Windows 7 Fedora Dual Boot

duke11235 · #1 5th January 2010, 03:32 AM

I have a friend who had Windows 7 preinstalled. He saw the speed and freedom Linux offered, and was willing to try. Tee install went fine, and Fedora 11(he has an ATI graphics card) works well. I shrunk the main system partition to make space for it. However, it now gives him a BIOS error during startup(I believe for Windows). He owns an HP Dv something. Help will be needed he is to stay with Linux. Thank You

stoat · #2 5th January 2010, 05:13 AM

Hello duke11235,

The most common thing to cause Windows not to boot from GRUB is a misconfiguration of the grub.conf file. It happens all the time, so it's a safe guess at where to start looking for something wrong. I recommend posting the results of these terminal commands in Fedora. Someone may recognize what is wrong and be able to suggest something for you to do about it...

Code:

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

duke11235 · #3 7th January 2010, 02:43 AM

Daniel Moeller January 6 at 6:40pm
[Moobly@Daniel ~]$ su
Password:
[root@Daniel Moobly]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xcf892b78

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 26 203776 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda2 26 29436 236232704 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 58845 60802 15713280 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 29437 58844 236219760 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 * 29437 29462 204800 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 29462 58844 236014591+ 8e Linux LVM

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/dm-0: 235.4 GB, 235485003776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 28629 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: 6190 MB, 6190792704 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 752 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-1 doesn't contain a valid partition table
[root@Daniel Moobly]# 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 (hd0,4)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_daniel-lv_root
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,4)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.30.9-102.fc11.x86_64)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.30.9-102.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_daniel-lv_root rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.30.9-102.fc11.x86_64.img
title Fedora (2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_daniel-lv_root rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

See if you can help him, he likes linux but needs Windows. Thank You

stoat · #4 7th January 2010, 02:55 PM

The grub.conf is currently configured to boot (hd0,0) for Windows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke11235

title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

Not surprising. Maybe wrong. Maybe not. Anyway, since that didn't work, only two other possibilities exist to be the partition with Windows boot loader files: (hd0,1) and (hd0,2). It does no harm to guess at the Windows partition in a grub.conf file. So try these one after the other until one works.

Code:

title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
chainloader +1

title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,2)
chainloader +1

If none of those worked, then something more serious is wrong.

P.S.: If it works now, you also can change "Other" to something more meaningful for the GRUB menu.

duke11235 · #5 8th January 2010, 01:13 AM

Both of those entrie go to Windows Recovery Manager. /dev/sda1 was the BIOS(I think) and /dev/sda2 appears to be the largest Windows partition. I have only run XP, but is the boot loader on the largest one? I have a feeling we need to either bypass system recovery or allow it to do its thing nodestructively. Help appreciated.

stoat · #6 8th January 2010, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke11235

Both of those entrie go to Windows Recovery Manager. /dev/sda1 was the BIOS(I think) and /dev/sda2 appears to be the largest Windows partition.

Well, the BIOS exists as firmware in a chip on the mainboard. But/dev/sda1 is a small partition at the very front of the hard drive. It could be a utility partition. Not uncommon. And /dev/sda3 is only 15 GB at the very back end of the hard drive. It could be a recovery partition. Also not uncommon. That leaves /dev/sda2 as possibly the remnant of the shrunken Windows partition. Your fdisk numbers suggest that it was shrunk to one half of its original size. If so, then that's fairly aggressive partition manipulation. It's not unheard of for that to bust an operating system. People do it all the time. Anyway, those three partitions are the only possibilities for the location of the Windows boot loader files.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke11235

I have only run XP, but is the boot loader on the largest one?

The XP boot loader files are usually in the same partition with the XP system itself, but not always. That's why when one partition doesn't work in grub.conf to boot Windows, it's a good idea to start guessing and try them all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke11235

I have a feeling we need to either bypass system recovery or allow it to do its thing nodestructively.

You know more than me about that computer and its recovery utility, but system recoveries are usually totally destructive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke11235

I shrunk the main system partition to make space for it. However, it now gives him a BIOS error during startup(I believe for Windows).

What is that message exactly? Can you make it happen again and post it?

duke11235 · #7 8th January 2010, 03:47 AM

There isn't actually anything stored, though. So you think we need to reinstall Windows or run the Windows 7 recovery? Oh well, I know my Mac runs fine if I make it smaller outside of it. Oh well

SaGS · #8 8th January 2010, 09:18 PM

If Fedora boots, isn’t it possible to mount the NTFS partitions to see what’s inside? The Win7 boot partition is the one containing a file named bootmgr and a subdirectory named BCD, both in the root directory.

I notice the partition marked as active is a Linux one /dev/sda5 (does the * in the fdisk listing mark the active partition or am I wrong?). I think Windows wants the active partition to be the one containing its bootmgr.

hannzt · #9 9th January 2010, 02:10 PM

Unplug the device DM1 and try booting. It is apparently an external drive.

Add a "makeactive" line to the Windows chainload scheme in GRUB, above the "chainload" line per the example in the GRUB menu.lst file.

I think the thing is coughing at the DM1 device , as the message indicates no partition there.

1. boot without external drive

2. if that doesn't work, leaving external drive disconnected at boot, boot after adding the line to menu.lst. (all done as root!)

jenaniston · #10 9th January 2010, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaGS

If Fedora boots . . . partitions to see what’s inside?

In Fedora, what does this command list for partitions and mount points ?

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# df -h

stoat · #11 9th January 2010, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hannzt

Unplug the device DM1 and try booting. It is apparently an external drive.

Add a "makeactive" line to the Windows chainload scheme in GRUB, above the "chainload" line per the example in the GRUB menu.lst file.

I think the thing is coughing at the DM1 device , as the message indicates no partition there.

Hello hannzt,

I don't really have any more ideas for duke11235 and this matter, but I did want to comment about the dm-* devices that you mentioned. Those are not external drives. In this case, they probably are referring to logical volumes inside the LVM physical volume (/dev/sda6). Most likely a root partition and a swap (the default arrangement). And it's normal to see that message "doesn't contain a valid partition table" with those device mapper things in the fdisk report.

And regarding the makeactive GRUB menu command, it's never really needed to boot modern Windows systems with GRUB (see the GRUB manual). In fact, I've seen examples around here of the makeactive command stopping things from working. duke11235 can certainly try it, but I'm predicting not much help from it. Something else is going wrong here.

hannzt · #12 10th January 2010, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stoat

Hello hannzt,

I don't really have any more ideas for duke11235 and this matter, but I did want to comment about the dm-* devices that you mentioned. Those are not external drives. In this case, they probably are referring to logical volumes inside the LVM physical volume (/dev/sda6). Most likely a root partition and a swap (the default arrangement). And it's normal to see that message "doesn't contain a valid partition table" with those device mapper things in the fdisk report.

<<<Ok. I see that in my RHEL5 install. That's the only LVM install I have and it occupies the entire HD. >>>

And regarding the makeactive GRUB menu command, it's never really needed to boot modern Windows systems with GRUB (see the GRUB manual). In fact, I've seen examples around here of the makeactive command stopping things from working. duke11235 can certainly try it, but I'm predicting not much help from it. Something else is going wrong here.

Sometimes it works, others no. I have at least one chainload GRUB menu.lst that has that line and works but is upstairs on box and may be for a Linux boot partition. I just found 3 samples on an install with lotsa entries in a Mint menu.lst - 3 chainloads in menu.lst - a Win XP and a Pardus using the line and also a savedefault line per the GRUB example and then Mint without either line. The Pardus and Mint entries were entered by me and I think Pardus wouldn't fire up without those lines - can't remember. I either put in the Pardus lines or removed them from the Mint section to get it to boot.

His hardware should be ok since much HP hardware is certified for Linux, at least on the SMB side. He also should fix his friend up with a Knoppix or Parted Magic or the like or a Gag cd to climb in for a look.

Be curious to know the message he got at boot. I appreciate the clue about the LVM.

---------- Post added 2010-01-10 at 05:54 AM CST ---------- Previous post was 2010-01-09 at 07:29 PM CST ----------

Your friend might be more comfortable with booting using the Win 7 bootloader. The link describes how to set it up. This way, he would be able to retain the Win 7 bootloader as default - thus always being able to boot Win 7 and let the Linux install suffer any consequent failure to boot, etc.

CAVEAT: I have not tried this.

http://www.iceflatline.com/2009/09/h...using-bcdedit/

He has done a Fedora 11 install. Note that he is also using Ubuntu 9.04 which DOES NOT use GRUB2. You would have to make whatever adjustments GRUB2 differences required if that is the bootloader for the Linux OS.

A good GRUB page is here -http://members.iinet.net/~herman546/index.html

I never use a live cd for an install if I can avoid it, much preferring a full-set or a net install secondly.

I wouldn't have started a new chap on Fedora, but that's me. I would have picked something very stable and boring. However, this forum is generally helpful (not my part obviously).

lokeshvb · #13 10th January 2010, 01:13 PM

Hi,

After installing Fedora 12 ,I am unable to boot Windows 7,

below is the Partition details,

Could some one suggest how to solve the issue.

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]#

JEO · #14 10th January 2010, 01:28 PM

"/dev/sda4 6376 38913 261361485 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 * 6376 6401 204800 83 Linux "

Do you see that asterisk character? It signifies that the /dev/sda5 is the active partition (boot flag in linux on, active in windows). BIOSes don't like the active partition set to a logical partition that is inside an extended partition. So using some tool like gparted, set the boot flag to one of the primary partitions, probably /dev/sda1, clear the boot flag from /dev/sda5, and the BIOS error should go away.

lokeshvb · #15 11th January 2010, 10:44 AM

Thank you.

I need one more help. Actutully I am new to Linux, what is the Syntax I need to use in the gparted tool to set the boot flag to one of the primary partitions, probably /dev/sda1.

Lokesh