pikeminnow
July 4th, 2013, 01:22 AM
Hi. I've been using linux since about 2010, but up until now I've sort of been able to ignore GRUB problems by reinstalling the OS and keeping /home and therefore all my files. This means I am a grub nub and cannot solve my problem now.
I was recently approached with a summer job offer to learn how to install and use Apache Hadoop for this guy, and doing that required me to switch from Fedora 18 (I've been using Fedora for the entire time until now) to Ubuntu. My first couple times installing Ubuntu.... didn't go very well. I have Precise working beautifully now, but, and here is the problem, I have a hdd with Windows 7 and a hdd with Fedora 18. I want to know how I can plug them in and make the Ubuntu GRUB recognize them and provide them as options to boot into.
The Windows bootloader has always been a little skeezy. I broke it the first time I tried installing linux (pretty close to day of unboxing the machine), but it was fine because Fedora came with its own bootloader. However, when I was trying to install Ubuntu off a flash drive, the Fedora bootloader broke and the new Ubuntu one failed to install. It's part of a long history of having trouble generating new bootloaders. I can only get it to reliably work off an optical disk. In any case, I've spent a couple days googling but I'm not really sure how to articulate the problem to the search engine- I'm certain there is a way of doing this without reinstalling Ubuntu. I can even replace GRUB if necessary- if I'm told how to do it.
TL/DR: GRUB nub wants to know how to add new (old) disks with preinstalled OSs to GRUB by any means but reinstalling Ubuntu and keeping the new (old) disks' file data intact.
Relevant info:
3 SATA HDDs
64 bit Ubuntu Precise Pangolin
64 bit Fedora 18 Spherical Cow
64 bit Windows 7 Ultimate
BIOS, not UEFI
I have an entire CD wallet of various livecds. One of them is GParted. I also have the LiveCD I installed Precise from.
I was recently approached with a summer job offer to learn how to install and use Apache Hadoop for this guy, and doing that required me to switch from Fedora 18 (I've been using Fedora for the entire time until now) to Ubuntu. My first couple times installing Ubuntu.... didn't go very well. I have Precise working beautifully now, but, and here is the problem, I have a hdd with Windows 7 and a hdd with Fedora 18. I want to know how I can plug them in and make the Ubuntu GRUB recognize them and provide them as options to boot into.
The Windows bootloader has always been a little skeezy. I broke it the first time I tried installing linux (pretty close to day of unboxing the machine), but it was fine because Fedora came with its own bootloader. However, when I was trying to install Ubuntu off a flash drive, the Fedora bootloader broke and the new Ubuntu one failed to install. It's part of a long history of having trouble generating new bootloaders. I can only get it to reliably work off an optical disk. In any case, I've spent a couple days googling but I'm not really sure how to articulate the problem to the search engine- I'm certain there is a way of doing this without reinstalling Ubuntu. I can even replace GRUB if necessary- if I'm told how to do it.
TL/DR: GRUB nub wants to know how to add new (old) disks with preinstalled OSs to GRUB by any means but reinstalling Ubuntu and keeping the new (old) disks' file data intact.
Relevant info:
3 SATA HDDs
64 bit Ubuntu Precise Pangolin
64 bit Fedora 18 Spherical Cow
64 bit Windows 7 Ultimate
BIOS, not UEFI
I have an entire CD wallet of various livecds. One of them is GParted. I also have the LiveCD I installed Precise from.