Vista+Ubuntu Boot

Whskey

Member
Hi guys,

I have two hard drives in my computer, both 500GB. On one hard drive I have Vista 32 bit and on another I have Vista 64 Bit. I have partitioned the Vista hard drive in half so that 250GB is used for Vista and the other 250GB will be used for Ubuntu. I have already tried installing, then when I add the boot loader with easyBCD and try to boot it says that the hard drive cannot be detected. And if I add Ubuntu with the GRUB isn't installed to the bootsector option checked and try to boot it loads then gives me some option with GRUB. Im totally confused as to what I should do next and any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Whskey™
 
Hi Whskey. Welcome to NST.
Ok, so since you tried adding an entry under the Linux tab with that box checked, we can narrow the problem down to a faulty menu.lst (most likely...) on your Ubuntu partition. :wink: So could you please boot from a LiveCD, and post the contents of the menu.lst located at /boot/grub/menu.lst on your Ubuntu partition? Also, what version of Easy are you using? Try 2.0 beta instead, and see if you have any better luck. You also need to post the output of the following command run from the Terminal located at Applications>Accessories>Terminal while booted from the LiveCD:

Code:
sudo fdisk -l
The last letter is a lowercase "L".

-Coolname007
 
Last edited:
I've tried easyBCD 2 Beta; however, when I click on the Linux tab the program just freezes.

Nonetheless, I've managed to locate the Menu.lst located in my Ubuntu partition, here it is:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=49f3679b-e604-40a3-a1b1-4cfd014e4179 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=49f3679b-e604-40a3-a1b1-4cfd014e4179

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic
uuid 49f3679b-e604-40a3-a1b1-4cfd014e4179
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=49f3679b-e604-40a3-a1b1-4cfd014e4179 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 49f3679b-e604-40a3-a1b1-4cfd014e4179
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=49f3679b-e604-40a3-a1b1-4cfd014e4179 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
uuid 49f3679b-e604-40a3-a1b1-4cfd014e4179
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda3
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,2)
savedefault
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sdb1
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd1,0)
savedefault
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1

As well the output for the command you told me to punch into the terminal are:

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 7 56196 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 8 1966 15728640 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 * 1966 60802 472600576 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x97fb3519

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 30409 244258812 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 30410 60801 244123740 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 30410 30907 4000153+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb6 30908 60801 240123523+ 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdg: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x520daaae

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdg1 1 60801 488384001 b W95 FAT32

Thanks,

Whskey
 
I've tried easyBCD 2 Beta; however, when I click on the Linux tab the program just freezes.
You too? :S We seem to be getting a lot of users with that particular problem lately with 2.0 Beta...
Let me get back to you on this. There may be some more info you will need to provide, in order for us to figure out if its a problem with BootGrabber or not. :wink:

Cheers.

-Coolname007
 
Last edited:
Hi, guys just wanted to say that the new Beta build worked great and now I am able to triple boot.

I'm so grateful with all you guys did for me, so I gotta ask.... Can I leave you two positive feedback anywhere?
EasyBCD is the greatest software I've ever used and will continue to use, and it's support team is simply AMAZING!

However, I have one more question: When I load the GRUB, there are two of each (normal Linux boot and recovery Linux boot) There is nothing wrong I'm just interested in knowing why that is.

Once again, Thank you, Computer Guru and Coolname007, very much.
If ever I, or anyone I know has problems with booting I tell them to come to you guys. :grinning:
 
However, I have one more question: When I load the GRUB, there are two of each (normal Linux boot and recovery Linux boot) There is nothing wrong I'm just interested in knowing why that is.

The second option is to boot into "recovery mode" which is basically a command prompt from which can be run various commands needed to fix any problems that might arise, and prevent you from booting...:wink: Your normal entry should boot you straight into Ubuntu.

Cheers.

-Coolname007
 
Hey Whskey, glad everythings working.

Yeah, its there for recovery like Cool Said. Think of it as the equalivent to Windows's Safe Mode with Command Prompt or Legacy Window's recovery console, basically there to give you the oppertunity to fix problems.
 
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