Help with adding Dual Boot Win7 on a HD now running PCL (CLOSED)

[Cressida]

OK, I created the sda1 with nothing in it.   "/" remains in sda2.    Do I just run the redo-mbr now and will it replace the GRUB so that it will load and enable the booting PCL or is there still something else?

I also see within the PCL control center the Set up boot system.    I bet that is what I need to run.   It is pointed to the default /dev/sda 400.1 GB HD.  Will that get the job done or do I need to point it to the specific partition with "/" which is the /dev/sda2 ?

I found this old post from OP so I am going with this default option :

The MBR is not part of /dev/sda1 it is /dev/sda. The MBR is the first sector of the first cylinder of the drive, and not a part of any partition.

Install grub to /dev/sda (hd0) and you'll again be able to boot your system.

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,62786.msg508062.html#msg508062







fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 400.1 GB, 400088457216 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 48641 cylinders, total 781422768 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: 0x0009289d

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1            2048    78847999    39422976   83  Linux
/dev/sda2        78848000   120831999    20992000   83  Linux
/dev/sda3       120832000   781422591   330295296    5  Extended
/dev/sda5       120834048   121972735      569344   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6       185458688   308338687    61440000   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       381657088   549593087    83968000   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 40.0 GB, 40000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4863 cylinders, total 78125000 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: 0xf52bcf0e

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2          206848    78120959    38957056    7  HPFS/NTFS

[dvhenry]

Then I may have to ask how to reinstall the GRUB (or redo the MBR?)

I would enter the BIOS and change the the boot order to boot the Linux disk first, then reboot form a liveCD.
Now open a root terminal and enter

Code: [Select]

grubafter a moments searching it should show the grub prompt grub> now enter

Code: [Select]

find /boot/grub/menu.lstgrub should return (hd0,x) where 'x' is a number representing the partition grub is installed in, enter.

Code: [Select]

root (hd0,x)
where 'x' is the number returned in the previous step. It will return the file system type, enter

Code: [Select]

setup (hd0)It should eventually tell you it's done, now enter

Code: [Select]

quit

Now reboot without the liveCD and you should have grub loading Linux, you will need to add a stanza for windows, but I don't use windows so I will leave that to someone else.

EDIT: note that with grub (hd0,1) is sda2 in Linux, grub uses numbers for the disks and partitions and starts from 0 with the first disk and partition.

[Cressida]

Then I may have to ask how to reinstall the GRUB (or redo the MBR?)

I would enter the BIOS and change the boot order to boot the Linux disk first, then reboot form a liveCD.
Now open a root terminal and enter

Code: [Select]

grubafter a moments searching it should show the grub prompt grub> now enter

Code: [Select]

find /boot/grub/menu.lstgrub should return (hd0,x) where 'x' is a number representing the partition grub is installed in, enter.

Code: [Select]

root (hd0,x)
where 'x' is the number returned in the previous step. It will return the file system type, enter

Code: [Select]

setup (hd0)It should eventually tell you it's done, now enter

Code: [Select]

quit

Now reboot without the liveCD and you should have grub loading Linux, you will need to add a stanza for windows, but I don't use windows so I will leave that to someone else.

EDIT: note that with grub (hd0,1) is sda2 in Linux, grub uses numbers for the disks and partitions and starts from 0 with the first disk and partition.

Before I read your comments above I went into the PCL control center via the LiveCD to the  Set up boot system and pointed it to the default /dev/sda 400.1 GB HD.   I rebooted and there was no change - it didn't work.  

I reloaded again via the LiveCD and went into the PCL control center to the  Set up boot system again and this time pointed it to /dev/sda2  (where "/" is) .   I rebooted and there was no change - it didn't work.

Next time I ran the Redo-mbr from the LiveCD.   I rebooted and there was no change - it didn't work.

After these attempts didn't work I then saw your post and followed your helpful instructions.  For a moment it looked good as the system loaded the following lines:

Grub Loading stage 1.5.
Grub loading, please wait...
-  (flashing dash)

I have tried it twice and it loads the above lines but doesn't continue as it stops with the flashing dash.  

Note:   1.  The GRUB commands did prompt me to use (hd0,1) which is where my "/" is located in sda2.
            2.  sda1 on the HD is unformated blank space.  I don't think that matters but I'm not much help...      


Subsequent to the changes above, using the LiveCD Redo-mbr again, my MBR is still showing everything as hd0,0  not hd0,1 ?     Should I just edit all of the hd0,0  to hd0,1   ?


timeout 7
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
gfxmenu /boot/gfxmenu
default 4

title linux-nonfb
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux-nonfb root=UUID=66c19e56-47fd-4c7b-b06e-96b3cd9a74fd
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.img

title failsafe
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=failsafe root=UUID=66c19e56-47fd-4c7b-b06e-96b3cd9a74fd failsafe
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.img

title 2.6.33.7-pclos6.a64
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.33.7-pclos6.a64 BOOT_IMAGE=2.6.33.7-pclos6.a64 root=UUID=66c19e56-47fd-4c7b-b06e-96b3cd9a74fd  vga=788
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd-2.6.33.7-pclos6.a64.img

title 2.6.38.8-pclos1.a64
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38.8-pclos1.a64 BOOT_IMAGE=2.6.38.8-pclos1.a64 root=UUID=66c19e56-47fd-4c7b-b06e-96b3cd9a74fd  vga=788
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd-2.6.38.8-pclos1.a64.img

title linux
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=66c19e56-47fd-4c7b-b06e-96b3cd9a74fd  vga=788
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.img

[Old-Polack]

Cressida:

Did you follow the instructions here?

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,62786.msg508062.html#msg508062

Show us exactly what you did, just as shown in the link.

[Cressida]

Cressida:

Did you follow the instructions here?

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,62786.msg508062.html#msg508062

Show us exactly what you did, just as shown in the link.

grub> find /boot/grub/stage2
 (hd0,1)

grub> root (hd0,1)
 Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83

grub> setup (hd0)
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
 Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"...  17 sectors are embedded.
succeeded
 Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+17 p (hd0,1)/boot/grub/stage2
/boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done.


I'll  reboot and see if this worked and be back shortly to report...  

No change, I still get the two Grub lines and then stalls out:

Grub Loading stage 1.5.
Grub loading, please wait...
-  (flashing dash)

I have tried it twice and it loads the above lines but doesn't continue as it just stops with the flashing dash on the black screen.  

[Old-Polack]

Cressida:

Did you follow the instructions here?

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,62786.msg508062.html#msg508062

Show us exactly what you did, just as shown in the link.

grub> find /boot/grub/stage2
 (hd0,1)

grub> root (hd0,1)
 Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83

grub> setup (hd0)
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
 Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"...  17 sectors are embedded.
succeeded
 Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+17 p (hd0,1)/boot/grub/stage2
/boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done.


I'll  reboot and see if this worked and be back shortly to report...  

No change, I still get the two Grub lines and then stalls out:

Grub Loading stage 1.5.
Grub loading, please wait...
-  (flashing dash)

I have tried it twice and it loads the above lines but doesn't continue as it just stops with the flashing dash on the black screen.  

How long do you wait? You may, (almost certainly do) have a problem with your present initrd image, since you now have a new swap partition. Try this;

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,96077.msg818283.html#msg818283

[dvhenry]

You don't state that you have done this

enter the BIOS and change the boot order to boot the Linux disk first

Have you?

[Old-Polack]

You don't state that you have done this

enter the BIOS and change the boot order to boot the Linux disk first

Have you?

Yes he has, otherwise the drive would not show as (hd0).

[dvhenry]

Yes he has, otherwise the drive would not show as (hd0).

Ok, but while your here, my version of reinstalling grub varies from yours in asking for menu.lst instead of stage2, is there a reason one is better to request than the other? Your version is also easier to follow, that is the other variation from mine.

[Old-Polack]

Yes he has, otherwise the drive would not show as (hd0).

Ok, but while your here, my version of reinstalling grub varies from yours in asking for menu.lst instead of stage2, is there a reason one is better to request than the other? Your version is also easier to follow, that is the other variation from mine.

The only thing that matters is that grub look for a file you know exists. If you had a Fedora installation, it would have a grub.conf in place of a menu.lst. All distros using legacy grub will have a stage1 and a stage2, so those would be the ones to ask for to find all the installed OS / partitions. On the other hand, if you actually wanted to find the Fedora installation, to make its grub the master grub, find /boot/grub/grub.conf should find only that installation.

[dvhenry]

The only thing that matters is that grub look for a file you know exists. If you had a Fedora installation, it would have a grub.conf in place of a menu.lst. All distros using legacy grub will have a stage1 and a stage2, so those would be the ones to ask for to find all the installed OS / partitions. On the other hand, if you actually wanted to find the Fedora installation, to make its grub the master grub, find /boot/grub/grub.conf should find only that installation.

I was aware that the command is looking for a file in /boot/grub, I was not aware that some distros don't use menu.lst. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Cressida]

How long do you wait? You may, (almost certainly do) have a problem with your present initrd image, since you now have a new swap partition. Try this;

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,96077.msg818283.html#msg818283

I reviewed the linked page.  Here is what I tried and the results:

[root@localhost ~]# mkdir -p /mnt/here
[root@localhost ~]# mount /dev/sda5 /mnt/here
/dev/sda5 looks like swapspace - not mounted
mount: you must specify the filesystem type
[root@localhost ~]#

I read more and tried to identify the filesystem type but you can see no luck:

[root@localhost ~]# mkdir -p /mnt/here
[root@localhost ~]# mount -t swap /dev/sda5 /mnt/here
mount: unknown filesystem type 'swap'
[root@localhost ~]# mkdir -p /mnt/here
[root@localhost ~]# mount -t Swap /dev/sda5 /mnt/here
mount: unknown filesystem type 'Swap'

However, I seem to think the LiveCD does not load and use the swap so maybe that is why it shows not mounted  when working from the LiveCD    

I then tried to use Gparted.  It showed an option to mount all the drive partitions except swap(sda5), so it didn't seem to give me the option to mount swap.  

[Old-Polack]

How long do you wait? You may, (almost certainly do) have a problem with your present initrd image, since you now have a new swap partition. Try this;

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,96077.msg818283.html#msg818283

I reviewed the linked page.  Here is what I tried and the results:

[root@localhost ~]# mkdir -p /mnt/here
[root@localhost ~]# mount /dev/sda5 /mnt/here
/dev/sda5 looks like swapspace - not mounted
mount: you must specify the filesystem type
[root@localhost ~]#

I read more and tried to identify the filesystem type but you can see no luck:

[root@localhost ~]# mkdir -p /mnt/here
[root@localhost ~]# mount -t swap /dev/sda5 /mnt/here
mount: unknown filesystem type 'swap'
[root@localhost ~]# mkdir -p /mnt/here
[root@localhost ~]# mount -t Swap /dev/sda5 /mnt/here
mount: unknown filesystem type 'Swap'

However, I seem to think the LiveCD does not load and use the swap so maybe that is why it shows not mounted  when working from the LiveCD    

I then tried to use Gparted.  It showed an option to mount all the drive partitions except swap(sda5), so it didn't seem to give me the option to mount swap.  

Why would you want to mount swap? You need to mount your installed / partition... that's where you're going to find /boot and your kernel and initrd image. The instructions in that link clearly state this.

[julianxu]

@Cressida
What is up?  I think we could learn a lot from this thread,why you stopped instantly without any further feedback.
I hope to hear good news from you, or a lot of friends could help you until your system working properly. At least, you could get enough experience to handle such problem in the future. Do not give up!

[Cressida]

I did go back and run the commands again just as Old-Polack instructed but I still ended up with just the two Grub lines appearing and then stalls out the same place:

Grub Loading stage 1.5.
Grub loading, please wait...
-  (flashing dash)

So basically you are correct I gave up.   My plans are to burn a new (latest) LiveCD this weekend and just do a clean install of it into the "/" partition.  I think it will pick up my existing partitions (/home /data).  I will post when I finally get going again but not there yet.   It just seems like that would be easier than trying to continue to figure out what is going on with this.    Thanks for the encouragement.