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sirsmegalot105
November 22nd, 2010, 03:50 PM
Hi,

I have a Samsung N220 Plus netbook - it comes pre-installed with Windows 7 Starter, and there is also a Samsung Recovery partition. My goal was to install both XP SP3 and Ubuntu 10 Netbook, in addition the original OS, so a triple boot situation.

Upon initial boot of Windows 7, C: and D: were created. Using GParted on a live USB I deleted and re-partitioned D: (/dev/sda5) in to the scheme below:

176259

So to summarise the partitioning scheme (first 3 are as is only sda5 got re-chunked for XP / Ubuntu installs):

/dev/sda1 - Recovery partition
/dev/sda2 - System partition
/dev/sda3 - Windows 7 partition
/dev/sda4 - Extended
/dev/sda5 - XP partition
/dev/sda6 - Storage partition
/dev/sda7 - Ubuntu partition
/dev/sda8 - Ubuntu swap partition

Upon installing XP and restarting, it booted in to XP which was expected. I then installed UNR 10.10 from live USB to sda7 and sda8 for the swap. Although there was an initial issue with Grub not loading, the link in this post (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=8582333&postcount=3) resolved it for me.

This is how XP sees the world (XP installation created its base drive as D: instead of C:):

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However this is the Grub menu that I get:

176260

What is interesting about these options is that (aside from the first 4 entries created by Ubuntu install):

- 'Windows Vista (Loader) (on /dev/sda1)' - this loads Samsung Recovery Solution
- 'Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)' - this loads the Windows XP installation

So the problem here is that I can't find boot up the original Windows 7 installation. I have tried various solutions on Ubuntu Forums for adding a custom entry to 40_custom file, and using sudo update-grub and sudo grub-mkconfig etc, but this resulted in "A disk read error has occurred. Press Ctrl Alt Del to reboot'. Grub's OS probe doesn't find the Windows 7.

Here is the output of BootInfoScript:



Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in
partition #7 for (,msdos7)/boot/grub.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /boot/bcd

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /bootmgr /BOOT/BCD /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda5 starts
at sector 2048.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files/dirs:

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda7: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.10
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda8: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 2,048 41,945,087 41,943,040 27 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 * 41,945,088 42,149,887 204,800 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 42,149,888 128,133,119 85,983,232 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 128,135,166 488,394,751 360,259,586 f W95 Ext d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 128,135,168 210,055,167 81,920,000 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 210,057,216 414,857,215 204,800,000 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7 414,859,264 482,443,263 67,584,000 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 482,445,312 488,394,751 5,949,440 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 0A987A88987A7255 ntfs RECOVERY
/dev/sda2 D0BC4922BC490506 ntfs SYSTEM
/dev/sda3 A0EE7E12EE7DE0C8 ntfs 7
/dev/sda4: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 A8A8A63DA8A609C0 ntfs xp
/dev/sda6 3DD1C42C44739CF6 ntfs storage
/dev/sda7 9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b ext4
/dev/sda8 9b9e9545-5f4f-4f09-9820-b8c0e304d061 swap swap
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda7 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=600)


================================ sda2/boot.ini: ================================

[Boot Loader]

timeout=30

Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOW S

[Operating Systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect


=========================== sda7/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}

function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos7)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos7)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos7)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos7)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos7)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos7)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 0a987a88987a7255
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set d0bc4922bc490506
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom.backup ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom.backup ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

=============================== sda7/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=9f6b5560-45f1-46d2-bb59-b815badffa3b / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda8 during installation
UUID=9b9e9545-5f4f-4f09-9820-b8c0e304d061 none swap sw 0 0

=================== sda7: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


240.4GB: boot/grub/core.img
214.9GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
217.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
240.4GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
217.4GB: initrd.img
240.4GB: vmlinuz


Thanks in advance for any assistance ;)

sirsmegalot105
November 28th, 2010, 04:02 AM
For the benefit of anyone reading this, I wasn't able to resolve this issue. I believe it could have been caused by the number of primary partitions or the fact that XP was installed after 7. Due to lack of N220 drivers for XP (the 7 drivers did not work), I removed XP and am now in a dual boot situation with 7 and UNR 10.10.

I would still love to know how this issue could be sorted in GRUB for future reference, so if anyone knows... :popcorn: