On Friday 12 August 2005 09:16, duffmckagan wrote:
> On 8/12/05, David Evennou <de@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > I installed GRUB to the MBR on a previous installation, and that wiped
> > out the XP boot capability.
> > Yes, /dev/hda2 is the CentOS boot partition.
> If your Windows XP Partions are formatted as NTFS, then Cent OS can't
> detect it. (The Cent OS kernel lacks NTFS modules.)
> So, the final result is that you can't boot to windows XP, but cent OS
> works fine.
> (I can provide you some more information on this, if you are willing to do
> it.)
This is incorrect. I am dual-booting my Dell Laptop right now; see:
[root@localhost lowen]# /sbin/fdisk -l
Disk /dev/hda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 1 5 40131 de Dell Utility
/dev/hda2 * 6 1049 8385930 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda3 1050 1065 128520 83 Linux
/dev/hda4 1066 7296 50050507+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5 1066 2370 10482381 83 Linux
/dev/hda6 2371 3135 6144831 83 Linux
/dev/hda7 3136 3266 1052226 82 Linux swap
/dev/hda8 3267 5877 20972826 b W95 FAT32
/dev/hda9 5878 7296 11398086 83 Linux
[root@localhost lowen]#
As you can see, WinXP on NTFS. Now:
[root@localhost lowen]# 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 (hd0,2)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda6
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,2)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title CentOS (2.6.9-11.106.unsupported)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-11.106.unsupported ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-11.106.unsupported.img
title CentOS (2.6.9-5.0.5.106.unsupported)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-5.0.5.106.unsupported ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-5.0.5.106.unsupported.img
title CentOS (2.6.9-5.0.5.EL)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-5.0.5.EL ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-5.0.5.EL.img
title CentOS 4.0 (2.6.9-5.0.3.EL)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-5.0.3.EL ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-5.0.3.EL.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
chainloader +1
[root@localhost lowen]#
Boot target 'Other' is WinXP, and it Just Works and Just Worked after
installation.
What one has to be careful about is incorrect BIOS disk geometry reporting and
geometry differences between what BIOS, GRUB, and the Linux kernel believe.
My Dell Inspiron 600m Just Works because it has a decent BIOS and I knew how
to properly set up my partitions. But other than that no NTFS modules are
required.
I set up GRUB to be installed in the MBR, and it Just Worked.
--
Lamar Owen
Director of Information Technology
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
1 PARI Drive
Rosman, NC 28772
(828)862-5554
www.pari.edu
