Dual Boot Help

i had red hat insatalled on an old hard disk but did not use the dual boot option.i run win xp and connect the red hat hdd only some of the time.is there any way in which i can install the boot loader now and make it a dual boot? right now i disconnect and reconnet hard disks every time i want to change os.

 

Please provide the details
1) do you want to keep both hdd connected all the time.
2) Which one i primary master and slave and else...
3) where have i.e the partition you have installed your os on.
etc.

If you do this I can tell you the steps as well send you the image of a floppy by which you will be able to install grub (i.e. the boot loader on your pc)

Bye

 

Vinod ur avtaar is gone for sure see ya kiss it good bye.

 

@ vinod
1) i want both to be connected at the same time
2) i want xp to be primary master and redhat to be primary slave
3) c: on one hard disk has the xp. the other hdd is 9gb hdd with single partiton and red hat on it.

 

Please post your questions in the QnA section.

 

no need to dc and reconnect hdds, u can change the first boot device from BIOS.

also u can configure grub to dual boot with win xp. i have done this with lilo, but it is possible with grub too.

may be GNUrag, firewall, tuxfan can help u with exact details.

 

Do you have any data in Red Hat? Or can you afford to do a clean install?

Anyway, you can try this. Connect both the hard disks at the same time and boot from the first RH CD1. I guess it will be able to find out the Red Hat installation on your hard disk. Proceed with the installation. It will give you an option to install GRUB without disturbing the existing installations.

 

will try what u said tuxfan.if it dont work i will try a fresh install..

 

You have just to install grub and it will be fine. I think it comes already loaded with Redhat.

Just edit grub.conf in /boot/grub directory to meet your requirements.

To install grub use "grub-install /dev/hda" and it will be done. If it seems hard to you I can give you the floppy image with the files of your need and it will definitely solve it.....

 

i think i will need that image...unable to get my system to boot up.keeps saying secondary slave error everytime i try to boot with both hard drives. will pm u vinod if i cannot resolve it soon.
thanks.

 

I think it has to be first installed in the Master Boot Record and only then it will know to read the files in that folder. Just editing that file won't work. If it is already installed, then you can edit this file to change settings. You should also have a look at /etc/grub.conf

Check the jumper settings for the drives.

 

Hello, Sorry for late reply but I think tuxfan is right that your jumper settings may be wrong. Anyway if got that right you have just to
Download this file
http://hawkeye.freeprohost.com/IG.exe
Make a bootable floppy with this program and then boot to your linux
and copy the boot/grub directory in your /boot directory.
Reboot from the floppy and press c to get into command line and write these commands
root (hd1,0)
setup (hd0,0)
and I hope it will be done.

 

my system is not booting if i use either hard disk with master jumper settings.even if i use them seperately.it works only if i put the jumper on cable select. and then i cannopt connect both together.i ge the secondary slave error bcos no matter which connector i put the hard disk on only the xp hdd is recognised if alone and neither is recognised if i connnect both.is this a problem with my bios? bcos i am unable to get any hdd as primary master....

 

@ vinod : i downloaded the file dude...but i cant use it now can i will use it after i resolve problem 1 first

 

Place the jumper only on XP HDD and not on the Linux one...If it does not solve call ur hardware vendor....

 

i think xosl-extended operating system loader will solve ur problem.


please ask questions in the 'q n a' section of this forum

 

use boot loader software

i think u have to install it in winxp and copnfig a bit for linux and rest will be done.

 

@ great_manish : point taken dude..next time i will post there.
@ snehal : will try it if i get both hard disks to work @ the same time.thanks anyways,