(Solved) Dual boot with 2 hard drives

[Lovejoy]

Well almost success!!

Yes you were correct old-polack the PC will only boot from the master and there is no option in the bios to change it so I swapped the drives over as you suggested and I can now get into the Grub menu. The PClinux option works fine and I can get into the full programme. To configure the internet connection was a dream..... straight in first time.... wow!!

Switched off rebooted and tried the windows option but to no avail. As you suggested monuto, I have gone into the "PCC....... Set up boot system" and for windows it reads  "windows (/dev/sdb1)"      (I have typed it correctly this time and its definitely sdb1).
I changed it to sda but it still doesn't find windows.

When I reboot and try to get into widows I get an "unrecognisable" command message "press F1" and then it takes me to a green/blue window where I can edit the commands.

For the windows it reads as follows:-

root (hd0,0)
map  (0x81) (0x80)
map  (0x80) (0x81)
makeactive
chainloader  +1

Is it looking for the wrong drive??

[Old-Polack]

Well almost success!!

Yes you were correct old-polack the PC will only boot from the master and there is no option in the bios to change it so I swapped the drives over as you suggested and I can now get into the Grub menu. The PClinux option works fine and I can get into the full programme. To configure the internet connection was a dream..... straight in first time.... wow!!

Switched off rebooted and tried the windows option but to no avail. As you suggested monuto, I have gone into the "PCC....... Set up boot system" and for windows it reads  "windows (/dev/sdb1)"      (I have typed it correctly this time and its definitely sdb1).
I changed it to sda but it still doesn't find windows.

When I reboot and try to get into widows I get an "unrecognisable" command message "press F1" and then it takes me to a green/blue window where I can edit the commands.

For the windows it reads as follows:-

root (hd0,0)
map  (0x81) (0x80)
map  (0x80) (0x81)
makeactive
chainloader  +1

Is it looking for the wrong drive??

Should read:

title Windows
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
map  (0x81) (0x80)
map  (0x80) (0x81)
makeactive
chainloader  +1

[Lovejoy]

If I edit it in the Grub editor then use one of the options quoted then it works and I am in windows...... BUT it won't let me save the changes!!

From the green/blue window I can highlight the windows then press "e" which opens another window with the following commands
up/down keys
b to boot
e to edit
c for command line
etc.........
I highlight the line I want to edit  press e and this brings up a command line "grub edit> root hd0,0" do changes and press enter which takes me back to previous window with changes done but there is no save facility. Only listed option is "esc" which abandons the changes. If I press b to boot then it starts up windows but still abandons the changes.

I have tried all the obvious S, ctrl + S, enter, ctrl + enter

[Aradalf]

Boot into PCLOS. Open your file manager in Superuser Mode(Nautilus?) Edit the file /boot/grub/menu.lst. There, apply the changes Old-Polack mentioned and save the file.
Alternative method: Open a terminal, and type the following commands:

Code: [Select]

su                                                             <----Enter Root Password
gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
Replace gedit with whatever text editor you have(not word processor). Hope this helps!

[Lovejoy]

 

Many Thanks menotu, old-polack and Aradalf

100% Success

I really appreciate your help and patience

Kind Regards

Lovejoy

 

[Aradalf]

Glad to hear it worked out!  Oh, BTW, welcome to the forum, Lovejay! Hope you have a great time here!
Could you add [SOLVED] to the title of your first post?