Tried to dual boot 6.06 and vista. Ubuntu works, Vista does not show up on grub.

Asked by Ammo

I had windows Vista already installed my my laptop. I installed Ubuntu 6.06 (thought i grabbed the 7.04 cd but didn't realize it was the old cd until Ubuntu was already installed). Now when i start up my computer I do not get an option to choose between vista and ubuntu. I think my problem is similar to the one here:

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/11793

heres some of my information:

sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 12219 98145738+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 13525 14593 8586742+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 12220 12284 522112+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4 12285 13524 9960300 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 4102 MB, 4102889984 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 498 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 497 3992135+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

# 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 change this entry to 'saved' 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 3

## 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=/dev/sda4 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,3)

## 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

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

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/sda4 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/sda4 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

I didnt have any problems when installing. I know i didn't write over my vista partition. I had 93gb for vista, 10gb for linux, and 8 gb or something for my HP recovery partition that came with my laptop. Its a 120 gb harddrive. I would really like to get vista and ununtu working without having to reinstall windows. Help is appreciated. Thanks!

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Ammo
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Alli (alzeih) said :
#1

try adding this at the end of your /boot/grub/menu.lst (after ### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST) - you do need to edit as root to save your changes. (ie: gksudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst)

title Windows Vista
root (hd0,1)
chainloader +1
boot

I think this is your windows partition and not your recovery partition. If not, change it to root (hd0,0)

If you want the menu, comment out the line

hiddenmenu

Revision history for this message
Ammo (pm5killa-comcast) said :
#2

I love you so much.
And it was root (hd0,0). I tried (hd0,1) and it boot up to a recovery thing which confused me, but then i changed it and everything works.

Thanks alot