Win 7 - Vista - Ubuntu tri-boot problem

Scaz

Member
Hi, having had a previously fine win7 - vista dual boot set-up, I tried to install Ubuntu 8.10 to an external hard-drive. I followed all the steps advised in the easybcd documentation. The win7-vista options still work okay but ubuntu fails to boot. I then tried to use neogrub using the config suggested in the documentation(I changed the kernel, and harddrive options to the correct ones). I then used SGD to reinstall grub to the partitions just incase. discovered that booting from the SGD gets me into ubuntu.

Any ideas? cheers
 
Hi Scaz, welcome to NST.
Having an OS on an external HDD can cause problems, as the drives might not always be detected in the same order during the BIOS PnP.
I am unable to advise on the details of Linux boots yet however. I've just created myself some space for Ubuntu, but I'm currently playing with a new W7 install and haven't got round to the Linux install yet, so I'll probably be coming to you for advice.
Stick around till one of the LInux boys gets here.
 
Do you have an Ubuntu LiveCD? If so, then please boot from it (by putting the CD/DVD drive first in the drive order in the BIOS), and choose to "Try Ubuntu without any change to your computer". When you get to the desktop, go to Places>Computer>name of Linux partition>Boot/Grub/menu.lst, and post the contents of your Ubuntu menu.lst.

This is so to allow us to better evaluate your problem, and figure out the solution. :wink:

-Coolname007
 
Can you boot directly from the external drive? Does your computer have usb boot support? Do you have any other usb storage devices plugged in (sd cards, iPods, etc)? Make sure it is the only bootable usb device plugged-in when you power on your computer or create the entry for it in EasyBCD. Are you trying to setup neogrub manually? Post the menu.lst from \nst if you are.
 
# 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=133ad727-3970-4133-b583-c04c8a4da85c ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=133ad727-3970-4133-b583-c04c8a4da85c

## 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 133ad727-3970-4133-b583-c04c8a4da85c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=133ad727-3970-4133-b583-c04c8a4da85c 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 133ad727-3970-4133-b583-c04c8a4da85c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=133ad727-3970-4133-b583-c04c8a4da85c ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
uuid 133ad727-3970-4133-b583-c04c8a4da85c
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/sda1
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda4
title Microsoft Windows XP Embedded
root (hd0,3)
savedefault
chainloader +1

Addendum:

that is my menu.lst from ubuntu, and yes my BIOS has usb boot support.
here is my neobrub menu.lst
# NeoSmart NeoGrub Bootloader Configuration File
#
# This is the NeoGrub configuration file, and should be located at \Device\HarddiskVolume2\NST\menu.lst
# Please see the EasyBCD Documentation for information on how to create/modify entries:
# EasyBCD Documentation Home - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

#find --set-root --ignore-floppies /boot/grub/menu.lst
#configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

# All your boot are belong to NeoSmart!

title Ubuntu
find --set-root /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic ro root=/dev/sdb5
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

Addendum:

its okay i've fixed it, i did what all men do when they get desperate and moved the usb cable to a different port. thanky for your help I appreciate it.
 
Last edited:
Moving it to another usb port caused it to work? That shouldn't matter unless you got other usb storage devices plugged in.
 
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