My Tri-Boot works... but I need a little help anyway

Hey, folks!

I'll find the "Introductions Area" later on, and fill in the blanks, etc.

First off, thanks for being here! After roughly 50 reboot-cycles, a lot of googling on the netbook, and reading page after page of both guides... and problems... I actually have this things Tri-Booting!

System is a Dell Vostro1500 (C2D/2GB/160GB) Laptop
O/S's are: Win-XP-Pro(SP3) : Win-7-RC(Build 7201) : Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty

I've played with dual-booting XP / Linux on several machines, without too much cussing, but had violently avoided Vista! Now that I've got the 7-RC (which seems an awful lot like Vista, lol), I wanted to take the "plunge", while keeping both XP and Ubuntu intact and workable.
I'm actually pretty tickled that I got through the "learning curve" of NeoGrub, too!

That's the good news (and no small accomplishment, here in tinkersville!).

The bad news is two little "silly" issues that are nagging me, so I thought I'd get some help (at least I got it to RUN on my own, eh, lol?).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issue One:
When I choose "Ubuntu", it goes right to NeoGrub, and quickly times out ( I have it set to 1 sec), which looks/works smooth & pretty!
Then, even though I've included the "quiet" command... I have to wait/watch through several "screens" of scrolling command-line stuff going on.

Here's a copy of the relevant menu.lst (NeoGrub):

timeout 1
title Ubuntu 9.04 - Jaunty
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic ro root=/dev/sda3 quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

The question is... how can I "not see" all the stuff Linux is doing as it loads? I had "assumed" (yeah, I know) that "quiet" was intended to suppress all that stuff, and go right to the pretty Ubuntu loading graphic. Have I used it in the wrong place, or is it something else completely different I haven't learned yet?

That should be an easy one, after all, as I have it "working", so far.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issue Two:
EasyBCD (2.0, Beta, Build 63) worked flawlessly, trying its hardest to execute my thumb-fingered commands, all afternoon... but now it's "partially-broke".
When I Run it (as Administrator has no effect), it begins with a .NET Framework dialog that tells me an "unhandled exception has occurred in your application"
Under the "Details" section it gives the following:

************** Exception Text **************
System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Configuration system failed to initialize ---> System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: '', hexadecimal value 0x02, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 1. (C:\Users\XXXX XXXXXX\AppData\Local\NeoSmart_Technologies\EasyBCD.exe_StrongName_ge4xjewlvhidmksvx1etlpptdtrgpnqg\2.0.0.63\user.config line 1) ---> System.Xml.XmlException: '', hexadecimal value 0x02, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 1.
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(Exception e)
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(String res, String[] args)
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(Int32 pos, String res, String[] args)
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ThrowInvalidChar(Int32 pos, Char invChar)
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseRootLevelWhitespace()
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseDocumentContent()
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Read()
at System.Xml.XmlTextReader.Read()
at System.Configuration.XmlUtil..ctor(Stream stream, String name, Boolean readToFirstElement, ConfigurationSchemaErrors schemaErrors)
at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.InitConfigFromFile()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationSchemaErrors.ThrowIfErrors(Boolean ignoreLocal)
at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfParseErrors(ConfigurationSchemaErrors schemaErrors)
at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfInitErrors()
at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.OnConfigRemoved(Object sender, InternalConfigEventArgs e)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.PrepareConfigSystem()
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection(String sectionName)
at System.Configuration.ClientSettingsStore.ReadSettings(String sectionName, Boolean isUserScoped)
at System.Configuration.LocalFileSettingsProvider.GetPropertyValues(SettingsContext context, SettingsPropertyCollection properties)
at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.GetPropertiesFromProvider(SettingsProvider provider)
at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.GetPropertyValueByName(String propertyName)
at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.get_Item(String propertyName)
at System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.GetPropertyValue(String propertyName)
at System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.get_Item(String propertyName)
at ..()
at ..()
at ..(Object , EventArgs )
at System.EventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4926 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
EasyBCD
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.63
Win32 Version: 2.0.0.63
CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files/NeoSmart%20Technologies/EasyBCD/EasyBCD.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4926 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4926 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4926 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.VisualBasic
Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 8.0.50727.4926 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic/8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Runtime.Remoting
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4926 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Runtime.Remoting/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Runtime.Remoting.dll
----------------------------------------
{39dcb866-a31f-4488-bdb9-c47d2d40152c}
Assembly Version: 0.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.0.63
CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files/NeoSmart%20Technologies/EasyBCD/EasyBCD.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4926 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4926 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.
For example:
<configuration>
<system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>
When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

When I hit "Continue"...
"View Settings" & "Change Settings" are both nothing but blank fields...
... until I go to "Add/Remove Entries" (once).... and then the "View" and "Change" areas become populated.
Maybe that's just a bug?

----------------------------------------------------------

Aaaaanyway (long-winded bugger, I know)... the Tri-Boot is... Tri-Booting...
... it's just doing it kinda "ugly".

Any help will be appreciated, as I'm already grateful that it works at all, and that I was able to sort it out through "reading" here, and not hollering too early on!

Thanks!

Dave

Hello Dave, welcome to NST.
Do you have .Net Framework installed on whatever OS you're running EasyBCD from? If not, then you will need to install it, since that is required by EasyBCD in order to run.
Once you get EasyBCD 2.0 Beta, Build 63 working as it should, you can simply uninstall NeoGrub under the NeoGrub tab, and add a standard Linux entry under the Linux tab. Make sure to point it at the correct partition Ubuntu is installed to in the Device drop-down menu, and do not tick the box called "Grub is not installed..." if Ubuntu is on the same HDD as Win 7. Otherwise, make sure to tick the box.
And then you will be able to boot into Ubuntu without the "scrolling command-line stuff".

Jake

Coolname007 said:

Hello Dave, welcome to NST.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome, a quick response, and overall great stuff here in the Forum!

Coolname007 said:

Do you have .Net Framework installed on whatever OS you're running EasyBCD from?

Click to expand...

I'm running EasyBCD under Windows 7, and have re-installed and verified that .NET 3.5 (SP1) is present & accounted for.

Oddly, I still had the same errors, so I started fussing with EasyBCD versions.. (tried Builds 58 through 63, one at a time)...and found that Build 2.0.0.61 is the "newest" that will work without those errors. I don't "grok" dependencies (yet), so maybe it's just me that can't use '63. I thought it might be worth mentioning.

Coolname007 said:

Once you get EasyBCD 2.0 Beta, Build 63 working as it should, you can simply uninstall NeoGrub under the NeoGrub tab, and add a standard Linux entry under the Linux tab. Make sure to point it at the correct partition Ubuntu is installed to in the Device drop-down menu, and do not tick the box called "Grub is not installed..." if Ubuntu is on the same HDD as Win 7. Otherwise, make sure to tick the box.

Click to expand...

Well, at that point,, when I selected to boot to Linux in the Menu, it gave me a blank screen with blinking cursor in upper-left.
I started a little "process of elimination", and found that it will work just fine when I DO tick the box. I think it may be a result of my install order.

edit to clarify for others: All 3 O/S's are on the same PHYSICAL drive (HDD), but on separate PARTITIONS:
C: -> Windows XP
D: -> Windows 7 (although C & D interchange depending on which O/S is "in charge")
/dev/sda3 -> Linux ROOT
/dev/sda4 -> Extended Partition
/dev/sda5 -> Linux HOME
/dev/sda6 -> Linux SWAP
I hope thats clear enough to help those lost in their partition table, lol!


The machine "was" dual-booting XP & Linux, before I installed Win-7. From what I've read, here, it may have been "don't check" if I had told Linux where to put the Grub (a/o menu.lst). Since my Linux was already resident, I crossed my fingers and ticked the box... and Voila!

Coolname007 said:

And then you will be able to boot into Ubuntu without the "scrolling command-line stuff".

Click to expand...

It got rid of 99%, and I'm mucho happy, now! I edited the menu.lst (under Linux/sudo), to set the default in the Grub menu, and set timeout to "0". Now its a couple "quick" screens with a line or two each (less than 5 seconds total), and I'm getting the Ubuntu graphic for startup.

I mentioned the version issue in case someone else runs across trhis quirk. Beyond that, I'm delighted! The sytstem now Tri-Boots (7/XP/Jaunty) with a minimal amount of fuss & delay... which was the ultimate goal.

Thanks again, for your help, and though I'm no uber-meister... I'd be happy to work with the gang to help test and develop newer releases, if it's needed. I just finished my Associate Degree in CIS (Programming), so I'm "one step above helpless", lol.

Let me know if I can help!


Dave

Thanks for the detailed feedback Dave, I'm sure it'll be useful to Guru.
fyi. The "grub isn't......" box is due for a major facelift in an upcoming build, because it's a source of much confusion. The wording no longer conveys the full circumstances in which the tick, or absence of, is appropriate; as Linux builds have changed and EasyBCD has become more complex in response.
Originally it was eliciting the information about whether Linux had been installed without grub, in which case EasyBCD would install Neogrub and use it to chain to Linux.
Its most recent use is in response to a grub problem which fails to account for the fact that Linux is not installed to the boot drive. In this case the chaining from Vista cannot be effected properly unless Neogrub is again used to workaround the problem (hence Jake's instruction to tick the box if you're on a different HDD, and not if you're on the same HDD as Vista)
You seem to have invented a new situation, possibly due to your use of 3 Linux partitions, (though I'll leave that to Guru to diagnose), whereby Neogrub is needed even when the Linux partition(s) are on the Vista HDD.
You'll see that the "grub isn't ..." box, should more rightly be called the "Do you want/need Neogrub" box, but such a question would probably cause considerably more confusion.
Guru is working on a different design with information delivered by tool-tips, but while the release is Beta and subject to frequent new features, I imagine the cosmetic stuff will be low priority.

The crash you get is because of a conflict between stable and release versions of EasyBCD.

Just delete C:\Users\XXXX XXXXXX\AppData\Local\NeoSmart_Technologies\ and you should be good to go.

as for the linux thing, just remove the "timeout 1
title Ubuntu 9.04 - Jaunty" lines and replace "quiet" with "boot"

I'll try this "last answers first", guys!

CG:

Computer Guru said:

The crash you get is because of a conflict between stable and release versions of EasyBCD.

Click to expand...

Makes perfect sense, CG. I had installed the 1.7.2 (?)Stable on the early attempts, and we all know that "un-install"... doesn't, lol!

Computer Guru said:

Just delete C:\Users\XXXX XXXXXX\AppData\Local\NeoSmart_Technologies\ and you should be good to go.

Click to expand...

Yessir! Un-Installed 2.0.0.61, dumped that AppData folder, and "freshly" installed the .63... and its working without flaw, now.
Thanks for that!

Computer Guru said:

as for the linux thing, just remove the "timeout 1
title Ubuntu 9.04 - Jaunty" lines and replace "quiet" with "boot"

Click to expand...

That sounds like it would have been the "fix", but it was resolved by actually using "Linux's Grub & menu.lst", once I tinkered with Jake's hints a bit (Thanks, Jake), so I don't get any scrolling junk that's not me-generated (I'm toying a little with menu.lst in linux, just to learn, lol). I'm just fussing at it, anyway, it works great. I have a few lines/errors coming OUT of Linux, as well, that have something to do with the way I'm auto-mounting Windows Shares
Drives... but I just realized I'm rambling, so thanks for your help, lol!!

Terry:
Terry, you're absolutely right! As I've just finished my IT Associates, I was looking at that little "tickbox" for a couple hours, I really started thinking of a way that I would have worded or displayed differently (I'm that guy who looks at code and thinks, "How could I make that more elegant?"). The fact it, it is a very "biG" little checkbox, in importance... and its NOT a really easy thing to describe in a couple words.
Yes, its a little confusing or vague, but I can't criticize the designer.... it's a tough little thing to easily describe! And yeah, "Do you want/need NeoGrub?" Yikes, that's handing a knife to an infant, in the "average bob" world (no offense meant to any bobs, or anyone else, lol)!

Honestly, from an experienced-user, beginning-programmer, decade-tinkerer point-of-view, I'm going to chew on this a bit, I ceertainly wouldn't presume to tell anyone how to develop their software, but if a fresh set of "eyes" makes the right suggestion, everybody wins! I'll mull it around a bit and maybe come up with an idea, while I wait to see what changes in the beta process. Great points, Terry, and thanks for chiming in!

I'm curious what you "fly", I lost my PPL about 10 years ago (Medical - Heart). I was able to have a lot of fun for a few years, though! Mostly Cessna 150/172/180s, Piper Cherokee, PA-12, and lucky enough to do hangar maintenance for free time in an old Stearman PT-17.

Jake:
Jake it appears (knock on wood) sorted, straight, and level. I'm grateful for your help, and the welcome you've all offered me. Hopefully as I "grow" I'll be able to lend a hand with the "hordes"

Guys... thanks, really.

Dave

My sig is a little misleading. Whilst technically true, my PPL certificate of currency is so time expired that I'd need to resit all the ground exams as well as getting air-checked again before I could fly P1.
I let it lapse when I quit full-time employment (with IBM) and moved to a smallholding/brewery/mill in very rural Wales, a long way from my flying club.
I recently passed the milestone which saw me retired for longer than I was actually employed by IBM, (20 years give or take a few weeks, though I'm still a few years off getting my pension), and I've not flown in all that time. I mostly flew PA28 cherokees, latterly PA32, with an occasional sortie in a couple of Cessnas but including a couple of nice powerful constant-speed rectractables of both marques, the highlight being PuT aerobatics in a Pitts S1a.
The great regret (see my Avatar) was a narrowly missed opportunity to fly the Nick Grace Spitfire mk IX two-seater. (turn on the stereo and crank up the volume before clicking on this link !)
The same group of us (IBM club - flying subsection) who organized the block booking of the Pitts, were on the verge of a similar arrangement (though considerably more expensive) with Nick, when he most inconsiderately died in a crash (motor car, not aeroplane).
His widow Caroline could not even fly at that time, so the Spit was mothballed (and moved away from its Goodwood base) until she learned to fly it, by which time I was long retired.
She's now a professional display pilot as the website shows (that's her at the controls on the home page).

My Starship Titanic licence is a similar story. Douglas Adams (inconsiderate too) also died young before the software had been upgraded from 9x. I managed (with great difficulty) to get it running on ME, but XP onwards proved impossible. It takes control of the screen using very old Indeo drivers which completely trash the system if you let it regress them, and running it in compatibilty mode results in a display with blank black squares where there should be animation, so it's also been years since I repaired and gained control of the ship and managed to navigate it home across the universe.

I still have my Aptiva with W95 installed sitting in boxes in the attic so, one day, when I get the IT museum up and running, I'll need to re-certify on that too.