GRUB and RC1

[Guest]

Has anyone gotten a Linux distro's GRUB bootloader (Ubuntu or related would
help me in particular) to load Vista RC1? I am having zero luck on Pre-RC1
so I thought I'd ask.

 

[Dave Phillips]

Yes, I have been dual booting Vista and Linux since pre beta 2.

The grub config is the same as dual booting with XP. Install windows first,
make sure it boots, then install Linux. If Linux is already installed, just
reinstall grub. I usually use my Linux distro CD to boot my linux system,
then reinstall grub from there.

I have heard rumours that BitLocker encryption might cause some issues with
dual booting. I havent been brave enough to try yet.

 

[Sascha Benjamin Jazbec]

Example on how to triple Boot XP ,Vista RC1 together with Novell Enterprise
Linux (Suse) Desktop 10 :

Problem :

You want use Windows XP and Linux on one PC. Now you want also install Vista
as a third OS.
Windows Vistas Bootloader isn't designed to boot Linux, while Grub, the
Linuxloader can boot nearly everything.

Typical Scenario :

* working XP on primary Partition of first HDD ( /dev/hda1 )
* working Suse on secondary Partition of first HDD ( /dev/hda2 )


to this point Grub is used to Boot XP or Linux and you are familiar to
choose between the both entries.

* Vista shall get installed on a new primary Partition 3 ( space is still
free and unused or Partiton is created within XP, but free) that will be
/dev/hda3 or if extended partiton will be used /dev/hda5 etc.


1) Boot with Vista DVD - choose the free Partition and install.
2) Vista will overwrite the Novell MBR which contains Grub
3) in some cases it wont recognize the XP if not the NTLDR was used, so it
boots directly into Vista as single OS
4) Don't panic here - XP and Linux are still on the Disk

5) to recreate Grub, use the first CD or the DVD of Novells Linux and boot
the PC with that.
6) choose not to install but "boot installed System or / repair Linux"
7) now you are in your beloved Linux again and you are going to restore what
Vistas Bootmgr has destroyed :

(!) open up a console and type as root ( sudo su ) : " cat /etc/fstab " -
write down your diskconfiguration to know on which /dev/hda entry your
Vista-Installation resides.

8) start Yast2 ControlCenter from within your linux System by typing the
command or clicking the icon.You must enter root's password for this action.

9) Within YAST you go to "configure Bootloader" . You will be presented with
a Window titled "Bootloader Options" and see all the entries ( Xp - Linux -
Failsafe ) -
10 ) now go to the button where you can edit the entries and add a new one.
Add an entry for Windows Vista and type in where it is installed ( you need
now what /etc/fstab was telling you ) .
11) Now go to the registertab "Bootloader Installation" , choose grub and
click the final button. This installs Grub and overwrites the Bootmgr of
Windows Vista.

On next reboot ( without any DVD/CD inserted of course !) you will see the
Linux Splashscreen offering you the following choices : - Windows XP -
Windows Vista - Suse Linux - Failsafe and they all should work.

As for other Linuxes or Unixes that use grub and have different
configuration-utils I can not say how it is done, but the basics are the
same : you just need to boot the installed Linux via a recovery medium and
rewrite grub with the new entry. Ask your distributor or in your forums how
to do it without Yast. ( yast is only in Novells Products ).

SBJ

 

[Saucy]

Inline:

Probably not .. why would anyone want to. It's like someone asking if
they've managed to infect themselves with ebola.

Well, no surprise. It's not called grub for nothing. It's a little Linux
infestation that screws up the harddrive's architecture. Removing it can
require a zero fill [yes, I've tried to remove it]. Do yourself a favour and
avoid grubs along with cockroaches and tsi tsi flies. They will only cause
problems for you, make you sick and ruin your food ..

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Don't hold back. Tell us what you REALLY think of Linux.

Inline:

Probably not .. why would anyone want to. It's like someone asking if
they've managed to infect themselves with ebola.

Well, no surprise. It's not called grub for nothing. It's a little Linux
infestation that screws up the harddrive's architecture. Removing it can
require a zero fill [yes, I've tried to remove it]. Do yourself a favour
and
avoid grubs along with cockroaches and tsi tsi flies. They will only cause
problems for you, make you sick and ruin your food ..

 

[Sascha Benjamin Jazbec]

what a scam. Grub destroys nothing. It asks you,warns you and offers you all
possible choices.It can be used to boot anything - regardless what
manufacturer has made an OS or what filesystems are used.As you can see in
my Post entitled "howto XP - Vista and Linux on one PC" it can be restored
very easily. Even if you don't have a backup of it.

grub is the most flexible and compatible bootloader one can think of.

It was and still is Microsofts Loaders ignoring all other Brands OS's and
overwriting the MBR WITHOUT asking if you allow it to do so.It doesn't warn
you that you cannot access third party Operating Systems afterwards..

So... next time think before writing.

By the way : Wether NTLDR nor grub nor Bootmgr has ever PHYSICALLY destroyed
a HDD. MBRs can be restored - otherwise the repair console of 2000 and XP
with fixmbr / fixboot would not work and Vistas bootsect /nt52 would not
work also.

SBJ

Inline:

Probably not .. why would anyone want to. It's like someone asking if
they've managed to infect themselves with ebola.

Well, no surprise. It's not called grub for nothing. It's a little Linux
infestation that screws up the harddrive's architecture. Removing it can
require a zero fill [yes, I've tried to remove it]. Do yourself a favour
and
avoid grubs along with cockroaches and tsi tsi flies. They will only cause
problems for you, make you sick and ruin your food ..

 

[Saucy]

Inline:



It destroys your reputation just allowing it to install.



Oh my, the infestation is polite. What a polite little infestation. But it's
really not that polite ..



No it is not. I can get it all going with NTLDR.



Oh, but you can ...



Why don't you learn someting about NTLDR before you write?



The least intrusive way to get rid of the grub infestation is at least
zero-fill. Less than that and it's there .. infecting ..

 

[NeoDude]

Too true. After my XP install died on me - AGAIN - I wanted to try the
alternative. But I still want to use my Microsoft products.

Oh, and to the guy that wrote that how-to: It looks really helpful, but
Ubuntu doesn't have that tool - you said yourself it only works on...
Novell, was it?

Regardless, if Vista works, I may not need to get Linux working (worst case
scenario, get a USB drive and run from there). Thanks though!

<DIV>&quot;Colin Barnhorst&quot; &lt;colinbarharst(remove)@msn.com&gt; wrote

Inline:

Has anyone gotten a Linux distro's GRUB bootloader (Ubuntu or
related would help me in particular) to load Vista RC1?

Probably not .. why would anyone want to. It's like someone asking if
they've managed to infect themselves with ebola.

I am having
zero luck on Pre-RC1 so I thought I'd ask.

Well, no surprise. It's not called grub for nothing. It's a little Linux
infestation that screws up the harddrive's architecture. Removing it can
require a zero fill [yes, I've tried to remove it]. Do yourself a favour
and
avoid grubs along with cockroaches and tsi tsi flies. They will only
cause
problems for you, make you sick and ruin your food ..

 

[crisponions]

What a silly squabble. If you don't like grub don't use it. Don't ridicule
others for using something besides NTLDR. Its 2006, Windows isn't the only
game around anymore.

 

[Saucy]

Inline:



Thanks for joining it.



I don't and I won't.



Why not if they are worthy of ridicule doing so? And using the infesting -
hard- to-remove grub is worthy of ridicule. But I'm not really ridiculing,
rather, helping people avoid the mistake of using any system/distro/install
that requires grub or Linux.



Well, at least you know the date. *sigh*



And never was, a fact which makes bull out of all the ridiculous "monopoly"
cases against Microsoft. The Europeans are still at it. But now they [the
Europeans] are all nervous (LOL!) over the idea that Vista might be delayed
in Europe while Microsoft figures out how or if it can possibly comply to
the myriad nonsense of the out-of-touch and convoluted European commision's
regulations. Serves the Euros right. They are so stupid as to think they can
beat up people then have those people turn around and be all cherry and
cheery. Doesn't work that way. But not knowing how it works is one of
Europe's fortes.

 

[Sascha Benjamin Jazbec]

Oh, and to the guy that wrote that how-to: It looks really helpful, but
Ubuntu doesn't have that tool - you said yourself it only works on...
Novell, was it?

Therfore I have written :


"As for other Linuxes or Unixes that use grub and have different
configuration-utils I can not say how it is done, but the basics are the
same : you just need to boot the installed Linux via a recovery medium and
rewrite grub with the new entry. Ask your distributor or in your forums how
to do it without Yast."

It can not be that hard, as the goal is always the same.

It is Linux : you find 100 ways and more than one Program to do what you
wish

ask your ubuntu-forum.

I bet that you will find a helpful person that says you how it is done
easy.

SBJ