GRUB missing Windows option

[Physicist]

I had Windows XP Home on my Dell Latitude D600 laptop. I decided to install Ubuntu 8.04 so it will dual boot.

After installation of Ubuntu, when I restart, I only see Ubuntu boot options.

So I added the following into my


/boot/grub/menu.lst




title Windows XP Home
rootnoverify (hd0,2)
makeactive
chainloader +1


After I restart, the WIndows boot option is visible, however it give the following error if I choose it:


Error 12: Invalid Device Requested (hd0,8)

Apparently, I am not having it set up correctly.


My partitions look like


$ sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9dc96e9e

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1580 12691318+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 1581 7296 45913770 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 3825 7296 27888808+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 1581 1762 1461852 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order


Any help, suggestions are appreciated.

[tamoneya]

windows would probably be on /dev/sda5 since this is the NTFS partition. The other one (/dev/sda2) is a FAT32 and it wouldnt be located there. Also grub numbers drives and partitions with a 0 indexed system so sda5 = (hd0,4). In other words try this.
title Windows XP Home
rootnoverify (hd0,4)
makeactive
chainloader +1
If that doesnt work post your entire menu.lst so we can search for other possible errors.

[Pumalite]

You are trying to boot Windows from a logical partition. Windows needs a primary partition. Start from scratch and install Windows in a primary partition; preferably sda1. Install Ubuntu last.

[Physicist]

How do you know it is not on a primary partition ?

In other words, how do I correctly understand


$ sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9dc96e9e

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1580 12691318+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 1581 7296 45913770 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 3825 7296 27888808+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 1581 1762 1461852 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order


* I had Windows installed on the computer before installing Ubuntu. Is it possible for Windows to be on a logical partition but not a primary one?

* Is it possible for some reason that fdisk did not list all my partitions, especially the one with Windows ?

[Pumalite]

Let's find out. Post a screenshot of gparted

[tamoneya]

try changing menu.lst as i mentioned above.

[fmartinez]

How do you know it is not on a primary partition ?

In other words, how do I correctly understand


$ sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9dc96e9e

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1580 12691318+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 1581 7296 45913770 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 3825 7296 27888808+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 1581 1762 1461852 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order


* I had Windows installed on the computer before installing Ubuntu. Is it possible for Windows to be on a logical partition but not a primary one?

* Is it possible for some reason that fdisk did not list all my partitions, especially the one with Windows ?

Alright, so from what I understand...
- You had WinXP
- You install Ubuntu as dual boot
- Now you can't boot into WinXP
- If this is correct and with the output of you menu.lst file. As suggested before all you have to do id edit your menu.lst file to point to the /dev/sda5 (This should be your WinXP Partition). The other partition (/dev/sda2) should be your recovery partition of WinXP.
- You SHOULD NOT need to reinstall Windows.
Good Luck.

[Pumalite]

http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/p15.htm#12_

[Physicist]

My gparted screenshot: screenshot.png

[Pumalite]

Sorry, but that's a logical partition inside of an extended one. Better start over. Don't knock your head against a wall.

[Physicist]

Can you give more specific instructions ?

Do you mean I can keep Ubuntu and have to reinstall Windows ?

What partions should be erased when I reinstall Windows ?

Can I avoid reinstall Ubuntu ?

What I did wrong in the installation of Ubuntu so I have to reinstall Windows now ?

[Pumalite]

I don't know what you did, but that scheme will never work. Better save your data and reformat your hard drive. Use Gparted Live CD; make a first partition formatted ntfs at the beginning of the drive (sda1) A second one for Ubuntu formatted ext3 if you want. Install Windows first in sda1. Install Ubuntu last.

[fmartinez]

Can you give more specific instructions ?

Do you mean I can keep Ubuntu and have to reinstall Windows ?

What partions should be erased when I reinstall Windows ?

Can I avoid reinstall Ubuntu ?

What I did wrong in the installation of Ubuntu so I have to reinstall Windows now ?

Why don't you give us a step by step break down of what you did when you installed Ubuntu?
Start from the point where you ONLY had WinXP installed; NO UBUNTU!
Maybe we can help determine what you did wrong.