Help me get Boot Options (Grub 2) on my dual-boot (10.10 + Win Xp) PC: N00B

[ku-buntu]

Hello All,

I'm brand, spanking new to Linux (especially Kubuntu) and I'm having trouble figuring out how to get the grub loader to show boot menu options on my PC.

A little background on my setup/situation:

I have an 80GB HDD with Win XP Pro SP3 installed on it...which I disconnected before I connected up a 40GB HDD and installed Kubuntu 10.10 on it.

I setup the 40GB Kubuntu HDD as "Master", and the 80GB Windows HDD as "Slave".

Now, my intention is to have each OS on a separate disk and I should be able to boot up to whichever one I wish. Seems pretty straightforward, right?

Well, as t turns out, I'm unable to see the boot options at startup...instead the PC just boots into Kubuntu.

I even tried reinstalling Kubuntu with the WinXP HDD connected as slave...expecting Kubuntu to recognize the OS on the slave drive, and to add it as an option on Grub. Well, that didn't seem to happen either.

I've been searching for an easy to understand (and follow) set of instructions, that could help a newbie achieve this task...but unfortunately everything that's out there is either waaaay too technical, or assumes the reader already knows all of the (way cryptic) Linux commands.

Is is possible for someone to just provide me the code (and the required instructions to apply the code) so that I could get it work without burning out any more of my brain cells?

I'd really appreciate that, or any other help in helping me achieve my objective asap.

Thanks.

--------------------------------
Pentium 4 Desktop
32 bit
Windows XP Pro S3
Kubuntu 10.10

Other spec's in attached files

[arochester]

Re: Help me get Boot Options (Grub 2) on my dual-boot (10.10 + Win Xp) PC: N00B

You should not have disconnected the disks and you should not have changed the master/slave priority!

Normally when you have two disks they are referred to as sda and sdb. sda is the master and sdb is the slave. sda =Windows and sdb=Linux.

Normally GRUB, the boot sector, is written to the MBR (Master Boot Record), a tiny little section on sda/the master/Windows. It knows that there is Windows and Linux.

By disconnecting the disks GRUB, the boot sector, will have been written to the only disk (sdb)/(now) master/Linux. Now it will boot from (sdb)/Linux. It doesn't know that there is Windows, only Linux.

By changing the priorities I don't know where Grub will be..?

Return 80Gb Windows to Master
Have 40Gb as Slave
Install Linux on sdb
Let Grub install to MBR

[ku-buntu]

Re: Help me get Boot Options (Grub 2) on my dual-boot (10.10 + Win Xp) PC: N00B

Arochester,

Thanks for your reply and the comments/suggestion.

Just one thing to mention with regards to your following comment:

>> By disconnecting the disks GRUB, the boot sector, will have been written to the only disk (sdb)/(now) >> master/Linux. Now it will boot from (sdb)/Linux. It doesn't know that there is Windows, only Linux.

I did indeed try to reinstall Kubuntu with both disks connected - though the 40GB Kubuntu disk was still the master, and the 80GB Windows disk was the slave....but that didn't do much.

Anyways, I will try what you suggested i.e. changing 80GB Windows disk to master and using 40GB Linux disk as slave and reinstalling Linux to 40GB slave disk.

Hope that doesn't screw up Windows though...since it came pre-installed with the PC and I wasn't given the installation CD (in case I have to reinstall Windows).

Will let you know how it goes.


Later.

[ku-buntu]

Re: Help me get Boot Options (Grub 2) on my dual-boot (10.10 + Win Xp) PC: N00B

Arochester,

Just wanted to let you know that your suggestion worked perfectly - you're a genius!!!

Thanks again.