Unable to boot into windows with Fedora boot loader

Nerv68 · #1 24th August 2009, 01:51 AM

I had Windows Vista on a C:\ partition, and a bunch of free space for installing fedora (dual booting). When I installed Fedora 11, I did the "use free space" option, and installed. Now, when I boot, I get the Fedora boot loader. The menu gives me 3 options: Fedora, another Fedora, and Other. When I choose other, I get a screen that thinks I want to install Vista from scratch.

I still have all of my files and my Windows partition intact, I just can't boot into it. Can I somehow switch to the Windows boot loader, and if I do, will I still be able to boot into Fedora?

antonyna · #2 24th August 2009, 01:59 AM

So do you boot and you go in fedora?
check in System-Administration-Bootloader.
....

stoat · #3 24th August 2009, 02:04 AM

Hello Nerv68,

To me, it sounds like the GRUB config file is misconfigured to boot a recovery partition. It happens all the time. The Fedora installer (aka Anaconda) is good about detecting and adding an existing Windows system to the GRUB menu. But it is well-known to occasionally botch which partition it thinks has the Windows boot loader files. It's a sucker for choosing (hd0,0). If you're willing to try something, then boot into Fedora, open a terminal, and post the results of these commands...

Code:

su
fdisk -l
cat /boot/grub/grub.conf

I predict I or someone will be able to suggest a simple edit to the grub.conf to get things going right.

Nerv68 · #4 24th August 2009, 02:06 AM

Here are the three boot options I get:
Fedora (2.6.29.6-217.2.8.fc11.i586)
Fedora (2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586)
Other

When I boot into Other, it asks me for a language as it wants me to do a new install of Windows.

Nerv68 · #5 24th August 2009, 02:12 AM

Stoat,

Here is what came up after typing those commands:

fdisk -1

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xb159982e

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1        1306    10485760   27  Unknown
/dev/sda2            1306       20110   151041024    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3           38451       38914     3717120   12  Compaq diagnostics
/dev/sda4           20111       38450   147316050    5  Extended
/dev/sda5   *       20111       20136      204800   83  Linux
/dev/sda6           20136       38450   147110911+  8e  Linux LVM

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/dm-0: 145.3 GB, 145370382336 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 17673 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-1: 5268 MB, 5268045824 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 640 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-1 doesn't contain a valid partition table

cat /boot/grub/grub.conf

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,4)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/VolGroup-lv_root
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,4)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.29.6-217.2.8.fc11.i586)
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.6-217.2.8.fc11.i586 ro root=/dev/mapper/VolGroup-lv_root rhgb quiet
	initrd /initrd-2.6.29.6-217.2.8.fc11.i586.img
title Fedora (2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586)
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586 ro root=/dev/mapper/VolGroup-lv_root rhgb quiet
	initrd /initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i586.img
title Other
	rootnoverify (hd0,0)
	chainloader +1

antonyna · #6 24th August 2009, 02:14 AM

Are you sure that you have completed the Windows installation?
WinXP makes 2 restarts and you must not boot again from the cd...

Nerv68 · #7 24th August 2009, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antonyna

Are you sure that you have completed the Windows installation?
WinXP makes 2 restarts and you must not boot again from the cd...

I've had Windows Vista installed for quite a while on this computer. I just dont know why it wants me to install again. I must be booting into the where the Windows installer is instead of where i already have it installed.

stoat · #8 24th August 2009, 02:20 AM

Like I said, Anaconda is a sucker for (hd0,0). But in the fdisk report, (hd0,0) is a hidden Windows Recovery Environment partition (type 27). The only other candidate is (hd0,1), the NTFS partition. So back to the terminal and open the grub.conf file for editing...

Code:

su
gedit /boot/grub/grub.conf

Now change the "Other" section like this...

Code:

title Vista
	rootnoverify (hd0,1)
	chainloader +1

Save the file. Reboot and try again. I took the liberty of changing the title to "Vista". You can make it what you like.

Nerv68 · #9 24th August 2009, 02:42 AM

Stoat,

I did what you said, and it worked perfectly. Thanks alot man.

stoat · #10 24th August 2009, 03:18 AM

Okay. Good. And just for the record, I can give a few comments about this just in case it matters someday...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nerv68

Can I somehow switch to the Windows boot loader, and if I do, will I still be able to boot into Fedora?

When you installed Fedora and allowed Anaconda to install GRUB in the master boot record of the hard drive, it replaced the MS boot code there with GRUB stage1. That obviously breaks the Vista boot loader, but only the part of it that's in the master boot record. To repair it and fall back to the Vista boot loader, you only have to restore the master boot record with the Recovery Environment of the Vista installation disk. After that, Vista will again boot directly from BIOS. And that, obviously, would break the GRUB boot loader of Fedora. But to answer the last part of the question, you can configure the Vista boot loader to boot Fedora. The most popular way to do that is with a free software app known as EasyBCD that installs in Vista and is a nice GUI for doing that job. EasyBCD will require you to re-install GRUB stage1 which was removed from the master boot record to allow Vista to boot again, but for this idea it now would go in the first sector of the Fedora boot partition (it's easy-to-do and well-documented).

lokeshvb · #11 10th January 2010, 12:56 PM

Hi,

Windows 7 is not booting after installing the fedora 12, below is the partition details.
could anybody help on this

Thanks & Regards

Lokesh

[root@Lokesh Lokesh]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xb8000000

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 1 992+ 42 SFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda2 1 13 102400 42 SFS
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda3 13 6375 51097600 42 SFS
/dev/sda4 6376 38913 261361485 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 * 6376 6401 204800 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 6401 38913 261155839+ 8e Linux LVM

Disk /dev/dm-0: 262.1 GB, 262135611392 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 31869 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-1: 5284 MB, 5284823040 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 642 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-1 doesn't contain a valid partition table
[root@Lokesh Lokesh]#

[root@Lokesh Lokesh]# cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,4)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_lokesh-lv_root
# initrd /initrd-[generic-]version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,4)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686.PAE)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686.PAE ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_lokesh-lv_root LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYBOARDTYPE=pc KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686.PAE.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
chainloader +1
[root@Lokesh Lokesh]#

cairne · #12 29th January 2010, 06:41 AM

Ok I am having some problems with grub. I have Windows XP installed on hd1 and Fedora 12 is on hd2, boot installed on hd2 and when I select other it just goes to a blank screen. I tried the gedit and changed other to say Windows and changed it from hd1,0 to hd0,0 now when I select windows it comes up and says bootmgr is missing push ctrl+alt+dlt to restart.

How do I configure grub to run windows from the first hdd?

Sorry didnt mean to Hijack the thread it just seemed like similar problems, I can't work on it now but I think I might know the problem, the () are important right? Don't think I did that.

Thanks,

Cairne

lokeshvb · #13 29th January 2010, 06:47 AM

Hi,

Can u paste, fdisk -l
and menu.lst

cairne · #14 29th January 2010, 05:18 PM

fdisk -l
[root@localhost Cairne]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 122.9 GB, 122942324736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14946 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf522f522

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 14946 120053713+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x09fa8675

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 5021 19457 115965202+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 * 1 26 204800 83 Linux
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb3 26 5020 40118318+ 8e Linux LVM

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/dm-0: 39.0 GB, 38965084160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4737 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-1: 2113 MB, 2113929216 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 257 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-1 doesn't contain a valid partition table

here is cat /boot/grub/grub.conf i am not sure how to do the menu part.

[root@localhost Cairne]# cat /boot/grub/grub.conf
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/VolGroup-lv_root
# initrd /initrd-[generic-]version.img
#boot=/dev/sdb
default=1
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686.PAE)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686.PAE ro root=/dev/mapper/VolGroup-lv_root LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYBOARDTYPE=pc KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686.PAE.img
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

---------- Post added at 09:18 AM CST ---------- Previous post was at 07:51 AM CST ----------

So I have tried in vain to edit it on my own and have had no good results. What I can't figure out sda is the master drive and sdb is the slave. Yet when I look at the results of the grub.conf it has root as hd0,1 which would indicate that it is the first hdd? So should I maybe change windows to (hd1,0)? Also what does the chainloader do? I read about it but didn't understand.

stoat · #15 29th January 2010, 08:29 PM

Hello cairne,

You said you installed Fedora and Windows on separate drives...

Quote:

Originally Posted by cairne

I have Windows XP installed on hd1 and Fedora 12 is on hd2...

And you tried changing the rootnoverify command in the Windows section of grub.conf from (hd1,0) to what is it now (hd0,0), and it still doesn't work...

Quote:

Originally Posted by cairne

I tried the gedit and changed other to say Windows and changed it from hd1,0 to hd0,0

And Fedora is booting okay with the root (hd0,1) command line in grub.conf...

Quote:

Originally Posted by cairne

title Fedora (2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686.PAE)
root (hd0,1)

All of that makes me think you should change the rootnoverify command line back to (hd1,0) and add some map menu commands to virtually swap the Windows drive to first. Like this...

Code:

title Windows
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1

Copy those map command lines carefully. The space after the word map and between the middle parentheses is important. No promises. But it will not harm anything to try it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cairne

Also what does the chainloader do?

The chainloader +1 command makes GRUB load and execute the boot code in the first sector of the partition specified in the rootnoverify or root command. For a Windows system, that usually leads to boot loader files in the filesystem of the partition being loaded and executed (e.g., ntldr for XP, bootmgr.exe for Vista and W7). Those applications lead to the kernel eventually being loaded. For a Linux system booted with chainloader +1, it usually causes GRUB stage1 in the boot sector of the specified partition being loaded and executed. That is followed by stage2 and eventually the kernel.