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PyroFX
April 24th, 2010, 05:28 PM
I am completely new to Ubuntu and recently installed Ubuntu 9.10 using the live CD. I allowed the set-up to install Ubuntu next to Windows XP and to let me choose which OS boots at start-up. Upon restarting my computer after installation, however, there is no boot-screen and my computer goes straight to WinXP.

I have done some reading and it seems like I need to install GRUB, but I'm really not sure if this is really the case or if I am missing something else entirely.

ingramproductions
April 24th, 2010, 05:38 PM
Add xp to the grub boot menu (grub is already installed, and it should have added xp automatically). It's in the /boot folder. I think it's called list.menu or boot.menu or something like that.

plus2plus
April 24th, 2010, 05:59 PM
I figured it out! It was my hard drive boot priority in my bios. It had my raid array with windows Vista as first boot device so I switched it to my single HD that I installed XP on first. Now it loads the dual boot menu for XP and Vista without needing a windows system CD in the drive. Kudos to Rick P. aka raph on the howtogeek forums for pointing me in the right direction. Hopefully if nothing else this thread will help others having the same problem with their gaming rigs. :confused:

PyroFX
April 24th, 2010, 09:57 PM
Add xp to the grub boot menu (grub is already installed, and it should have added xp automatically). It's in the /boot folder. I think it's called list.menu or boot.menu or something like that.

Well, I found /boot/grub, but the only thing in it is "grubenv" which is a text file saying "# GRUB Environment Block" followed by a long line of more pound symbols

PyroFX
April 24th, 2010, 10:31 PM
Also, if I go into the terminal and type "sudo grub" (which was suggested on one site) I am told that the command was not found. If I type "grub" I am told that: "The program 'grub' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing: sudo apt-get install grub"

Is that what I should be doing?

wilee-nilee
April 24th, 2010, 10:52 PM
Also, if I go into the terminal and type "sudo grub" (which was suggested on one site) I am told that the command was not found. If I type "grub" I am told that: "The program 'grub' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing: sudo apt-get install grub"

Is that what I should be doing?

So it is sudo update-grub from a Ubuntu terminal if you have it booted. This will look for XP. I would post this boot script though it will get you the help you need.
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

PyroFX
April 24th, 2010, 11:02 PM
So it is sudo update-grub from a Ubuntu terminal if you have it booted. This will look for XP. I would post this boot script though it will get you the help you need.
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

The results are attached.

wilee-nilee
April 24th, 2010, 11:24 PM
I'm not the one that will be able to help you with this, you might consider pasting the script in code tags so that it is a easy read. I do see 2 HD with both having boot flags, and the Ubuntu install in sdb and the grub boot loader in sda. It may be only that you need to change the boot order of the bios to look at one or the other 1st, I am not sure if any of this is correct. There are several people on the forums that are very good at diagnosing, and your on at the right time of day, they are probably around or will be soon.

PyroFX
April 24th, 2010, 11:44 PM
Actually, that worked! I had to change the boot order. I have never really messed with setting computer to dual-boot and this is the first computer I've had with two hard drives, so I didn't really think that it could be the bios.

Thanks

wilee-nilee
April 24th, 2010, 11:51 PM
Actually, that worked! I had to change the boot order. I have never really messed with setting computer to dual-boot and this is the first computer I've had with two hard drives, so I didn't really think that it could be the bios.

Thanks

That is great, like I said I am hesitant to advise in this area, but once in a while I am lucky. I check out the answers from the people I know who are really good at this and the scripts people post.