[JosephBus]

My Dilemma: Unable dual boot 2HDDs


My PC:

Intel Core 2 Duo 6400@2.13 Ghz, 2 GB RAM,
Physical Address Extension.
2 ATA HDDs 160MB Each,

HD0 152 MB available, Partion Style: MBR,

Linux / Kubuntu partitioned as : / 124MB, /usr 9.5MB, /Home 9.5 MB, /swap 4MB, free: 5MB.

HD1 152MB available, Partition style: MBR,
XP PRO partiitioned as C:\121MB, 3 unused Logicals :9MB,9MB,5MB + 3MB reboot

DVD / CD-ROM , Nero.


My Trials & Tribulations

I'm doing someting wrong, several forum folks gave lots of suggestions...here's what I've
tried w/o success: (See https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/11591 for that history)

The GRUB edit of menu.lst for this scenario didn't work...more research here?

changed to Kubuntu

Problems, Problems: Wget, RaR, GAG, et al.

Downloaded SystemResourceCD, md5sum OK, burned systemrescuecd-x86-0.3.7.iso
file as a boot disk...NoBoot....I also burned this iso together with the extracted files that were downloaded with the iso....NoBoot...

Ordered SystemRescueCD...will try that when that CD arrives...

In the meantime, this newbie is trying to decipher the GRUB-related jargon to pursue that avenue.... I CAN'T BE THE FIRST TO TRY THIS DUAL BOOT!...

I would appreciate your expertise to shed some light here...

Can you also suggest good learning book(s) for Linux commands, terminal, GRUB usage, SystemResourceCD usage or whatever you think...

Thanks JosephBus

P.S. Would a reasonable suggestion for this S/W be to provide ANY kind of diagnostic / SOME output when a failure occurs? I remember the old UNIX was SILENT BUT DEADLY!!

[saikee]

Point 1 - Ubuntu and Kubuntu does not permit root log in and so as a normal user you do not have the root privilege to alter system file like Grub's menu.lst. To invoke root privilege and then edit the menu.lst you need to issue following commands in a Ubuntu terminal

sudo su
gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

For Kubuntu use kwrite instead of gedit in the last statement.

Point 2 - If you use 2 disks and a boot loader to dual boot then stop playing around with the Bios on which disk boots first. Take a look at Section A of [url=http://www.justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=130715]this thread[/code] if you want an easy life in booting.

Point 3 - To understand Grub just read the Grub Manual.

Point 4 - Grub is a mini operating system. In either Ubuntu or Kubuntu Grub screen just press "c" key and you get a Grub prompt. You cam manually boot up any PC system in a Grub prompt. I have never seen any Dos, Windows, Linux, BSD and Solaris that cannot be booted by a Grub prompt. The menu.lst contains just the instructions you would need to enter manually at a Grub prompt. Talk to Grub and cut out the middle man! Kiss all the booting problem good bye.

[JosephBus]

Dear Saikee:

I can't remember where / who gave me the procedures to Dual Boot, but I'm sure as their system works, so be it. Anyway thanks to all Forum Folks / Tech Support Guy for straightening out the "Unable Boot Dual Boot 2 HDD" problem.

Here's what happened :

1) I took your advice & reconnected the HDDs as: Windows HDD on primary ( SATA0),
& Linux HDD on secondary (SAT1). Intel refers to the SATA interface as simply "Ports".

2) I sensed that my installed Kubuntu 7.04 acted strangely (couln't find menu.lst, GRUB, other problems), so I reinstalled Kubuntu (with the partitions / 130GB, /Home 10GB,
/Boot 10GB, /swap 4GB, free ~5GB...Not sure if this is right, but I'll research these).

3) It Dual Booted !! No menu.lst editing , nothing else, just worked fine.

4) My mother board is the Intel DG965RY that others have had problems, so I'll pass it on
if it can be helpful to know.

Any Way, Thanks again for the help, JosephBus