Hi. If I may, I would like to post my result for a similar problem of bootloasder settings scattered on two hard drivers (internal + external), and would like your opinion on how to solve this annoyance.
cheer!
plusunim
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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 #1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc
sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Dell Utility: Fat16
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /COMMAND.COM
sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /bootmgr /boot/BCD /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM
sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________
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
sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sdc1: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Fat16
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:
=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================
Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___
Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 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 63 80,324 80,262 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 81,920 625,140,399 625,058,480 7 HPFS/NTFS
Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___
Disk /dev/sdb: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Partition Boot Start End Size Id System
/dev/sdb1 2,048 600,565,759 600,563,712 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 600,567,806 625,141,759 24,573,954 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 600,567,808 625,141,759 24,573,952 82 Linux swap / Solaris
Drive: sdc ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___
Disk /dev/sdc: 2019 MB, 2019557376 bytes
19 heads, 18 sectors/track, 11533 cylinders, total 3944448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Partition Boot Start End Size Id System
/dev/sdc1 64 3,944,447 3,944,384 6 FAT16
blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________
Device UUID TYPE LABEL
/dev/sda1 3030-3030 vfat DellUtility
/dev/sda2 061E52481E523143 ntfs Hard Disk
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c ext4
/dev/sdb2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb5 d8431925-6f97-4b4e-ba8e-c789ff1e8ebc swap
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdc1 74F5-BDD1 vfat
/dev/sdc: PTTYPE="dos"
============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================
Device Mount_Point Type Options
/dev/sdb1 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=0)
/dev/sr0 /media/Ubuntu 10.10 i386 iso9660 (ro,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000, iocharset=utf8,mode=0400,dmode=0500)
/dev/sdc1 /media/74F5-BDD1 vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000, shortname=mixed,dmask=0077,utf8=1,showexec,flush)
================================ sda2/boot.ini: ================================
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
=========================== sdb1/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 "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c
set locale_dir=($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='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c 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='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c 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='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ca8b4eb9-696a-4117-adc6-4f9e96d2969c
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/sda2)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 061e52481e523143
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/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
=============================== sdb1/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
/dev/sdb1 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/sdb5 none swap sw 0 0
=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================
202.0GB: boot/grub/core.img
64.6GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
202.0GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
.6GB: initrd.img
202.0GB: vmlinuz
First you need to fix your internal disk MBR to boot windows. Boot the Live CD and choose try ubuntu without external plugged in. When the desktop loads open a terminal and run
sudo apt-get install liloIgnore warnings and continue.
next in terminal run
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr This will put a generic windows bootloader to MBR of internal disk. Reboot without Live Cd and without external plugged in. You should boot right to windows.
Now plug the external in and boot the ubuntu Live Cd again, choose try ubuntu. When the desktop loads open a terminal and run
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
This will mount your ubuntu root partition.
Next in terminal run
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sdbThis will put GRUB on MBR of external disk and pointing to sdb1
Now reboot without the Live Cd and with the external plugged in, make sure the external disk is set to boot before the internal disk in BIOS. You should get the GRUB menu.
You are now good to go. When the external is unplugged you boot to windows, when the external is in you get GRUB