cant get back onto my windows boot :D

[jackvdbuk]

i just installed Windows onto one 250GB HDD, and my Windows XP Install is on my 120GB HDD...

problem is, GRUB loads at startup, but the boot options shows only Ubuntu (GUI) ubuntu (safe mode) and Memtest

with the problems from last time after trying to install Linux onto a partition, i just gave it the whole 250GB disc instead..

sorry for being a noob... we all gotta start somewhere

[directhex]

can you boot into ubuntu?

[jackvdbuk]

yes fine, i'm on it now lol

[directhex]

okay, i need the output from "sudo fdisk -l"

and do you want to boot windows or ubuntu by default?

[jackvdbuk]

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 14592 117210208+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 30119 241930836 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 30120 30401 2265165 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 30120 30401 2265133+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris




thats the output, btw thanks alot m8, really gr8 u can be bothered to help


well would it be possible to choose like in the GRUB menu? or something like that, but ill be using windows for probably like 90% of the time

[directhex]

open the file /boot/grub/menu.lst as root for editing:

"sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst"

on the line BEFORE the line marked "### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST", paste the following:

title           Windows XP
root            (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader     +1

that section of the file should look like this:

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

title           Windows XP
root            (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader     +1

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

save, quit, reboot

[jackvdbuk]

ive got a problem writing to this particular file, i do this in text editor right?

"You do not have the permissions necessary to save the file. Please, check that you typed the location correctly and try again."

thats what it says.

[directhex]

ive got a problem writing to this particular file, i do this in text editor right?

"You do not have the permissions necessary to save the file. Please, check that you typed the location correctly and try again."

thats what it says.

it says that because, as a regular user, you're not allowed to **** with critical system files

hence i gave a command starting with "sudo", which runs things as the system administrator

[jackvdbuk]

k i saved it now, ive tried to boot onto 'Windows XP' as it says in the GRUB boot menu, but when trying to boot on 'Windows XP' it says the NTLDR is missing,

could this be because im running professional? and not just 'XP'?

[directhex]

k i saved it now, ive tried to boot onto 'Windows XP' as it says in the GRUB boot menu, but when trying to boot on 'Windows XP' it says the NTLDR is missing,

could this be because im running professional? and not just 'XP'?

no, it implies your boot loader on the 120gb disk is broken. it would also explain why the ubuntu installer didn't automatically add windows as a bootable option.

unplug the ubuntu disk, boot a windows xp install cd, go to the recovery console, and run "fixboot" and "fixmbr"

[jackvdbuk]

k directHex, i have done Fixboot and FixMBR three times to no avail, the first time, i forgot to unplug the Ubuntu Disc, the second and thrid it was unplugged, now it wont even boot Ubuntu (GRUB doesnt even load) and i cannot get onto neitehr Windows XP or Ubuntu.

[ikonia]

grub won't load with the disk unplugged as it will be looking for menu.lst which won't exist on your windows disk.

if I was you unplug all ubuntu disks - so you only have your windows boot disk in, run fixmbr or fdisk /mbr from a dos boot disk, check windows is working - then reinstall grub with your ubuntu disk bask in, or reinstall grub

[jackvdbuk]

still the same reply, NTLDR is missng

thats just with my Windows HDD in, and the Ubuntu one Unplugged

[ikonia]

and you've done fdisk /mbr on the windows disk ?

[jackvdbuk]

i have done (from windows XP CD repair) fixmbr (that disk)

[ikonia]

boot off a live cd mount the nt disk and see if ntldr is actually on the disk your trying to fix.