What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

[Peter Andrew]

After several trial and error learning experiences, I believe I am ready to install Kubuntu alongside Windows Vista and XP (necessary evils in my profession) on a fourth partition of my laptops hard drive. The other three being occupied by vista's recovery section, vista, and xp. I've already successfully loaded Kubuntu alongside Windows XP on my other PC, but, after several failed attempts at loading kubuntu alongside vista, and finding it painful enough to get vista to dual-boot into xp, I did some extensive research, and found that I need to install the grub bootloader on the boot sector of the linnux partition, but not to the master boot record, so I can then force vista's bootloader to take notice of Kubuntu in the same way I got it to dual boot into xp.
Rather than risking another learning experience of my own, I was hoping someone could tell me what to expect after I get to this screen - http://whoiam55.at.preempted.net/ima...buntu/grub.jpg - and select no (I do not want to install grub boot loader to master boot record). Hours of research have shed no further light on the subject, and any help would be greatly appreciated. As I am eager to get started. Bit Torrent says my Kubuntu DVD's ETA is 3 hours away and I am still hesitant to risk another vista/xp installation experience.

[Snowhog]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

If you install to the MBR, any existing OS (Vista) will be unloadable. This is not what you want to do. You want to install Grub into the partition you set up for Kubuntu.

Assuming you created two partitions - one for root ( / ) and another for home ( /home ), you would tell the installer to put Grub in the root ( / ) partition.

[Peter Andrew]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

So will I be prompted for a selection (as in "install boot loader to A, B, or C") or will I be prompted for input (as in "install boot loader to [fill in the blank])? I just want to make sure I know exactly what to expect, because I'm pretty freaked about potentially having to do this all over again.

[LinuxIsInnovation]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

The standard Kubuntu Desktop LiveCD should automatically configure your GRUB to detect all your windows installations. So your existing kubuntu kernel, recovery mode and your windows installations (listed under "Other operating systems") will appear automatically as you reboot after installing Kubuntu.

[Peter Andrew]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

Thanks, I've been through all that several times. The trick is to make sure I don't overwrite vista's boot loader which installs itself as the master boot record. the grub boot loader sees vista fine but vista's boot loader has to be the main boot loader for the system, it seems, or vista just won't boot (it's one of vista's marvelous "security features" we've all heard so much about.) When I tried to boot vista from the grub boot loader menu, it just reboots the system. However It will boot into vista's repair utility (sort of, it actually starts a reinstall of vista). Does anyone know if i set the grub boot loader to install to root, will it leave the master boot record intact? That's my question that still has yet to be answered. I suppose I shouldn't be too concerned after I found that vista's boot loader could be repaired from within xp, and the Grub boot loader has never had a problem booting into xp. It's just that I've wasted enough time reinstalling everything (several times over) and I would rather not proceed until I have the answer to that one question, preferably from someone who has succeeded where I have failed several times. So I guess I'm a little retarded for not being able to formulate the right question previously.
WILL THE GRUB BOOT LOADER LEAVE THE MASTER BOOT RECORD INTACT - AS IS - NO CHANGES - IF I .... .... (please tell me exactly how). Or will it even give me that option?

Maybe I should clarify my situation. I'm new to linux, but I know I can configure vista's bcd to recognize another boot loader. I also know that to run vista off another boot loader I would have to configure its security settings in a way that seems more difficult than removing those 3-part parite viruses that somehow keep penetrating its ultra-secure un-configurable security defenses; :P or I could run run the whole system off M$ virtualization software. Believe me when I say that isn't even an option as far as I'm concerned, and configuring vista's boot loader is kind of a catch22 in this situation - I eventually have to have it boot to configure it.

[LinuxIsInnovation]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

That is strange. Since a dual boot installation on a friend's computer displayed the "Windows Longhorn/Vista Bootloader" (or something similar) option in GRUB which worked perfectly. I did nothing much but go with the default settings. If you wish, you can also use super grub disk (http://supergrubdisk.org) to configure GRUB.

[Peter Andrew]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

Thanks, I already have the supergrub disk image on a usb drive handy just in case (as I mentioned before - extensive research).
Maybe it wouldn't work with my system, because it came pre-installed with vista, with no vista cd. Or maybe I screwed something up in the install process. I still would like to know for sure whether it can be done before I make my next attempt. If not, at least it's good to hear for certain that vista can be booted from the grub boot loader. I still would prefer to use vista's boot loader since I'm already somewhat familiar with it, but if I can't I'll look into booting into vista from grub.

Well, the dvd torrent just finished downloading, and I'm still uncertain. Thanks all for your fast responses, perhaps the answer will come while I'm burning the disc. (I mean burning the image to disc. See if I can't learn from the mistakes of others, I can at least laugh at them)

[SoulSlayer]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

hmmm verry strange i make this dual boot thing on one of the pc's in my work and wokr perfectly

just wondering why you need this vsita crap > ?! if its so important to have it why you dont try the open source virtualization options like VirtualBox i dont try it with vista but with xp work more then perfect this night i will install vsita on VirtualBox at home and will poste if it wokr

[toad]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

perhaps this will help... http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...lled_first.htm

[SoulSlayer]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

i think this one i SOLVED

[Peter Andrew]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

Soul Slayer -
Maybe I just like the pretty animations and the sidebar. Or maybe it came with the computer so I make the best of it. Or maybe my revolution didn't end with me just following a new set of rules, or maybe you're just jealous that I'm going to get this bitch called vista to work for me against her will. Either way you haven't answered my question. Did you get it to dual-boot with vista's boot loader? If so how? If not, please don't waste my time.
Toad -
Thanks I had seen that article before, but I never got through the last page. That looks like what I've been looking for. Still hoping I can do it without screwing up xp somehow. But that more or less hits the nail on the head.
Thank you.

[toad]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

I must confess I haven't read this whole thread, but it seems as though you want to1) keep the vista bootloader which then 2) points to your partition containing kubuntu, where in turn 3) you have installed grub.

I know nothing about either point 1) or 2), but 3) is easy enough. At the end of the install process there is a tiny box entitled "advanced". Here you can tell the installer where to install grub - select / and BINGO 8)

Or am I missing something?

[SoulSlayer]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

hmm if i'am right peter want to make 3ple boot with vista xp and kubuntu via the vsita boot manager i realy don't see sense in this


if you want shiny eye candy .. may be you must see the new kde if you want only to get vsita to work ... why you need then kubuntu

and i think that is not the proper language that you must use when you ask for help !

[Snowhog]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

perhaps this will help... http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...lled_first.htm

Probably the best reference guide out there. It's the one I used back when I had Vista (OEM) on my Toshiba and ventured into Linux. If followed step-by-step it just works.

[Qqmike]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

What toad said, exactly. For example, if Kubuntu is on (hd0,3) (the 4th partition of the first hard drive), then you want to install GRUB there, too. In the Live CD method, Manual partitioning option, then work down to Step 6, Advanced button at lower right, then specify where to put GRUB. Problem is, you must know where Kubuntu is in GRUB notation. For example, if you put Kubuntu root in sda4, then the GRUB notation for that is (hd0,3) (that is usually true!).

However, that said, since you have Vista to protect and deal with, although the toad-method will work, might be best to go comprehensive with the apcmag reference the guys are giving you.