Duel Boot with Suse 11.4 and windows xp - won't load windows

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

hi -

I have a duel boot of Winxp and Suse 11.4 going right now.

The problem: When I try to boot winxp at the grub selection screen I get a message:

HD(0,0)
Chainloader +1

So the first install I tried to fix myself -

Edit /boot/grub/menu.lst

I changed a few things around:

HD (0,1)
Chainloader +1

Didn’t work. So after trying a reinstall after ****ing up my **** so bad with tinkering, I am here looking for some guidance on how to fix this issue.

Essential information:

odified by YaST2. Last modification on Wed Jun 29 22:51:26 EDT 2011

THIS FILE WILL BE PARTIALLY OVERWRITTEN by perl-Bootloader

Configure custom boot parameters for updated kernels in /etc/sysconfig/bootloader

default 0
timeout 8
##YaST - generic_mbr
gfxmenu (hd0,5)/boot/message
##YaST - activate

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title Desktop – openSUSE 11.4 - 2.6.37.1-1.2
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST9100821AS_5NJ0RNJH-part6 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST9100821AS_5NJ0RNJH-part5 splash=silent quiet showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe – openSUSE 11.4 - 2.6.37.1-1.2
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST9100821AS_5NJ0RNJH-part6 showopts apm=off noresume nosmp maxcpus=0 edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 nomodeset x11failsafe
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,0)

Disk /dev/sda: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders, total 195371568 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xed1f86f7

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 117028799 58514368+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 * 117028861 195371007 39171073+ f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 117028863 158722919 20847028+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 158724096 173389823 7332864 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 173391872 195350527 10979328 83 Linux

I have my Winxp system set up on Sda1 obviously - and my Opensuse on Sda6.

Any guidance on troubleshooting this issue would be greatly appreciated.

#2

also - I forgot to add this

Device.map

(hd1) /dev/disk/by-id/usb-Best_Buy_Geek_Squad_143492192C431BDB-0:0
(hd0) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST9100821AS_5NJ0RNJH
~
~
~
~
~
~
~

These are wrong. I am having problems with my repositories …since for some reason its set to my USB drive. Also, HD0 looks like its set to a device that doesn’t exist. I could be wrong but perhaps that’s part of the problem.

#3

So it looks like the following code should work:

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows XP
    rootnoverify (hd0,0)
    chainloader +1

If not, then something is wrong. It would be helpful for you to write down the entire error message that you get when you try to boot up Windows with the above grub menu entry.

Thank You,

#4

Sorry.

here is the exact error message

BOOTING WINDOWS

rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

That’s all there is too it. The rest is black screen.

#5

So, this simply looks like a Windows problem, as I see nothing else wrong. Your setup has only two primary partitions, sda1 for Windows and sda2 which is an extended partition which contains all three Linux partitions. You do have sda2 set as bootable which works fine with openSUSE but which the Windows disk manager does not like and can screw up your disk setup if you use it to try and change anything. Basically, you need to boot from a Windows XP boot disk and allow sda1 to be fixed. This would then set it to bootable and which would require running a LiveCD to then change back to sda2 as being bootable to get openSUSE back. Or, you can just reload Windows XP and then Reload openSUSE, but keeping your /home area and not formatting it, this keeping your personnel settings.

Thank You,

#6

Thanks man!

I’ll get on that asap.

#7

It may be that the windows boot code is damaged.
This is a guide to fix: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10573557/Win-Install/fixmbr.png

Once you do that, you will need to re-install Grub
You can use SUSE live CD or like this guide:
Re-Install Grub Quickly with Parted Magic
I would put the boot flag back on sda2 at the same time

N.B:
Just another point to consider. If you installed SUSE but didn’t first defrag windows, this could be part of the problem. Especially if the HD was quite full.

#8

Great thanks!

N.B:
Just another point to consider. If you installed SUSE but didn’t first defrag windows, this could be part of the problem. Especially if the HD was quite full.

Guilty. Sloppy work and impatiences gets what it deserves. I just hate waiting for defrag…=(

#9

:smiley:
Sometimes we learn the hard way