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Thread: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

  1. #11
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    Quote Originally Posted by oldfred View Post
    Last BootInfo showed grub2's boot loader in every MBR. Are you just looking at boot flags?

    Syslinux and lilo are boot loaders that work just like Windows in MBR. But to boot Windows you only install the MBR part and not any of the rest of the boot loader for Lilo or syslinux.
    The Windows code in the MBR just looks at partition table and finds primary partition with boot flag and jumps to the PBR or partition boot sector to find more boot code. And what is in PBR is then booted.
    Actually lilo works a bit better than Windows as you can boot XP in a logical partition. Lilo boots from logical partitions but part of the Windows boot loader only checks primary partitions and will not let you boot from logicals.

    Multibooters, Pictures here worth 1000+ words
    http://www.multibooters.co.uk/multiboot.html
    I'm more confused than ever. I have never understood the 'boot flags' concept and where a boot flag should be installed (W7, Ubuntu 13.04 or 12.10). In fact, I never tried to figure it out after screwing up many an installation of Ubuntu.

    What I am trying to figure out is how to remove the message I receive when logging into 13.04 (that message does not appear with only one distro on sdb - 12.10 was installed on the second hard drive at first, booted quickly without issues). I think Grub is installed in sda - I think (is that correct, that's what Boot Manager tells me....). I would prefer not to blow up W7, Ubuntu 12.10 & Ubuntu 13.04 if I don't understand what is going on.

  2. #12
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    Only Windows uses boot flags. Grub does not use a boot flag.
    But a few BIOS (mostly Intel motherboards) check for a boot flag on a primary partition or will not even let you start to boot. So even with Ubuntu we suggest a boot flag, but grub does not need it.

    Did you look at MultiBooters site. It pictorially explains BIOS booting.
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  3. #13
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    Quote Originally Posted by oldfred View Post
    Only Windows uses boot flags. Grub does not use a boot flag.
    But a few BIOS (mostly Intel motherboards) check for a boot flag on a primary partition or will not even let you start to boot. So even with Ubuntu we suggest a boot flag, but grub does not need it.

    Did you look at MultiBooters site. It pictorially explains BIOS booting.
    Good information and yes I read that site once, got dizzy and closed it. I will read it again another day. I am sure I will be able to absorb it. I hope...

  4. #14
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    Quote Originally Posted by oldfred View Post
    Restore basic windows boot loader - universe enabled if error on lilo not found
    Simply open Synaptic and Settings > Repositories and tick the box against the Universe repo in the Ubuntu Software tab. Close that window and click on reload before installing lilo with Synaptic or command line.
    sudo apt-get install lilo
    sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr
    Well I did this and I booted directly into Windows. I then booted into my Ubuntu 13.04 disk and did the recommended repairs. The Grub menu is back but I still have the same issue outlined in my initial post. Here is the output:

    http://paste.ubuntu.com/5685460/

    I have no idea what is going on. Any ideas are appreciated!

  5. #15
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    Anybody have a clue what is going? Help...

  6. #16
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    Did you change the boot order to boot sdb first like the pastebin report suggested?
    With that set up you should be able to choose what you want to boot directly.

    I don't know but there might be a conflict with the NeoSmart boot loader you installed into windows.
    I haven't used that in years so don't know how it works these days.

    You defeated your purpose when you did the boot repair default repair, what oldfred was suggesting,
    was to have windows bootloader on sda, then use the bios to change which disk was the primary in the bootorder.
    When you did the repair you overwrote the win bootloader in sda with grub. So the lilo work was nullified.

    Try changing in the bios to have sdb as the first hard disk in the booting order and see if things boot correctly.

    That's all I got for now.
    Castles Made of Sand,
    Fall in the Sea,
    Eventually!

  7. #17
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    Quote Originally Posted by arpanaut View Post
    Did you change the boot order to boot sdb first like the pastebin report suggested?
    With that set up you should be able to choose what you want to boot directly.

    I don't know but there might be a conflict with the NeoSmart boot loader you installed into windows.
    I haven't used that in years so don't know how it works these days.

    You defeated your purpose when you did the boot repair default repair, what oldfred was suggesting,
    was to have windows bootloader on sda, then use the bios to change which disk was the primary in the bootorder.
    When you did the repair you overwrote the win bootloader in sda with grub. So the lilo work was nullified.

    Try changing in the bios to have sdb as the first hard disk in the booting order and see if things boot correctly.

    That's all I got for now.
    I think my answers were not very clear to oldfred, but I did indeed change the boot sequence directly after installing lilo and booting directly into windows 7. It did not help. After booting into into W7 after changing the boot order to the second hard drive, I still booted to W7 (I don't understand that). I had no choice at that point but to install Grub to gain access to 13.04 and 12.10. Just to be sure, I did it all over again with the same results. By the way W7 is a clean install without NeoSmart boot loader. Yet is appears to show up. I don't get it.

  8. #18
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    If you set sdb as boot drive in BIOS Windows may have installed its boot loader to sdb, even though the main install is on sda. It installs boot files to the drive set as boot in BIOS.
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  9. #19
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    Re: Boot Issues with two versions of Ubuntu

    Quote Originally Posted by oldfred View Post
    If you set sdb as boot drive in BIOS Windows may have installed its boot loader to sdb, even though the main install is on sda. It installs boot files to the drive set as boot in BIOS.
    I figured this issue out and it has nothing to do with where Grub is located or the BIOS. The latest round of updates screwed up my 13.04 installation. After trying every trick in the book, I decided to wipe out 13.04 and reinstall. Instead of installing the boot loader in sda, I installed it in the mount point partition and let 12.10 control Grub. The down side is that I must boot into 12.10 to update Grub to include 13.04, which is exactly what I did. I rebooted in 13.04 with no errors!

    I updated my system and rebooted. Still a nice clean boot. Next I installed the ATI 13.4 driver for 13.04 using these instructions: http://askubuntu.com/questions/12429.../286775#286775

    I rebooted and get the same error message I outline in my first post. This is a video card driver issue! I just wanted to inform everyone about this and thank you oldfred for your help.
    Last edited by chazdg24; May 24th, 2013 at 07:42 PM.

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