Installing XP AFTER installing Linux help.

[hayloiuy]

Hi guys, i am new here.

As stated above I need help installing XP after installing Ubuntu 11.04.

I have done my homework(at least I think). Apparently Windows is such a self-centered person that it does not recognize the existence of other OS when it is installed. Therefore, some modification in Linux bootloader is required.

Problem is I have no idea whatsoever on how to modify a bootloader. Also when I tried to install XP, it does not recognize the partition I made.

This site offered some help:
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_l...rst.htm?page=2

but it is based on Ubuntu 9.04. Ubuntu 11.04 does not have /boot/grub/menu.lst but it has /boot/grub/grub.conf and their content are different.

Can someone modify the file such that it will recognize both XP and Linux(I have Backtrack 5 on the hard drive as well)?



TL;DR:
Teach me how to install XP on Ubuntu 11.04.

Thank you in advance.

[audiomick]

I'm not sure about the partition. Did you format it to NTFS? If it is formatted to one of the Linux file system, I expect the XP installer wont see it.

As far as re-installing the Gub boot loader, here are a couple of links.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Re...tallingWindows
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr...stalling_GRUB2

Installing XP will definitely overwrite Grub, but it is not that hard to put it back once you have XP re-installed.

[hayloiuy]

Ok so, I installed XP.

I fixed the Grub thing with this tutorial.
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/245

New problem:
I always boot to ubuntu when I start the machine.
I have Backtrack 5 and Windows XP as well but the GRUB won't list them down and just enter Ubuntu.

I think the original GRUB file which contain pointer to other OS is overwritten when I followed the tutorial.

Help please.

[oldfred]

Have your tried.

sudo update-grub

Or if that does not work run the boot info script from this, which is good to have as it can also repair things:

Boot Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
You can repair many boot issues with this or post the link to a run of boot info script so we can see your exact configuration.

[hayloiuy]

I tried the update- grub. It list XP and Ubuntu now but no Bactrack 5. What is wrong?

[audiomick]

I would suggest looking at the link to "boot repair" in oldfred's signature. There is reference there to the boot info script. The information that this provides would likely be useful at this point.

[hayloiuy]

Ok, I tried the boot-repair thing but it just says "Scanning systems. This may take several minutes." As of writing it has been 20 minutes since the scan.

So in the mean time, I tried the boot info script thing.

This is the result. I dunno which part is significant so I just post all of them. Sorry.

                  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  on this drive.

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  Ubuntu 11.10
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    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

sda3: __________________________________________________________________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

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

sda6: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sda4: __________________________________________________________________________

    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: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sda1               2,048   566,706,175   566,704,128  83 Linux
/dev/sda2    *    566,708,940   772,067,834   205,358,895   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda3         772,079,614   976,771,071   204,691,458   5 Extended
Extended partition linking to another extended partition.
/dev/sda5         772,079,616   960,380,927   188,301,312  83 Linux
/dev/sda6         960,382,976   968,445,951     8,062,976  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4         968,458,240   976,771,071     8,312,832  82 Linux swap / Solaris

/dev/sda3 overlaps with /dev/sda4

"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/mapper/cryptswap1 8e569131-159a-45c8-a3bd-e217f9c4b2b2   swap       
/dev/sda1        32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d   ext4       
/dev/sda2        D654323054321429                       ntfs       
/dev/sda6        a92cb711-4513-4450-97d8-8c79ed21ff01   swap       

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

/dev/mapper:
control
cryptswap1

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

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/sda1        /                        ext4       (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=0)
/dev/sda2        /mnt/boot-sav/sda2       fuseblk    (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096)


=========================== sda1/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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod part_msdos
  insmod ext2
  set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d
  set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
  set lang=en_SG
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${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 3.0.0-16-generic-pae' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-16-generic-pae root=UUID=32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d ro   quiet splash vt.handoff=7
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-16-generic-pae
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.0.0-16-generic-pae (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.0.0-16-generic-pae ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-16-generic-pae root=UUID=32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d ro recovery nomodeset 
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-16-generic-pae
}
submenu "Previous Linux versions" {
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.0.0-12-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d ro   quiet splash vt.handoff=7
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.0.0-12-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.0.0-12-generic ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d ro recovery nomodeset 
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-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='(hd0,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sda2)" --class windows --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ntfs
	set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root D654323054321429
	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 ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sda1/etc/fstab: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' 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/sda1 during installation
UUID=32402436-a1de-4e60-a42b-697e05c3147d /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
#UUID=24c6a022-dcc4-4d07-8937-15af2a4ac9dd 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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

   3.112365723 = 3.341877248    boot/grub/core.img                             1
   2.920906067 = 3.136299008    boot/grub/grub.cfg                             2
   1.797851562 = 1.930428416    boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic               3
   4.586914062 = 4.925161472    boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-16-generic-pae           4
   2.377151489 = 2.552446976    boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic                  1
   1.028877258 = 1.104748544    boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-16-generic-pae              1
   1.797851562 = 1.930428416    initrd.img                                     3
   1.797851562 = 1.930428416    initrd.img.old                                 3
   2.377151489 = 2.552446976    vmlinuz                                        1

================================ sda2/boot.ini: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

unlzma: Decoder error
mdadm: No arrays found in config file or automatically

Thanks.

[fractalman]

If you can sacrifice enough ram you could always put xp on a virtual box inside natty

[hayloiuy]

By the way can someone explain why there is more than threeOSes when I see the see the Grub list?

There should only be Ubuntu, XP and Backtrack. Why the nonsense like swap, and other Linuxes recovery mode that I don't remember installing be in the list?

Also, why are there so many partitions(sda4,5,6....) when I only created partitions for THREE OSes?

Thank you and sorry for being ignorant.

[audiomick]

Ok. I would suggest waiting for more informed advice. I'm not very experienced with this. Maybe oldfred will come back.

However, I don't like the looks of a couple of things. In the first section, sda5 and sda4 come up as "unknown file type", although they are respectively labelled as "Linux" (file system) and "swap" further down.

In the second section, headed Drive/ partition info, there is this

Extended partition linking to another extended partition.  /dev/sda3 overlaps with /dev/sda4

I don't recalll having seen "extended linked with another extended" before, but it strikes me as odd.

I have seen "sdaY overlaps sdaX" before, and I think that is always a problem.

I'm guessing at this point that the grub update didn't find Backtrack 5 because something has been corrupted on the drive.

When you boot into Ubuntu, can you see and mount the partition (in Nautilus) that Backtrack is on? If things are in order, I believe you should be able to.