where can i get partition magic and....

[shawn barnett]

where can i get partition magic and how can i dual boot win xp and RH 7... because win xp is located on hda and rh 7 is located on hdb but i can not get win xp to boot nor can i get it to pop up a screen to choose which os i want to load any help would be appreciated...thanks

[Stuart Browne]

Windows XP comes with a boot-loader similar to Windows NT.

Have a read through http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/mini/other-formats/html_single/Linux+NT-Loader.html, and it should be faily simple.

[shawn barnett]

thats great but i can't load win xp on the other hd and i don't know how i can get to it i am new to linux and didn't expect for this to happen

[Stuart Browne]

Right, so your MBR is already fried. Great.

If you can get into Linux, reinstall which ever boot loader you've got there into the MBR, and then add another entry in your /etc/{grub,lilo}.conf file to point to the other file system.

You want to install the boot loader into /dev/hda's MBR, or using a Grub reference: (hd0,0).

Do you know which boot loader you installed when you installed Linux? Your choices are 'Lilo' or 'Grub'.

If you tell us, I'll see what I can do to throwing out some more detailed instructions.

[shawn barnett]

i installed it via a custom installation and installed LiLo

[Stuart Browne · Accepted solution]

ok!

Modify /etc/lilo.conf

boot=/dev/hda
..
..
image=/boot/vmlinuz-...
label=linux
read-only
root=/dev/hdb?

other=/dev/hda1
label=WinXP

Make sure it has similar things. Re-run '/sbin/lilo', and try a re-boot.

You might need to boot off your CD into rescue mode, and chroot /dev/hdb? (whichever your root partition is).

If you need more help, we'll need some details:

a copy of /etc/lilo.conf
sfdisk -l /dev/hda
sfdisk -l /dev/hdb

This will show us where the various pieces of information are hiding.

[shawn barnett]

what program in RH 7 can i modify this file with? or should i save it to disk and modify it on another comp in a windows based environment

[Steven E. Protter]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Unix.

You will hate it at first, but try the program vi.

vi /filename_to_edit

You'll want to search itrc and learn the basics, but hard core admins all learn vi.

We all resist at first, but we all eventually capitulate.

Transferring files back and forth to a windows environment can cause problems. If you transfer a file in binary format that should be ascii, it will screw up the Linux/Unix system.

Partition magic is available at most computer stores for around $49(US).


P

[shawn barnett]

stuart browne what do the .'s stand for is that info already contained in the file or should i type it exactly as you have it written

[Stuart Browne]

The ...'s stand for "Leave lines not mentioned alone".