how to add linux after XP and Vista are on...

wmeyer

wmeyer

Member
I have a machine with XP and Vista already in place, dual-booted. I want to add a Linux installation, and I don't see how I would do that, with EasyBCD. Is it as simple as installing Linux with grub on a boot partition? And if so, what are the details? I will install on hdb, where there are already three logical partitions, so hdb5, hdb6, and hdb7 are in use. I'm assuming hdb8 will be swap, hdb9 for / and hdb10 for /home.

Thanks in advance.
 
Yep, it's that easy.
Tell the setup to install GRUB to the bootsector and NOT the MBR.. finish the Linux install.

Boot into Vista, run EasyBCD, and add a Linux operating system, specifying as "drive" the drive that you installed GRUB to.
 
Turns out it wasn't that easy. I did the install, told it to put grub in a custom partition, specified hdb9, and then tried to use EasyBCD to setup the boot. Easy, yes, but the boot didn't work. Can you tell me what to check on the Linux side?
 
In EasyBCD, go to nifty utilities -> EasyBCD Power Console.
Type in the following:
Code: 
cd C:\Program Files\NeoSmart Technologies\EasyBCD\
mbr.exe --list
to view a list of all partitions on your drive. Do they match the numbering on Linux?
 
Here is the output you requested. Not sure what
you meant about using a codebox, sorry.

Bill

Code: 
G:\NeoSmart Technologies\EasyBCD>mbr.exe --list
rawwrite dd for windows version 0.4beta4.
Written by John Newbigin <jn@it.swin.edu.au>
This program is covered by the GPL.  See copying.txt for details
Win32 Available Volume Information
\\.\Volume{4c345284-b8f7-11da-a302-806d6172696f}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume1
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\c:

\\.\Volume{b2d26afc-a4be-11db-af30-806d6172696f}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume2
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\d:

\\.\Volume{4c9cddb0-a4bb-11db-8779-806d6172696f}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume3
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\e:

\\.\Volume{83182134-a405-11db-9d39-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume4
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\f:

\\.\Volume{28d8fb8a-a4b5-11db-97b2-806d6172696f}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume5
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\g:

\\.\Volume{28d8fb8b-a4b5-11db-97b2-806d6172696f}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume6
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\h:

\\.\Volume{0c7b15cc-a499-11db-9e39-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume10
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\j:

\\.\Volume{64066e99-a4c4-11db-af31-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume11
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\k:

\\.\Volume{64066e97-a4c4-11db-af31-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume12
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\l:

\\.\Volume{64066e95-a4c4-11db-af31-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume13
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\m:

\\.\Volume{64066e93-a4c4-11db-af31-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume14
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\n:

\\.\Volume{64066e91-a4c4-11db-af31-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume15
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\o:

\\.\Volume{4c34528d-b8f7-11da-a302-806d6172696f}\
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume16
  fixed media
  Mounted on \\.\i:

\\.\Volume{6179e850-0929-11db-887d-806d6172696f}\
  link to \\?\Device\CdRom0
  CD-ROM
  Mounted on \\.\z:

\\.\Volume{4c345282-b8f7-11da-a302-806d6172696f}\
  link to \\?\Device\Floppy0
  removeable media
  Mounted on \\.\a:

\\.\Volume{c028eaf4-2093-11db-88c6-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk4\DP(1)0-0+18
  removeable media
  Mounted on \\.\p:

\\.\Volume{c028eaf5-2093-11db-88c6-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk5\DP(1)0-0+19
  removeable media
  Mounted on \\.\q:

\\.\Volume{c028eaf6-2093-11db-88c6-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk6\DP(1)0-0+1a
  removeable media
  Mounted on \\.\r:

\\.\Volume{c028eaf7-2093-11db-88c6-005056c00008}\
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk7\DP(1)0-0+1b
  removeable media
  Mounted on \\.\s:


NT Block Device Objects
\\?\Device\CdRom0
  size is 2147483647 bytes
\\?\Device\Floppy0
\\?\Device\Harddisk0\Partition0
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk0\DR0
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 120034123776 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume1
\\?\Device\Harddisk0\Partition2
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume2
\\?\Device\Harddisk0\Partition3
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume3
\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition0
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk1\DR1
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 200049647616 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition1
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume4
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 55569959424 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition2
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume5
\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition3
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume6
\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition4
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume7
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 1077479424 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition5
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume8
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 9590644224 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition6
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume9
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 14385982464 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk2\Partition0
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk2\DR2
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 500107862016 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk2\Partition1
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume10
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 83363180544 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk2\Partition2
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume11
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 83346729984 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk2\Partition3
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume12
\\?\Device\Harddisk2\Partition4
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume13
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 83346729984 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk2\Partition5
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume14
\\?\Device\Harddisk2\Partition6
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume15
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 83346729984 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk3\Partition0
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk3\DR3
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 250059350016 bytes
\\?\Device\Harddisk3\Partition1
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume16
\\?\Device\Harddisk4\Partition0
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk4\DR20
\\?\Device\Harddisk4\Partition1
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk4\DP(1)0-0+18
\\?\Device\Harddisk5\Partition0
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk5\DR21
\\?\Device\Harddisk5\Partition1
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk5\DP(1)0-0+19
\\?\Device\Harddisk6\Partition0
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk6\DR22
\\?\Device\Harddisk6\Partition1
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk6\DP(1)0-0+1a
\\?\Device\Harddisk7\Partition0
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk7\DR23
\\?\Device\Harddisk7\Partition1
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk7\DP(1)0-0+1b

Virtual devices
/dev/zero
/dev/random
stdin
 
Try using NeoGrub instead, it's a much more straight-forward all-in-one bootloader than this way, though it requires extra configuration.
In EasyBCD: Add an Entry -> NeoGrub -> Install -> Configure NeoGrub

Code: 
# Which listing to boot as default. 0 is the first, 1 the second etc.
default 0
# How many seconds to wait before the default listing is booted.
timeout 30
# Nice, fat splash-image to spice things up :)
# Comment out if you don't have a graphics card installed
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title=Gentoo Linux 2.6.5
# Partition where the kernel image (or operating system) is located
root (hd0,0)
kernel /kernel-2.6.5-gentoo
root=/dev/hda3

That's a sample NeoGrub configuration file, it'll change depending on your configuration.

Let me know if that works or if you need help...
 
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