Author Topic: Boot loader not working[Solved]  (Read 744 times)

snippits

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Boot loader not working[Solved]
« on: May 03, 2010, 09:58:08 AM »
Hello,

I am defintely a noob with linux.

Ok, I am installing PCLOS KDE 2010 on a 1TB hard drive that has four partitions.  Windows 7 Pro 64 bit is installed on this hard drive, so I need to dual boot.

PCLOS 2010 KDE installs successfully. When I reboot, it just boots straight into Windows 7.  No boot loader appears on the screen on boot up.  Either the boot loader is not getting written to disk, or it is being written to the wrong place.  

I check the partitions with gparted, and three partions were created on the installation.  The root, swap, and I guess the other was home, and according to the help file I read, there needs to be three partitions created, so that part looks good.

I then rebooted back to the live cd, and used config system for the grub.  Started it, and it says no grub found. I don't know why it does not find a grub even though it was set up on the installation.  I also checked the redo mbr, and there is one there with entries, but since I am a noob I just leave it alone, and I do not make any changes to it.

I have installed twice, and I still am not getting a boot loader screen.  It just boots straight to windows every time.  I used gparted to set my partitions back to the way they were, so PCLOS in now uninstalled.

I am willing to install again if I can get some help with the boot loader problem.  Thanks

« Last Edit: May 03, 2010, 10:48:44 AM by snippits »

Offline Old-Polack

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Re: Boot loader not working.
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2010, 10:14:46 AM »
Hello,

I am defintely a noob with linux.

Ok, I am installing PCLOS KDE 2010 on a 1TB hard drive that has four partitions.  Windows 7 Pro 64 bit is installed on this hard drive, so I need to dual boot.

PCLOS 2010 KDE installs successfully. When I reboot, it just boots straight into Windows 7.  No boot loader appears on the screen on boot up.  Either the boot loader is not getting written to disk, or it is being written to the wrong place. 

I check the partitions with gparted, and three partions were created on the installation.  The root, swap, and I guess the other was home, and according to the help file I read, there needs to be three partitions created, so that part looks good.

I then rebooted back to the live cd, and used config system for the grub.  Started it, and it says no grub found. I don't know why it does not find a grub even though it was set up on the installation.  I also checked the redo mbr, and there is one there with entries, but since I am a noob I just leave it alone, and I do not make any changes to it.

I have installed twice, and I still am not getting a boot loader screen.  It just boots straight to windows every time.  I used gparted to set my partitions back to the way they were, so PCLOS in now uninstalled.

I am willing to install again if I can get some help with the boot loader problem.  Thanks



You need to specify that the boot loader is installed to the MBR. If the drive you are installing on is /dev/sda that is what you choose; nothing that ends with a number, which would be a partition.
Old-Polack

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snippits

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Re: Boot loader not working[Solved]
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2010, 10:47:51 AM »
Hi OP,

Yup you were right.

When I was installing, I just left the default for the grub which was /dev/sda/7.  I changed the grub to the root drive, and I am now booting into PCLOS 2010.

Thanks for the help.  And could you please excuse my noob mistake.

Offline Old-Polack

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Re: Boot loader not working[Solved]
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2010, 11:05:48 AM »
Hi OP,

Yup you were right.

When I was installing, I just left the default for the grub which was /dev/sda/7.  I changed the grub to the root drive, and I am now booting into PCLOS 2010.

Thanks for the help.  And could you please excuse my noob mistake.

Didn't come any greener than me, when I first started, and had no internet to get help.  ;D ;D

I could tell you stories of really stupid newbie mistakes, but that would blow my image worse than my silliness here.  ;D ;D ;D ;D   Trust me, we all started out knowing nothing. Like all things, familiarity comes with use. You'll do fine. No apologies needed.

Welcome to our friendly, and a bit crazy, piece of the penguin pie. Kick back and make yourself at home, make some new friends, and just have fun.  ;)
Old-Polack

Of what use be there for joy, if not for the sharing thereof?



Lest we forget...