Grub not including windows XP on booting

What is the order installation of the operating systems, which are you installing first?

I have dual boot system with Karmic and XP and I haven't had any issues using either OS. I believe I installed Ubuntu first and then XP which overwrote the MBR, then I needed to bootup using a LiveCD to reinstall grub, then everything was working fine.

If you're interested in trying again refer to https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot for assistance and there is a screencast that shows how to setup a dual boot system, http://screencasts.ubuntu.com/Installing_Ubuntu_with_Windows_Dual-Boot

Charlie, pls tell us - were any of the hd that you're using part of a raid array in the past ? are they used as standalone hd now ? this answer is v important for me; I will let you know why after I see it.

under no circumstance you would lose boot if proper procedures followed - let me explain

- always, and I mean always, install XP on the first hd on the first pri partition, reason ? XP install is designed with the average user in mind, it is the default; it writes, mandatory, its loader in the MBR (mind you, there are procedures for advanced users that make XP installs on other partitions possible; I will not enter into that on this thread). after XP install pls verify that XP performs flawless.

- now, about ubuntu, the newer releases like karmic and the upcoming lucid use the new grub2 loader by default. this loader , grub2, writes itself to MBR as opposed to the older releases, before karmic. the older releases used grub ver 097 also known as grub legacy; this legacy grub allowed writing to bootsectors/PBR or MBR. as you could see, it is imperative during ubuntu install procedure that this v important differences be observed and acted accordingly. moreover, pls be aware that karmic uses grub2 still in beta stages.

conclusion,

- if pre karmic releases used, feel free to write the grub bootloader on PBR's or MBR; in the latter case/option, MBR, obviously, ubuntu through your decision, will overwrite XP written MBR.
- if karmic or newer release used I would strongly suggest to take a look at

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1195275&page=40
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20from%20LiveCD

where grub2 is presented in a v detailed manner with recovery solutions in case the system is rendered unbootable after karmic install..

note :
- if ubuntu install overwrote the MBR which XP produced at install, then just use the repair/console procedure that XP CD provides to repair MBR (cmd's available : fixmbr , fixboot) ; verify/check and make sure that XP boots with no problems.

Thank you Peter for your help, but in the middle of the night the answer hit
me. I put Ubuntu on a PATA hard disc and Windows was on a SATA hard disc.
BIOS gives priority to PATA on booting and for some reason beyond me Ubuntu
just overwrote the boot sequence for the windows disc.

Since I run with removable hard discs on Super Racks I pulled out the Ubuntu
 and using an old windows 98 bootup disc I fdisk /mbr on the windows hard
disc and I had my windows system back.

I have another hard disk which I can put in the Ubunto Rack which runs
Opensuse 11.2 and I can use a dual boot on that. Now how do I get Ubuntu to
do the same? Ubunto lacks many of the refinements of Opensuse which will, if
it finds another operating system on a hard disk automatically rewrite the
boot sequence There is no Instructions anywhere that tells me how to include
the windows XP onto the Grub boot sequence.

'Sorry it is a bit jumbled, but I like the removable rack system, that way I
can switch between an operating system, by just removing a rack and
replacing it with another, I have installed both Pata and Sata racks and
that way I can use the over abundance of IDE hard drives with numerous
operating systems installed, all installed for that particular machine.

Again thank you for your help.

Charlie

-------Original Message-------

From: peter b
Date: 03/30/10 02:50:33
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: [Question #105917]: Grub not including windows XP on booting

Your question #105917 on gnome-terminal in ubuntu changed:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+question/105917

peter b proposed the following answer:
Charlie, pls tell us - were any of the hd that you're using part of a
raid array in the past ? are they used as standalone hd now ? this
answer is v important for me; I will let you know why after I see it.

under no circumstance you would lose boot if proper procedures followed
- let me explain

- always, and I mean always, install XP on the first hd on the first pri
partition, reason ? XP install is designed with the average user in
mind, it is the default; it writes, mandatory, its loader in the MBR
(mind you, there are procedures for advanced users that make XP installs
on other partitions possible; I will not enter into that on this
thread). after XP install pls verify that XP performs flawless.

- now, about ubuntu, the newer releases like karmic and the upcoming
lucid use the new grub2 loader by default. this loader , grub2, writes
itself to MBR as opposed to the older releases, before karmic. the older
releases used grub ver 097 also known as grub legacy; this legacy grub
allowed writing to bootsectors/PBR or MBR. as you could see, it is
imperative during ubuntu install procedure that this v important
differences be observed and acted accordingly. moreover, pls be aware
that karmic uses grub2 still in beta stages.

conclusion,

- if pre karmic releases used, feel free to write the grub bootloader on PBR
s or MBR; in the latter case/option, MBR, obviously, ubuntu through your
decision, will overwrite XP written MBR.
- if karmic or newer release used I would strongly suggest to take a look
at

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1195275&page=40
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20from%20LiveCD

where grub2 is presented in a v detailed manner with recovery solutions
in case the system is rendered unbootable after karmic install..

note :
- if ubuntu install overwrote the MBR which XP produced at install, then
just use the repair/console procedure that XP CD provides to repair MBR (cmd
s available : fixmbr , fixboot) ; verify/check and make sure that XP boots
with no problems.

--
If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
know that it is solved:
https://answers.launchpad
net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+question/105917/+confirm?answer_id=1

If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
following page to enter your feedback:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+question/105917

You received this question notification because you are a direct
subscriber of the question.

grub2 should be able to detect and create a new grub.cfg file anytime a

sudo update-grub

cmd is run. also, there are ways to customize the scripts that grub.cfg reads and executes when invoked by the above command. in addition to the ones already mentioned above

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/grub-2.html

is pretty detailed as far as grub2 scripts are concerned. if you like to attach and detach at will various hd's to your pc and boot off any of them then I'd recommend to carefully assess what the various os's involved are able or unable to do and act accordingly. I can tell you from my experience with grub2 so far that it works and it has the tools available to be customized.

if you prefer and/or feel more comfortable with grub legacy, then there are howto's showing this - ex

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1298932

pls be aware that grub legacy is not supported any longer. grub2 in karmic can be downgraded to grub legacy.

Thank you Peter B;

Thank you for your assistance, one learns a little each day and I am still
learning after being working on computers since 1969 until I retired in 1993
after that it has been purely for pleasure and keeping my mind active.

I wish you a happy Easter.

Charlie

-------Original Message-------

From: peter b
Date: 03/30/10 22:53:17
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: [Question #105917]: Grub not including windows XP on booting

Your question #105917 on gnome-terminal in ubuntu changed:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+question/105917

    Status: Open => Answered

peter b proposed the following answer:
grub2 should be able to detect and create a new grub.cfg file anytime a

sudo update-grub

cmd is run. also, there are ways to customize the scripts that grub.cfg
reads and executes when invoked by the above command. in addition to the
ones already mentioned above

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/grub-2.html

is pretty detailed as far as grub2 scripts are concerned. if you like to
attach and detach at will various hd's to your pc and boot off any of
them then I'd recommend to carefully assess what the various os's
involved are able or unable to do and act accordingly. I can tell you
from my experience with grub2 so far that it works and it has the tools
available to be customized.

if you prefer and/or feel more comfortable with grub legacy, then there
are howto's showing this - ex

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1298932

pls be aware that grub legacy is not supported any longer. grub2 in
karmic can be downgraded to grub legacy.

--
If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
know that it is solved:
https://answers.launchpad
net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+question/105917/+confirm?answer_id=3

If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
following page to enter your feedback:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-terminal/+question/105917

You received this question notification because you are a direct
subscriber of the question.

 it is a long, v long while since dos, unix v, win95; they were the 'stars' so to speak of those times. I have to commend you for sticking for so many years with this marvelous world of computers; every day there is something new in software and hardware field that brings about new challenges and with it, something new to learn. there is nothing wrong with learning, I do it every day. I think that ...'it has been purely for pleasure and keeping my mind active.'..... is one of the best, if not the best ways to improve mind sharpness and with it the overall wellbeing. May the Good Lord give health, sharp mind and staying power.

Happy Easter to you too Charlie ! all the best !