Author Topic: Dual boot Linux/Vista 3 hdd [SOLVED]  (Read 692 times)

Offline thorper

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Dual boot Linux/Vista 3 hdd [SOLVED]
« on: July 11, 2012, 04:31:02 AM »
I know this topic comes up regularly, in fact I found a previous post and followed the instructions given in that post but it didn't solve my problem.

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,103434.0.html

I have My Linux setup on my desktop as follows:

sda (sata1) - install + home
hda - data only no boot from this disk

this has worked great for a long long time

I have now added another hard drive which although is pata I have attached a convertor to make it sata (connected to sata2). This was due to the lack of connection points on my motherboard (1 pata connection but 2 sata connections). I amended grub to include the fix from the above post

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

and grub displays the Windows disk. I added the extra lines at the end of the menu.list file. I can boot into Linux as usual but trying to boot into Windows gives:

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

Error 13: invalid or unsupported executable format

The Windows install will boot up if I disconnect the Linux disk so I must have the boot order issue. I am now at a loss at what to do next.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2012, 06:42:36 AM by thorper »
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Online Old-Polack

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Re: Dual boot Linux/Vista 3 hdd
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2012, 05:08:31 AM »
I know this topic comes up regularly, in fact I found a previous post and followed the instructions given in that post but it didn't solve my problem.

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,103434.0.html

I have My Linux setup on my desktop as follows:

sda (sata1) - install + home
hda - data only no boot from this disk

this has worked great for a long long time

I have now added another hard drive which although is pata I have attached a convertor to make it sata (connected to sata2). This was due to the lack of connection points on my motherboard (1 pata connection but 2 sata connections). I amended grub to include the fix from the above post

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

and grub displays the Windows disk. I added the extra lines at the end of the menu.list file. I can boot into Linux as usual but trying to boot into Windows gives:

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

Error 13: invalid or unsupported executable format

The Windows install will boot up if I disconnect the Linux disk so I must have the boot order issue. I am now at a loss at what to do next.


Lots of words telling a story, but no real information. You say you added another drive, but you do not mention the contents of the new drive. You previously had Linux on /dev/sda but don't give the actual partitions. Linux sees all drives as SCSI drives, all will be /dev/sdx whether they are SATA or PATA, so it's unimportant how you have made the actual connections. The second drive would then be /dev/sdb. From the BIOS and GRUB perspective, it would be (hd1), the boot drive always being (hd0).

I guess we can assume the third drive is the one that has Windows installed, so the BIOS and GRUB see it as (hd2) which would then require a Windows stanza that reflects that. Assuming again, that the Windows installation is on the first partition of that drive, would then make the stanza;

title Windows
    rootnoverify (hd2,0)
    map (hd2) (hd0)
    map (hd0) (hd2)
    makeactive
    chainloader +1


We wouldn't have to guess, and/or assume, if you'd clearly state the relevant information, in its correct form, from the start.
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Offline thorper

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Re: Dual boot Linux/Vista 3 hdd
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2012, 06:42:12 AM »
Sorry about the lack of technical info in my post, I wasn't sure what info would be needed to make things easier. Anyway your answer of

rootnoverify (hd2,0)
    map (hd2) (hd0)
    map (hd0) (hd2)

worked. This is why your such a genius. Thanks for your help.
Too many cops, too few donuts.