dual boot w/xp - starting from 11.04

[bman2004]

Hi All.
I am currently running 11.04 and would like a dual boot option with xp.

My hard drive info is as follows:
sda1 / 10gb ext4
sda2 /home 46gb ext4
sda3 swap 24gb

I don't mind giving up 20gb from my /home directory for the xp install.
Can someone walk me through what needs to be done?
Thanks.

[YannBuntu]

Hello

here is what I would do:
1) Backup the /home on an external drive, by security
2) Boot on a Ubuntu CD , choose "Try Ubuntu", run Gparted, and reduce the SWAP partition to 4Go (if you have 4 Go RAM, basically SWAP must be same size as your RAM)
3) Install XP in the free space, reboot and check that XP works
4) Reinstall GRUB menu, e.g. via Boot-Repair

[bman2004]

I have a new problem:

I wiped the drive. Created a single, new partition for XP, then used the Ubuntu Live CD to resize that partition to allow for Ubuntu to be installed.

During the process of shrinking the NTFS partition (XP), I accidently selected mount point /dos. When the computer boots I am not given a screen to select which operating system and it defaults to Ubuntu.

Can you help me figure out how to fix the dual boot?
Thanks.

[YannBuntu]

Please can you indicate your Boot-Info URL (by following this little tutorial : http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1821980 )

it will help us understand the situation.

[bman2004]

Boot Repair is stuck on 'Enabling RAID'

I opened up terminal from my Ubuntu install, not the Live CD on boot. Is that okay?

[bman2004]

I tried it again and here are the results (http://paste.ubuntu.com/683618/).

[YannBuntu]

Thanks.

Your XP is correctly recognized by os-prober, so reinstalling GRUB may detect it. For this, the easiest way is to click the "Recommended repair" button of Boot-Repair.

The /dos mounting point is not a problem, we will correct it later (via Disk-manager).

[bman2004]

Clicking the "Recommended repair" button of Boot-Repair didn't seem to fix it.
What would you recommend next?

[jaj540]

try updating ur Grub by



sudo update-grub2


if it doesnt work
Just try reinstalling grub..this may fix the problem..
boot from ubuntu disk
mount your ubuntu partition
Verify if your partition is correctby typing the following in terminal



mount | tail -1


You should see output similar to this:



/dev/sda2 on /media/0d104aff-ec8c-44c8-b811-92b993823444 type ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=devkit)


Note the designation for the disk /dev/sda which you will be using later, and the directory in /media.

now type

sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/media/0d104aff-ec8c-44c8-b811-92b993823444 /dev/sda

where the boot-directory must be that u obtained from mount | tail -1




I dont know whether this will help u or not...i am a newbie here.. But i got it working when done this for a similar problem

[bman2004]

The last recommendation didn't seem to work.

[Hakunka-Matata]

sudo update-grub2# try this


sudo update-grublater try
sudo update-


# then hit Tab key TWICE. you'll see all the possible options listed

[bman2004]

Bigger problem now:
In between posts, I did a little experimenting and now I can't seem to boot into my Ubuntu install.

In the 'Boot Repair' utility under the Main Options tab, I selected 'restore MBR', then under the MBR options, I selected Windows XP for 'Partition booted by the MBR.

Now, in addition to not being able to select between my two OS's, the default OS is now XP.

Can anyone help me?

[YesWeCan]

It'll be sorted in no time. Better know exactly what's on your drive first so as to use the best means to fix it.
Please boot live CD, download and run this http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/ and post the RESULTS.txt file inside code tags (highlight text and click # above).
:)

[bman2004]

I'm also dealing with another problem:
on boot up its stalling for 20 seconds or so on 'Initializing USB Controllers'. My keyboard then freezes up for a couple minutes before I can use it in the OS

In response to the last recommendation. Here are the results.



Boot Info Script 0.60 from 17 May 2011


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

=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,msdos6)/boot/grub on this drive.

sda1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system:
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed: mount: unknown filesystem type ''

sda6: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 11.04
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda7: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system:
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed: mount: unknown filesystem type ''
mount: unknown filesystem type ''

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

Drive: sda __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 21,005,131 21,005,069 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2 21,006,334 156,280,319 135,273,986 f W95 Extended (LBA)
/dev/sda5 40,965,813 156,280,319 115,314,507 e W95 FAT16 (LBA)
/dev/sda6 21,006,336 38,082,559 17,076,224 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 38,084,608 40,964,095 2,879,488 82 Linux swap / Solaris


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/mapper/cryptswap1 a2ae97af-967c-4e7a-93e0-b45e4e0cf335 swap
/dev/sda1 9CB0F872B0F853EC ntfs
/dev/sda6 b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6 ext4

========================= "ls -R /dev/mapper/" output: =========================

/dev/mapper:
control
cryptswap1

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda6 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=0)


================================ sda1/boot.ini: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=========================== sda6/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 video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_CA
insmod gettext
if [ "${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
if background_color 44,0,30; then
clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.38-8-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-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='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (on /dev/sda1)" --class windows --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9CB0F872B0F853EC
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
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 ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sda6/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/sda6 during installation
UUID=b6f9bb19-cd7a-4568-a1cc-2512e48684f6 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda7 during installation
#UUID=18f4a368-9bcf-42a0-8331-d282d3b771e9 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
/dev/mapper/cryptswap1 none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sda6: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

14.420730591 = 15.484141568 boot/grub/core.img 1
16.989574432 = 18.242416640 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
12.586914062 = 13.515096064 boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic 3
14.461975098 = 15.528427520 boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic 1
12.586914062 = 13.515096064 initrd.img 3
14.461975098 = 15.528427520 vmlinuz 1

======================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc: ========================

Unknown BootLoader on sda2

00000000 fd 78 e4 89 37 e8 95 3d ec f5 02 b9 06 14 58 c2 |.x..7..=......X.|
00000010 55 39 89 18 51 4c 38 d1 b1 84 2d 3d 3c 67 5c bf |U9..QL8...-=<g\.|
00000020 43 cd 26 57 13 5d ea da e4 d5 66 ed 4c 34 67 f6 |C.&W.]....f.L4g.|
00000030 fb 52 c4 5b 04 e2 17 47 d3 1a 88 ea c2 12 d4 51 |.R.[...G.......Q|
00000040 b7 1d 80 ab 38 a3 60 80 3a 2f 98 df 11 6b 77 67 |....8.`.:/...kwg|
00000050 d4 ee 7c cb f1 28 1f 0f 9b 0e 7d bd a5 4a b8 8d |..|..(....}..J..|
00000060 cb 4d 2a 3c 1c 43 47 99 b8 42 ca a1 99 11 c3 6b |.M*<.CG..B.....k|
00000070 96 4b d2 53 be 5a 9c d8 a9 30 9d b9 8d 1d ca 1c |.K.S.Z...0......|
00000080 77 8a 85 db 89 dc 90 95 8d 53 9e 26 1f 16 2d 0f |w........S.&..-.|
00000090 27 15 70 1e 02 35 2e 3b 6d 6b 99 96 72 b4 6a 0c |'.p..5.;mk..r.j.|
000000a0 04 30 35 ba d6 c5 47 c8 ec c6 24 9d 70 98 46 67 |.05...G...$.p.Fg|
000000b0 b1 29 37 cd 99 d2 d3 7a 78 b0 73 a2 c9 76 f2 45 |.)7....zx.s..v.E|
000000c0 04 b2 87 6e 54 a3 d0 da ff e8 d0 a1 77 ad 40 c1 |...nT.......w.@.|
000000d0 c4 0c 34 fa 40 1c 1e cd fd 84 6a ce 93 26 cf ff |..4.@.....j..&..|
000000e0 f0 a6 00 8b 09 9d ac 3e d7 4c 64 61 02 30 c6 79 |.......>.Lda.0.y|
000000f0 b7 6c ba 55 f4 5c 84 54 dd 0a bd a1 8a 76 0f 06 |.l.U.\.T.....v..|
00000100 95 49 b1 a5 f8 ef 0f dc bd e3 c7 89 74 94 90 d0 |.I..........t...|
00000110 6c ed cf 24 90 39 9a a8 ff d5 a3 70 bd ef c0 a5 |l..$.9.....p....|
00000120 b4 51 86 9e 83 d8 a2 b1 4e ff 6d 48 b1 6a e2 69 |.Q......N.mH.j.i|
00000130 ce ea ee 07 99 d2 cc e9 4b 02 30 8b 50 f8 4f 3b |........K.0.P.O;|
00000140 e5 12 07 09 81 2e 8e 32 79 ff 5a c1 9b 45 0d 92 |.......2y.Z..E..|
00000150 1c 3c ab 8d 17 7b a1 07 99 f9 c7 44 a2 3b a0 4d |.<...{.....D.;.M|
00000160 08 1b d2 e8 20 c8 27 2e 31 6e 5e 03 5f 4b 17 f7 |.... .'.1n^._K..|
00000170 e5 1a 4c 84 5e 3f 47 14 be 63 40 26 d5 19 00 c9 |..L.^?G..c@&....|
00000180 04 94 f4 28 64 93 d8 e9 72 c6 c1 22 1c 48 0a a4 |...(d...r..".H..|
00000190 87 97 c8 8e e7 47 a9 76 e5 d3 f5 48 df 48 7c 0c |.....G.v...H.H|.|
000001a0 ff 2b a5 a3 2c c7 9f 8a 41 c6 de 21 44 81 03 3a |.+..,...A..!D..:|
000001b0 ad 0d 8a 66 d0 3a 56 fa f8 25 b8 97 1a 6b 00 01 |...f.:V..%...k..|
000001c0 c1 ff 0e fe ff ff b7 8e 30 01 4b 8f df 06 00 fe |........0.K.....|
000001d0 ff ff 05 fe ff ff 01 00 00 00 01 90 04 01 00 00 |................|
000001e0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa |..............U.|
00000200


=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

unlzma: Decoder error

[YesWeCan]

The encrypted swap is unusual.
What happens when you boot?
do you get a grub menu?
do you get a grub> prompt or a rescue> prompt?
What works and what doesnt work?

[bman2004]

I fixed the 'Initializing USB Controller' issue.

On booting the screen goes black and maybe 30-45 seconds later Ubuntu login screen comes up.
I don't get any menu allowing me to select the OS (XP or Ubuntu) it just goes straight to Ubuntu.

[YesWeCan]

Curious black screen delay.
For good measure, once it has booted Ubuntu do:
sudo update-grub
sudo grub-install /dev/sda

when it does the update you shoukd see XP listed.

[bman2004]

No difference. It seems as though in the time between the BIOS reading and booting of Ubuntu the signal to the screen is dead. It says 'No Signal...."

Am I supposed to press something get the OS dual boot menu to come up? Is this menu GRUB?

[YesWeCan]

I suspect the grub menu is there but you cant see it because of some display problem. So it waits 10 sconds and then defaults to booting Ubuntu. This is while the screen is black. This may account for the long time it takes to boot.

You might find that after the screen goes black and within 10 seconds, you can press the down arrow key 6 times or so then press enter and it might boot XP instead. Maybe.

What is your hardware?

[bman2004]

AMD Athlon 64 x2 dual core 4200+
1.3gb DDR

[bman2004]

No luck with the keyboard down scrolling.
Signing off for 8 hours or so.

[bman2004]

SOLVED!

The GRUB menu was in fact there. I just needed to make it visible. All that was needed was to uncomment (remove the hash from)
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480 in the grub configuration file: sudo gedit /etc/default/grub

The other startup problem I was having where it would stall on 'Initializing USB Controllers', I solved by removing the cable from a a trouble USB device (my printer). Its an old cable, perhaps it needs a spray of DeoxIT, or complete replacement.

I also encountered difficulties getting my USB keyboard to work in the GRUB menu, I solved this by enabling 'Legacy USB Devices' in the menu dedicated to USB support in my BIOS.

Thanks everyone for your recommendations.

[YesWeCan]

Good.
Dont forget to mark this solved in Thread Tools.