Ubuntu
grub package

What are the Super Grub steps to enable dual boot and setup MBR and Grub

Asked by SkieSyndicate

Unable to dual boot after newly installed system or after an internet update to kernel

SATA drive. Has WinXP installed. Is set to 3rd in BIOS boot order after floppy and cd drive. (hd0)
IDE drive. Has Ubuntu (feisty) 7.04 amd64 installed. Set to AUTO in BIOS. (hd1)

Working Grub before reinstall:
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=a582543b-892b-454b-a2f5-9318e44aadc 7 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic
quiet
savedefault

title Windows XP
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd0)
map (hd0) (hd0)
chainloader +1

I have used Super Grub to fix this problem but totally forgot how I managed to do it. I have tried every option but just can't get it to dual boot. I want to have the option during bootup to push 'esc' before the timer runs out and choose Windows or Ubuntu to boot. I have tried many posted solutions and read all I could on the forums but still can't get it. I can get it to boot only one or the other and never have a choice. It's not loading a Grub with both Windows and Unbuntu on it.
What are the magic steps in Super Grub to fix this problem?
Possible Fix Help:
Under "Linux won't boot" http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/SuperGrubDiskPage.html#boot_windows

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Bob Gray (rjyapp) said : 		#1

I have been in this situation. As I remember I used Super Grub to boot my linux and edited the boot file to add a windows os. However, my new and better solution which allows me choose whatever os I wish (presently Win2000, XP, and Linux Mint but sometimes other linux distros) is XOSL2 installed on a dedicated partition. Old versions of XOSL won't do the trick as I have found after days of frustration. They conflict with newer versions of Grub it seems.

You would need to read up on the XOSL project and be prepared to experiment, preferably on a drive or computer that was not critical. I have XOSL (eXtended Operating System Loader) installed on a logical partition of about 5MB with Smart Boot Manager included to allow options of booting to CD or DVD as well as whatever operating systems I might have installed at the time.

XOSL overwrites the MBR but creates a backup of it, and if all seems lost you could use Super Grub Disk to get back to where you are now.

XOSL2 is of course a free open source download. The guides and documentation are for old XOSL 1.1.5, but still apply.

I love it.

Revision history for this message
Zubin Bhuyan (zoobean) said : 		#2

Boot into Ubuntu using d super grub disk. (hope u knw this)
To get the magical option during bootup to push 'esc' n boot into any of d OSes u hv 2 edit d "menu.lst". u cn either use vi (in terminal, with su root, [pwd]),
OR
any other editor.
 log in as root and edit the file "/boot/grub/menu.lst"
open it and look for "timeout" (which is d time in seconds u gt to press 'esc') [use 'ctrl+f' to find]. :-P
also read d comments for info.
lines starting with '#' is a comment.

these links myt help:
http://boff.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/editing-bootgrubmenulst-to-change-the-grub-boot-menu/
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

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