Nov 23, 2009, 08:33 PM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

usually, /boot/grub/menu.lst

**Master Chief** · Nov 23, 2009, 09:19 PM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

Yeah, thats what I thought, but it wasn't there.

I tried using the contents of grub.cfg but no dice, it just loops back to the Longhorn menu.

**Qqmike** · Nov 23, 2009, 09:48 PM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

"Now, EasyBCD has three options for creating linux bootpaths: One selects the partition, one specifies the bootloader being used (GRUB in my case), and one is a checkbox that says "GRUB isn't installed to the bootsector". That's all I get, and no combinations I've yet tried seem to work."

If you install GRUB 2 to the Kubuntu partition, then use the one that selects the partition, that didn't work?

**Master Chief** · Nov 23, 2009, 10:45 PM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

That's the other thing! EasyBCD disables the partition selection part when you check that, so I don't know how on Earth it's supposed to direct it to the proper partition.

**Qqmike** · Nov 24, 2009, 06:57 AM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

Hmmm. Well, I wish I had time to study these many Windows issues, Wubi, VM, EasyBCD, Grub4DOS, a whole list of them. Unfortunately, I don't have the time it would take (I have only XP but don't boot into it except to get updates of A-V definitions and M$ updates). But do wish I could help out more in these cases. As I recall, the apcmag link went into some detail about configuring EasyBCD. Have you combed that site for the right fine-print paragraph?
Vista *** The definitive dual-booting guide: Linux, Vista, 7, and XP step-by-step
http://apcmag.com/dualboot
Wish I had more. Keep posting back, though, and let us know how this is going. It can't be rocket science, I wouldn't think: basically one bootloader has to pass control to the other by means of a path and a chainload. And EasyBCD should have a GUI, as I recall.

**Qqmike** · Nov 24, 2009, 07:20 AM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

For example:

How to dual-boot Vista with Linux (Vista installed first) -- the step-by-step guide with screenshots
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...lled_first.htm

Click Page 4: Choose a bootloader.
Get this:
Page 4 - Choose a bootloader
If you want to use the GRUB bootloader then you don't need to do anything further. Ubuntu installs GRUB into the MBR by default and will happily dualboot itself and Vista.
If however you prefer to keep Vista in charge of things, then you'll need to do a little bit of tweaking ... etc.:
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...rst.htm?page=4

It is written for Ubuntu, but you can see the easy changes for Kubuntu. Written for GRUB Legacy (menu.lst), but you can modify for GRUB 2.

I'm not sure I like this, though:
"choose Configure - this launches the NeoGrub menu.lst file, location at C:\NST\menu.lst. Use Notepad or Wordpad to open the file, and then paste in the boot entries. Save and exit, then reboot the machine."

OK, what happens if your GRUB 2 grub.cfg changes? You gotta go into the NeoGrub config menu and update it ... ? Why can't NeoGrub do a straight chainloader into Kubuntu? And so the grub.cfg in KUBUNTU controls this and will always get the proper updates under /boot/grub/grub/cfg, with no need to go back to NeoGrub ... ? GRUB is much better at this dual-boot game than are the Windows bootloaders.

**Master Chief** · Nov 24, 2009, 07:43 AM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

/\ That's exactly what I was using for reference. I followed those instructions, but when I click the Linux entry, it goes into grub, then loops back into Longhorn.

I've never seen anything like that. The only thing I can think of is back when I had some issues with my SATA configuration, I may have accidentally installed the 7 MBR to my linux drive. If so, can you provide some simple instructions to install GRUB to the bootsector of that drive?

Thanks in advance. I know I'm being a pain.

**Qqmike** · Nov 24, 2009, 07:56 AM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

GRUB 2 A Guide for Users
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3106368.0

Can you boot into Kubuntu using Super Grub Disk, then follow that recipe (in a post above)? That is:

Inside Kubuntu, you have to know how GRUB sees the drives
sudo fdisk -lu

Then use
sudo grub-install /dev/sdX
(to install GRUB 2 to the MBR of drive sdX)
and
sudo grub-install /dev/sdX2
(to install GRUB 2 to the Kubuntu partition boot sector)

where SDX= that SATA 2 drive, and Kubuntu is on SDX2 (the 2nd partition of that drive). (So, SDX will be something like sda or sdb or sdc, probably sdc? and probably your Kubuntu partition is sdc2.
- - - - - - - - - -

If you can't boot into Kubuntu to do this work, then you gotta do it using a Kubuntu Live CD. That's also in my GRUB 2 GUIDE, Section 3 (using a Live CD to re-install GRUB 2). Exactly like we did it here in this post, only from a live CD. Remember that
sudo fdisk -lu
issued at Konsole in Kubuntu will show you your drives in terms sda, sdb, sdc.
- - - - - - - - - -

Final thought, after trying all this ... Maybe GRUB 2 doesn't like to play this game? I don't know why it wouldn't, though. But, you always have the option of installing GRUB Legacy to Kubuntu, and see if it fits in better. apcmag did all their testing using 9.04 and HRUB Legacy, so it looks like it would go. But, first, as you say, better make sure that that disk is OK.

To install GRUB Legacy, boy, it sure would be easy if you can get booted into Kubuntu to do it, say by using SGD. Otherwise, you have to do it using a live CD, say by using a 9.04 or a 8.04 Live CD that has GRUB legacy files.

**Master Chief** · Nov 24, 2009, 08:27 AM

Re: Add K 9.1 to Longhorn?

Yeah, unfortunately I can't boot into Kubuntu currently. The tutorial there told me to axe the grub bootsector entry and replace it with the 7 one, so now I can't boot into kubuntu at all. It's no issue though, the Live CD works well enough for those purposes. If nothing else, I also have a Knoppix disk around that I can use to reinstall grub to the MBR.

Thanks for all the info, I'll report back once I've tried some more things out.

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