Dual boot between Mandrake Linux and XP

[WhiteFur]

I installed XP long ago (beta 2 actually) and recently added Mandrake Linux to the system. Since ML came with a dual boot program (Lilo graphic to be exact) I let it install. Now when my system boots Lilo comes up and gives me the choice I expected, Linux or NT. I haven't been able to figure out how to modify the default OS or boot delay (editing /etc/lilo.conf has no effect) so I'd like to install the multi-boot loader that comes with XP because I know how to configure it.

How can I install the XP multiple boot loader without having to reinstall XP from scratch? Will Bootfix do it or will I just wind up with XP only?

Thanks

WG

 

[KenChristensen]

Hi Whitefür,

I guess that if you reinstall Windows XP from Windows itself (start the installation from Windows) then it just install over the other without making any changes to system (win 95/98/me does that).

If you succeed then help others

ken Christensen
Christensenken@hotmail.com
Ken Christensen Software

http://www.kc-software.tk

 

[mikecx]

Pop in your favorite boot-up disk. Let it do its magic. Then do a fdisk /mbr. This should let windows xp take over the master boot record. Then edit the boot.ini to your likings. Worked for me.

 

[wolluf]

I'd use XP's recovery console & Fixmbr & Fixboot rather than fdisk /mbr (you might need fixboot anyway), but you will loose the Mandrake boot. There are a number of web pages giving details of how to add Linux to NT/2K/XP boot menu. Found this for redhat (

http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/13727.html)

using Google:-

Install Linux and during the installation have it write Grub or Lilo boot loader onto the root partitons. i.e. /hdb1 if it is the first partition of your second hard drive. ALso have it make a boot floppy.

After installation boot from the floppy and as root put a blank floppy in the drive to create a dummy boot sector on it using the following command:
# dd if=/dev/hdb1 bs=512 count=1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootsect.lin

(/dev/hdb1 is your boot partiton)

Now boot into XP and right click on properties of My Computer and go to Advanced > Startup Recovery Settings to EDIT the boot ini manually.

Add to the boot.ini:
c:\bootsect.lin="Linux RedHat 7.2"

This is what mine looks like:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
c:\bootsect.lin="Linux RedHat 7.2"


Now copy the bootsect.lin to c:\ and you are done .. you can now use the NT boot loader to start.

 

[WhiteFur]

I know how to get the XP MBR back the problem is I don't know what to add to boot.ini to give me the option of the already installed Linux.