Can't add Fedora to my BCD

P

Panarchy

Distinguished Member
Hello

I can't add Fedora to my BCD.

I currently have Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Fedora (+ one extra) installed.

I would like to add Fedora to my BCD, without having GRUB in my MBR.

How can I do this?

Please tell me how, as the way I have currently done so isn't working (EasyBCD, Write to MBR, Add+ Linux[GRUB] {x}-Not installed in MBR)

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

EDIT: Here is the exactly what appears on the screen after selecting 'Fedora' from the BCD;

Booting 'find /NST/menu.lst

find --set-root --ignore-floppies /NST/menu.lst
(hd0,1)
Filesystme type is ntfs, partition type 0x7
configfile /NST/menu.lst
Turning on gate A20... Success.
Starting cmain() .. find --set-root --ignore-floppies /boot/grub/menu.lst

<flashing white underscore>_</flashing white underscore>
 
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If Linux is on the same HDD as your other systems, you don't tick the "grub is not installed" box.
Install Linux, tell it to put grub on the Linux partition (not the MBR), Use EasyBCD (only release 2.0 - earlier builds have problems with latest Linux builds)
Delete the entry you've already created and add it again specifying the Linux partition from the dropdown and UNticking the box (It IS installed to the bootsector (of the Linux partition))).
 
FYI, Terry, we sometimes have users on here who can only boot into an installation of Linux *if* they select that box, regardless of whether or not Grub is actually installed to the bootsector or not. :wink:
But yes, checking the box doesn't work with Fedora because it uses a separate /boot partition which the default NeoGrub menu.lst that is generated when creating an entry with the box checked doesn't support.
 
I have it from CG Cool, that the problems that cause the straight linux add (without the box ticked) not to work (as on my system), is because the Linux system is on a different HDD. It shouldn't happen if it's a partition on the same HDD. The message is going to be supplemented with an info box and tooltip to make the circumstances where it's needed, more clear.
 
Terry60 said:
I have it from CG Cool, that the problems that cause the straight linux add (without the box ticked) not to work (as on my system), is because the Linux system is on a different HDD. It shouldn't happen if it's a partition on the same HDD. The message is going to be supplemented with an info box and tooltip to make the circumstances where it's needed, more clear.
Click to expand...

Hmm...interesting that. :wink: Its strange then that adding a Linux entry (under the Linux tab) has never worked for me at all (at least for sure when I didn't check the box), though the Linux partition is on the same HDD that my Windows is on, yet configuring NeoGrub manually to use to following text works perfectly fine:

# NeoSmart NeoGrub Bootloader Configuration File
# This is the NeoGrub configuration file, and should be located at C:\NST\menu.lst
# Please see the EasyBCD Documentation for information on how to create/modify entries:
# EasyBCD Documentation Home - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

#This is a comment. Comments are prefixed with a '#'

default 0 #Pick the task to be run if the user doesn't pick one within the time limit.
timeout 10 #Give the user 10 seconds to choose a task.

#We use the "title" keyword to indicate a new entry in the menu.

title Windows XP #This is the first entry - it's number 0
find --set-root /NTLDR #Search for NTLDR on all partitions. Once found, use that partition as root.
makeactive #Make this the active partition
chainloader /NTLDR #Run NTLDR, the Windows XP bootloader
#If we're using a menu, we don't need to use the `boot` command - it's automatically implied.

#This is the second entry
title Ubuntu Linux
root (hd0,3) #Load Ubuntu from the 1st harddrive's 4th partition.
chainloader +1
#End Ubuntu entry

#That's it!
Click to expand...
Not only that, but I clearly remember users on here who with leaving the box unchecked it failed, but when they checked it, it worked...and I do believe a couple of them had Ubuntu on the same drive as Windows. >.< Of course that was probably with earlier versions of EasyBCD though...

Jake
 
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Thanks for your replies.

Terry60 said:
If Linux is on the same HDD as your other systems, you don't tick the "grub is not installed" box.
Install Linux, tell it to put grub on the Linux partition (not the MBR), Use EasyBCD (only release 2.0 - earlier builds have problems with latest Linux builds)
Delete the entry you've already created and add it again specifying the Linux partition from the dropdown and UNticking the box (It IS installed to the bootsector (of the Linux partition))).
Click to expand...
I just tried that, this time adding two new entries, (one selecting the Linux swap, one selecting the partition), Neither checking the box.

Both gave me NOTHING but a flashing white underscore.

I don't want to have to reinstall Fedora (my guess is GRUB isn't in it's bootsector, as it's on a logical partition) as I have just download 400MB or so of packages (KDE).

Please tell me how to get Fedora to boot from the BCD.

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

PS: Yesterday I went on EasyBCD wiki[pedia] and modified the article (it was empty) on GRUB4DOS. :grinning:

EDIT: By making slight changes to CoolName007's menu.lst (listed above) I was able to get to the GRUB4DOS menu at bootup. Yet when I tried booting to Fedora, I got BOOTMGR is missing error :frowning:
 
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You need to point the entry in EasyBCD at the /boot partition (i.e. the separate partition that contains the Fedora boot files), and not the root partition (which contains the Fedora OS). :wink:

Addendum:

Panarchy said:
EDIT: By making slight changes to CoolName007's menu.lst (listed above) I was able to get to the GRUB4DOS menu at bootup. Yet when I tried booting to Fedora, I got BOOTMGR is missing error :frowning:
Click to expand...

Don't know if that will work, Panarchy, though if you want to try that, how about posting the exact text in your NeoGrub menu.lst, along with the output of the following commands run from EasyBCD's Power Console in the "Useful Utilities" section:

MbrFix /drive 0 listpartitions
bootpart
 
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29zx9a1.jpg


Please tell me what to do!

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

BTW: I didn't create a separate partition/mount point for my /boot directory.
 
I see two "Linux native" partitions in the Bootpart output...one on Disk 0, and the other on Disk 1, along with their respective swap partitions.
How many installations of Linux do you have on that computer? And which one contains your Fedora OS?
Did you use the LVM option when installing Fedora?
 
The drive with only 100GB partitions (and a 10GB Swap) is the only drive I care about (for the BCD).

Only look at disk 0.

I currently only have 1 installation of Linux on there.

Please do all you can to get me out of this... rut.

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy
 
You haven't posted the contents of your NeoGrub menu.lst. First post that, and then I will be able to tell you what you need to change so Fedora boots from NeoGrub. BTW, this is not really relevant to your problem, but the fourth partition (shown as 4 in the output of MbrFix, and as 3 in the output of Bootpart - a NTFS partition) on Drive 0, appears to have a problem, as it is not being displayed by MbrFix though Bootpart sees it. That could be maybe due to a corrupt bootsector.
 
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I wouldn't be surprised.

Drive1 is pretty corrupted...

Anyways, as you asked;
# NeoSmart NeoGrub Bootloader Configuration File
# This is the NeoGrub configuration file, and should be located at C:\NST\menu.lst
# Please see the EasyBCD Documentation for information on how to create/modify entries:
# EasyBCD Documentation Home - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

#This is a comment. Comments are prefixed with a '#'

default 0 #Pick the task to be run if the user doesn't pick one within the time limit.
timeout 10 #Give the user 10 seconds to choose a task.

title Fedora
root (hd0,5) #Load Ubuntu from the 1st harddrive's 4th partition.
chainloader +1
#End Fedora entry

#That's it!
Click to expand...

Thanks
 
Panarchy said:
I wouldn't be surprised.

Drive1 is pretty corrupted...

Anyways, as you asked;


Thanks
Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant Drive 0. Edited last post.

Change your menu.lst to the following:
# NeoSmart NeoGrub Bootloader Configuration File
# This is the NeoGrub configuration file, and should be located at C:\NST\menu.lst
# Please see the EasyBCD Documentation for information on how to create/modify entries:
# EasyBCD Documentation Home - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

#This is a comment. Comments are prefixed with a '#'

default 0 #Pick the task to be run if the user doesn't pick one within the time limit.
timeout 10 #Give the user 10 seconds to choose a task.

title Fedora
root (hd0,7) #Load Fedora from the 1st harddrive's 8th partition (logical).
chainloader +1
boot
#End Fedora entry

#That's it!
Click to expand...
Now try it and see if it works.

Jake
 
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Thanks

Why would it be 7? Wouldn't it be 6?

(forgot to include the extended in my calculations before)

The swap is after the ext3...
 
Panarchy said:
Thanks

Why would it be 7? Wouldn't it be 6?

(forgot to include the extended in my calculations before)

The swap is after the ext3...
Click to expand...

Hmm....you're right. I believe it would be 6, not 7, since the count for logical partitions (within an extended partition) begins at 4 for Grub. I guess i counted it wrong. So make sure to enter *6* in, not 5.

Jake
 
Hello

Got error 17 partition can't be mounted.

Then within the GRUB menu I edited it to 4 and got error 14

:frowning:

What should I do?
 
Partition value should be 6, not 5, or 4. The count begins at zero for Grub, and counts the logical partitions starting at 4 regardless of how many primary partitions there are. Just point it at that location in your NeoGrub menu.lst.
 
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I've tried it with both 6 and 7.

I'll add entries to my grub for every single partition number 4 and over.
# NeoSmart NeoGrub Bootloader Configuration File
# This is the NeoGrub configuration file, and should be located at C:\NST\menu.lst
# Please see the EasyBCD Documentation for information on how to create/modify entries:
# EasyBCD Documentation Home - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

#This is a comment. Comments are prefixed with a '#'

default 0 #Pick the task to be run if the user doesn't pick one within the time limit.
timeout 10 #Give the user 10 seconds to choose a task.

title Fedora Part4
root (hd0,4) #Load Fedora from the 1st harddrive's 8th partition (logical).
chainloader +1
boot

title Fedora Part5
root (hd0,5) #Load Fedora from the 1st harddrive's 8th partition (logical).
chainloader +1
boot

title Fedora Part6
root (hd0,6) #Load Fedora from the 1st harddrive's 8th partition (logical).
chainloader +1
boot

title Fedora Part7
root (hd0,7) #Load Fedora from the 1st harddrive's 8th partition (logical).
chainloader +1
boot

title Fedora Part8
root (hd0,8) #Load Fedora from the 1st harddrive's 8th partition (logical).
chainloader +1
boot

#End Fedora entry

#That's it!
Click to expand...
 
Ok, so mind posting a screenshot of your Disk Management? Time to check if all the drive and partition info we can generate matches...
 
2eojp00.jpg


Okay, here are the errors;

Part 4 & Part 5;
BOOTMGR is missing

Part 6;
Error 13: Invalid or unsupported executable format

Part 7;
Error 17: Cannot mount selected partition

Part 8;
Error 22: No such partition

Please tell me how I can correctly add Fedora to my BCD.

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy
 
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