Dual Booting Ubuntu with existing XP

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 14 Mar 2008, 11:01

I want to install Ubuntu onto my primary machine today
I have an 80GB drive where Win sits. It is currently partitioned so that 10GB is for Windows and system files, and the 70 is for data
What I want to do is split the 70 into two partitions, leaving one for Ubuntu and the rest for data

My questions are this
1) How big should the Ubuntu partition be? Baring in mind I will want to play with some linux apps and stuff
2) I still want Windows to be my primary partition, so will it give me a screen when starting up asking me what OS I want?
3) Do I need to redo windows at the same time or can it go without a format, don't want to do anything to windows until next month after lan party.
4) what would be the best way to make the partition?

Thanks guys
DJ
First time Linux user

WAJeff · Post by **WAJeff** » 14 Mar 2008, 11:05

1) I rate make your Linux partition 5GB. Dont forget about your swap partition. Its like a page file, so you gonna have to keep that in mind

2) When you install Ubuntu AFTER you've installed XP/Vista, Ubuntu gives you a menu called GRUB Boot Loader. From there you can choose the OS's you have installed

3) Im not 100% sure with this one. I know DJV knows something about it. I've always formated my other partitions any way. A clean install with XP is always a good idea

Cupis · Post by **Cupis** » 14 Mar 2008, 12:14

Ya if you can afford or you have the effort to Format and reinstall great it amesk things faster. And start Afresh. but i know this is always a problem with effort and convenience.

i know that you will have a OS choice while booting up, especially if you install Windows first, i am assuming other way too but i have not tried it first.

If you can get your hands on Symentec Partition Magic, that is a great proggy for creating new partition inside windows. i Used it once or twice and it seemed to work great.

simmy · Post by **simmy** » 14 Mar 2008, 13:02

DJT wrote:....
My questions are this
1) How big should the Ubuntu partition be? Baring in mind I will want to play with some linux apps and stuff
2) I still want Windows to be my primary partition, so will it give me a screen when starting up asking me what OS I want?
3) Do I need to redo windows at the same time or can it go without a format, don't want to do anything to windows until next month after lan party.
4) what would be the best way to make the partition?
...

Dear First time user, get another drive!

If u cant....

1) while installing ubuntu you can use the "partition slider" to "push" your data partition around, make it 10GB, that depends on the free space...

2) Yes. GRUB, the ubuntu boot menu, will put ubuntu first in the menu and XP last, so you'll have 10 seconds to boot in XP.

3) Yes, you can leave Windows be.

4) see point 1)

Warmest regards,
simmy aka "where's all my data"

edit: read this The beginner's guide to Ubuntu (installing and configuring)

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 14 Mar 2008, 15:11

I am so going to get laughed at for this.

I installed Ubuntu on a partition on my primary drive, and now the GRUB menu does not show Windows in the boot list. I don't think I did anything to the windows partition, I just can't find any reference to it.

How do I get it back? Something about the master boot record?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and in between loling and rofling, remember this was my first time.

Vampyre_2099 · Post by **Vampyre_2099** » 14 Mar 2008, 15:23

rofl, rofl, rofl, lolocopter. Anyway, seriously, you just need to add Windows to your grub list.

From a gnome terminal

Code: Select all

sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

then add

Code: Select all

title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
root		(hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader	+1

to the end of the file, save, exit and restart

SBSP · Post by **SBSP** » 14 Mar 2008, 15:28

Stick in you Windows CD boot off it then in the setup choose to recover.
think somwher you press [r] it will drop down to a black console type fixmbr then fixboot. fixboot not necessary but do it anyways.

mbr = Master boot record.

The first few sectors of your harddrive think it = 512kb's the grub bootloader sits threre. even if you format it will not go away.

Then unfortunately reinstall ubuntu. (Thats how you learn.)

or do what the Vampyre_2099 said.

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 14 Mar 2008, 15:52

Vampyre_2099 wrote:rofl, rofl, rofl, lolocopter. Anyway, seriously, you just need to add Windows to your grub list.

From a gnome terminal
Code: Select all
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
then add
Code: Select all
title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
root		(hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader	+1
to the end of the file, save, exit and restart

I input the code, restarted and tried to select windows, but it didn't work. Was I supposed to change something? Confused now. Anything else I can try without reinstalling ubuntu?

SBSP · Post by **SBSP** » 14 Mar 2008, 16:03

it doent take long to install.

Do your self a favour and mount your winxp partition and make sure you have not overwritten it

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 14 Mar 2008, 17:28

SBSP wrote:Stick in you Windows CD boot off it then in the setup choose to recover.
think somwher you press [r] it will drop down to a black console type fixmbr then fixboot. fixboot not necessary but do it anyways.

mbr = Master boot record.

The first few sectors of your harddrive think it = 512kb's the grub bootloader sits threre. even if you format it will not go away.

Then unfortunately reinstall ubuntu. (Thats how you learn.)

or do what the Vampyre_2099 said.

Got a feeling that I made things even worse. Now I cant get past post. Just sits there. And if I have the win cd in it asks if i want to run from cd and i don;t it just sits there doing nothing. Any advice on how I might come out of this with my two installs intact? Or if not both, i wish to preserve my Windows one

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 15 Mar 2008, 15:18

Ok, here is where i stand now.
I got Ubuntu working again, and this time it picks up my Windows partition and my SATA drive.

I have tried changing the GRUB menu, but each time it says it can't find the partition.

These are the screen shots from the Windows partion sitting on my desktop.
I am a linux noob, so was just wondering if this would help? I just want to boot from Windows partition.

Ubuntu has named the drive hda5.

Any ideas?

EDIT: The Windows partition had 'E' as the drive letter instead of C as Vista was installed on C for a while. Don't know if that helps or not

WAJeff · Post by **WAJeff** » 15 Mar 2008, 18:36

Mkay, I dunno here but if I was you heres what I'd do:

1) Backup ALL your data
2) Boot from the XP disk
3) Delete all the partitions from your HDD
4) Make new ones - one for XP, another for Ubunutu and another for your data
5) Install XP
6) Install Ubuntu
7) Be happy and praise me

When you install Ubuntu the GRUB automatically detects other OS's installed

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 15 Mar 2008, 22:29

GB, don't suppose you have an option in which I can come away with my windows intact do you? I don't care about the linux anymore, but I NEED data off that drive. HELP!

WAJeff · Post by **WAJeff** » 15 Mar 2008, 23:02

Things get a lot easier when you have two HDD's

Vampyre_2099 · Post by **Vampyre_2099** » 16 Mar 2008, 17:41

while in linux, at a gnome terminal type

Code: Select all

sudo fdisk -l

(incase you can't read it, its FDISK -L, all in small letters though)

Then type in your password and post the output here

WAJeff · Post by **WAJeff** » 16 Mar 2008, 17:44

What happens when you try and boot into any OS?

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 16 Mar 2008, 19:21

Code: Select all

Disk /dev/hda: 82.3 GB, 82348277760 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 10011 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x31043103

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1   *           2        2920    23446867+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5               2        1402    11253501    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda6            1403        2677    10241406   83  Linux
/dev/hda7            2678        2920     1951866   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xbebd0b9d

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1       30401   244196001    7  HPFS/NTFS

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 16 Mar 2008, 19:21

g0ldback wrote:What happens when you try and boot into any OS?

At the moment, only Ubuntu works.

D3PART3D · Post by **D3PART3D** » 16 Mar 2008, 19:48

Did you shut your windows down properly? It might be marked "in use" (whatever the nerd term for that is) still and linux won't mount it... that doesn't explain why windows isn't showing up on your GRUB though.

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 16 Mar 2008, 20:06

Yip I did, but the first time I installed Ubuntu it didn't even show that partition or my Media sata drive. But after installing it again, they did show up.

WAJeff · Post by **WAJeff** » 16 Mar 2008, 20:49

Download Super Grub Disk and repair the GRUB

See what that does
Download the .iso file, burn it to CD, and boot from it

Judas · Post by **Judas** » 16 Mar 2008, 20:58

D3PART3D wrote:Did you shut your windows down properly? It might be marked "in use" (whatever the nerd term for that is).

*cough* dirty unmount *cough*

Judas · Post by **Judas** » 16 Mar 2008, 21:01

Vampyre_2099 wrote:rofl, rofl, rofl, lolocopter. Anyway, seriously, you just need to add Windows to your grub list.

From a gnome terminal
Code: Select all
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
then add
Code: Select all
title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
root		(hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader	+1
to the end of the file, save, exit and restart

There's your grub problem... This:

Code: Select all

root		(hd0,0)

Should be:

Code: Select all

rootnoverify (hd0,4)

D3PART3D · Post by **D3PART3D** » 16 Mar 2008, 21:06

*cough* nerd *cough*

Judas · Post by **Judas** » 16 Mar 2008, 21:07

D3PART3D wrote:
*cough* nerd *cough*

Guilty as charged

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Dual Booting Ubuntu with existing XP

Dual Booting Ubuntu with existing XP

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