Can't install bootloader to Linux partition

[ColmCille]

Your asking for problems now and in the future not just letting grub be the boot manager. Good luck though this will be a learning experience for you.

For the last couple years I've used EasyBCD for multi-booting between Windows and Linux. Never had a single problem with it.

Excuse me while I go find some wood to knock on.

[wilee-nilee]

For the last couple years I've used EasyBCD for multi-booting between Windows and Linux. Never had a single problem with it.

Excuse me while I go find some wood to knock on.

I hope you get it working, but I think the ext4 partition can't be used, I am not sure on this but that is the general scuttlebutt.

[linuxbeb]

ColmCille

Similar to you, I was cracking my head to resolve this issue. I saw your posts in a number of forums.

The workaround is to install GRUB2 manually.

1. Using your LiveCD - follow the installation Ubuntu BUT when you reach the screen where you have access to the Advanced button, deselect install bootloader.
<The reason is that we will install it manually, since our setting is to maintain Window NTLDR as the bootloader>

2. Then you have the option to reboot, but before that, install the GRUB2 using the Wiki guide https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2#Recove...20via%20LiveCD

3. Remember to use the "sudo" command

4. Follow the instructions in Step 2. You need to use sudo grub-install --force /dev/sda6 --> change this according to your setup
Make sure you check the last line saying there is no major error after the command.

5. When step 2 completed, you can reboot to make sure everything is fine - your Windows before proceeding further. At this stage you won't be able
to see your Linux in your Window bootloader

6. Depending on your config, I didn't use EasyBCD so this step might be different. I need to create binary file of Linux using the command below
sudo dd if=/dev/sda3 of=/mnt/share/ubuntu1004.bin bs=512 count=1

7. Modify the NTLDR bootloader e.g. my configuration is as
C:\ubuntu1004.ini = "Ubuntu 10.04 (Desktop)"

8. Login and enjoy the sleek Ubuntu 10.04

Hope it works for you.


P/S: As pointed out, it may be better to use GRUB in the future but at the moment, until I am completely convinced with Linux, I will redo refresh my laptop configuration to Linux. The benefit of sticking with Window NTLDR is that if we remove Linux in the future, it won't touch or has issue like missing NTLDR error.

[ottosykora]

common, so perfect is the grub not.

I am using for long time other boot managers and grub just in the root partition. This work definitely more stable an dreliable then all other grub constructs.
Recently I just had to clone a hard drive with grub, half of the things did not work later on the copy.
With other boot managers I have never experienced such problems. Gub is simply too fragile and absolutely not fault tolerant.