windows 7 and gentoo dual-boot grub problem

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Mighty_Max · Post by **Mighty_Max** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 4:47 pm

Hi, I can't get my windows 7 to boot with grub ... Some info are that i installed windows 7 on sdb with the sda removed so the win can set correctly the boot loader on the second disk. I tried installing win7 on the sda with the same problems. On the sda is installed my linux box and the appearing NTFS partitions are from previous tests. Both OS's boot correctly if i peak my boot drive with F12 but i can't set the win 7 correctly.

Grub version: 0.97-r9

fdisk -l output :

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   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1           5       40131   83  Linux
/dev/sda2               6          18      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda3              18       21890   175687680    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4           21891       60801   312552607+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5           21891       22377     3911796   83  Linux
/dev/sda6           22378       28457    48837568+  83  Linux
/dev/sda7           28458       60801   259803148+  83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 80.0 GB, 80025280000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000c2d1b

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *           1          13      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb2              13        9730    78045184    7  HPFS/NTFS

menu.lst which has to do with win 7 :

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title Windows 7
rootnoverify(hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title Windows 7b
rootnoverify(hd1,1)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title Windows 7c
rootnoverify(hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title Windows 7d
rootnoverify(hd1,1)
makeactive
chainloader +1

All those appear for testing the various options. The sdb1 is the partition which win 7 installation created for some system files.
All the 4 options give "Error 13: Invalid or unsupported executable format".

krinn · Post by **krinn** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 6:23 pm

should be rootnoverify(hd0,0) because you map both drive.

Mighty_Max · Post by **Mighty_Max** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 6:37 pm

Ok, i changed it to :

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title Windows 7
rootnoverify(hd0,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title Windows 7b
rootnoverify(hd0,1)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

but i get the same error.

trojanfoe · Post by **trojanfoe** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:18 am

Would you consider using the Windows bootloader to dual boot? I generally do this as Windows is not as flexible as Linux. It involves installing grub on the linux partition boot record (not the disk MBR) and then copying this bootblock to a file to be located on the Windows boot filesystem (called C:\linux.bin) or whatever. This boot file is then added simply added this to the Windows boot options, which isn't trivial under Windows 7, I'll admit. The downside is that if grub gets updated you have to refresh this bootblock file, but I have this successfully working on 2 machines (one desktop with Windows 7 and one laptop with Windows XP). I can provide more details if you are interested in this option?

mobilejimbo · Post by **mobilejimbo** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:12 pm

trojanfoe,

I'm interested in this option as I'm about to build a laptop with windows 7 (when my free upgrade comes in) and gentoo. Ideally would like to use grub or elilo, but I'll use windows bootloader if I have to. To make this install a bit more complicated, I'm also looking to encrypt the entire system with truecrypt and have the data partition (personal files, pics, music, etc) accessible/able to modify from either OS. I've been away from gentoo and linux since the beginning of 2006.

Your insight is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jimbo

psheldon · Post by **psheldon** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 4:51 pm

I have a star in the boot column for Xp and fdisk strange that w7 doesn't have one. I also plugged in only one drive installed XP then plugged the others with Gentoo on sdb

Mighty_Max · Post by **Mighty_Max** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 7:20 pm

Thanx trojanfoe, but i'm currently not considering the windows boot loader an option,because i can boot with F12 as i said

. I'm still looking for a grub solution ...

Sysa · Post by **Sysa** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 5:03 pm

Mighty_Max wrote:Thanx trojanfoe, but i'm currently not considering the windows boot loader an option,because i can boot with F12 as i said . I'm still looking for a grub solution ...

You are right, M$ is not your way

FYI: Mine working grub.conf:

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title Windows                                                            
    rootnoverify (hd0,0)                                                 
    chainloader +1

dusty_mie · Post by **dusty_mie** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 11:42 pm

Can you dual boot from two separate drives that are already installed?
Gentoo hd0
Win7 hd1
By maybe just changing the grub info in gentoo?

Thanks,

The Doctor · Post by **The Doctor** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:16 am

mine is

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# vim:ft=conf:
title Windows Vista
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

However, I think since F12 works, the windows drive needs to be the first drive the bios looks to boot from.
my setup has windows on sdb, which is the first drive, and gentoo on sda, which is the second drive.
(yea HP screwed up my drive setup

)

I hope that helps you.

Drasica · Post by **Drasica** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:10 pm

Which did you install first, Windows or Gentoo? I always run into trouble if I install Windows second...

h0mer`- · Post by **h0mer`-** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 10:36 pm

its not a problem at all if u installed both os. and it doesnt matter which one u install first.

if u install windows7 as second u need to boot via live cd again and reinstall grub to your mbr thats it.