Dual-Booting with Windows (Ubuntu installed first)

[PooAvenger]

I think it was mounted automatically but I typed in those commands anyway. So it's mounted, now I'll try windows again for ***** and giggles.

[merlinus]

Out of curiosity, navigate to that directory with nautilus -- /media/windows -- and see what is in there.

If you restarted, however, then mount it again using

sudo mount - t ntfs /dev/sda3 /media/windows

before taking a look.

[PooAvenger]

Nothing's there, it's an empty directory. Also Windows still can't see nothing :*(

[merlinus]

Just to be sure -- you manually mounted sda3, and the directory was empty?

Even so, at least we know the partition is formatted correctly. My best guess is that xp will not see it unless it is the first partition on the hdd.

[PooAvenger]

Yeah I manually mounted it and still nada.

I've never heard that about Windows but with M$ it doesn't surprise me considering everything that's been up until now. Well at least I have a couple days off to think about what to do now :/

What do you guys recommend? Wipe the disk, start with Windows and then try dual booting Ubuntu? Go back to Windows entirely? Consider it a lost cause lol? Anyway, thanks for your help so far.

[merlinus]

Not quite ready to give up, if you're not. It may be because your partitions are not in correct numerical order.

So give this a go.

sudo fdisk /dev/sda
x
f
w

and then post results of

sudo fdisk -l

[PooAvenger]

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xeb02f3de

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 12569 100960461 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 * 12570 18704 49279387+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 18705 19457 6048472+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 18705 19457 6048441 82 Linux swap / Solaris

[robert shearer]

You look to be in good hands with merlinus.

If all else fails here is a possible suggestion...

1) move all your personal data from your Ubuntu install to an external drive.
2) download and run Remastersys to make a live cd of your current Ubuntu install and its installed configuration and apps.
3) use the Official Ubuntu live cd to reformat your drive and create new partitions with the first being the ntfs target for your XP install.
4)install XP
5) Use the Remastersys cd you made to install Ubuntu. This should give you your current system but on the new partition/s you have made.
6) Copy back your data from the external drive to your Ubuntu home folder.


You need to have the data moved to an external drive (and the drive disconnected) so that Remastersys does not include it in the live cd- it will fail if it becomes too big. So move all those audio/video/etc big files off first.
Also good to backup your apt-cache( can be a big file), try using 'aptoncd' (from the repos) to make a cd of your apps then do a

sudo apt-get clean

before making the remastersys cd


http://www.geekconnection.org/remastersys/ubuntu.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remastersys

http://www.geekconnection.org/remast...rums/index.php

[merlinus]

Looks like fdisk fixed the partition order. Now try to install xp into what is sda2. Of course xp will not see it as such, but as an ntfs partition. Give it a try anyway. Nothing to lose...

Robert also seems to offer an alternative, should this not work. I am not at all familiar with remastersys, so if you go that route, hopefully he can help.

[PooAvenger]

Ok I'm trying again with XP now. Lets hope this works.