Dual Boot Windows Vista Ultimate X64 and Ubuntu 8.04

Run in terminal (without $):
$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda # to show partition table

And:
$ cat /boot/grub/menu.lst | less # to show grub list

Paste output of each, thanks.

Have your read this forum?
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t28847.html

It says to highlight your windows partition when in grub press 'e'.
And change to something like this:
----------
root (hd2)
chainloader --force +1
boot
-----------
After you change it hit enter then 'b' to boot. It it works save changes to '/boot/grub/menu.lst' .
You use leave out 'makeactive' b/c its a different hdd. Change root try (hd0) then withe (hd1) and so on.

Hope this helps some :)

Disk /dev/sda: 640.1 GB, 640135028736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 77825 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00062a68

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 76696 616060588+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 76697 77825 9068692+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 76697 77825 9068661 82 Linux swap / Solaris
edifon@edifon-desktop:~$ cat /boot/grub/menu.lst /less
# 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=dd250d97-02cc-4015-b03b-7e1d42f2c24b ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

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

## 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 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=dd250d97-02cc-4015-b03b-7e1d42f2c24b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=dd250d97-02cc-4015-b03b-7e1d42f2c24b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=dd250d97-02cc-4015-b03b-7e1d42f2c24b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=dd250d97-02cc-4015-b03b-7e1d42f2c24b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, memtest86+
root (hd0,0)
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/sdc1
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd2,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
chainloader +1

it nows says bootmgr is missing when i click the windows line during boot up

Could I also please get the partition table on the other hard drives?

$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb
$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdc

edifon@edifon-desktop:~$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa636a637

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 60800 488375968+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
edifon@edifon-desktop:~$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdc

Disk /dev/sdc: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa5d7a5d7

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 1 60802 488384512 7 HPFS/NTFS
edifon@edifon-desktop:~$

David can you really work me through the steps because i am a complete newbie. i am having high hopes that you have the key to my problems.

Ok... see how this works
Open the terminal and open the menu.lst file:

$ gksudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

fyi, gksudo is a grafical way to become the superuser(su) or sudo ((super users do))) of the computer.
Gedit is the yout text editor.

Go all the way down, Change the last entry to look like this.
---------------
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
rootnoverify (hd2,0)
chainloader +1
---------------
Then save(ctrl+s) reboot ($ shutdown -r now).

Welcome to the community!
Hope this solves it :)

should i keep the map lines or should i just delete them and replace it with your suggestion
This is what i have right now

title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd2,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
chainloader +1

Should i replace it with your suggestion without the map lines? then save and reboot?

title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
rootnoverify (hd2,0)
chainloader +1

Sorry, can you run one last command?

$ cat /boot/grub/device.map

Sorry, can you run one last command?
And paste the out put

$ cat /boot/grub/device.map

Yes, you do need the map commands since your windows install is on a non-first drive.
I did not know this because my computer only has one hard drive!
So the final entry should look like:

title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
rootnoverify (hd2,0)
savedefault
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
chainloader +1

Hope this will help :)

This is what i get when i run the command you requested

$ cat /boot/grub/device.map
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb
(hd2) /dev/sdc

i did what you asked me to do
i typed in
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
rootnoverify (hd2,0)
savedefault
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
chainloader +1

I saved and exited
when i rebooted i got error 13: invalid or unsupported executable format

Since i have three hard drives, do i need to map all 3? the sequence is like this
Ubuntu is installed on the First hard drive
My documents for both Vista and Ubuntu are on my Second hard drive
Vista is on my Third hard drive

I hope i am giving you all the info you need. I have all the patience in the world so if you want me to run more commands for you, that is fine.

@David Alvarez please read this http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=895194

Thank you Marcobra for your post. Any further help would be appreciated! :)

Edifon, sorry for my slow responses. I have been trying to be get back asap.
Thank you for your patience, I am trying to the best of my abilities.

Try this:

title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
rootnoverify (hd2,0)
savedefault
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
chainloader +1
makeactive

If that fails add --force option to chainloader:

title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
rootnoverify (hd2,0)
savedefault
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
chainloader --force +1
makeactive
Oh, and about mapping the third hd. Do you just store files on the third hd or does it have your user directory on it?

Hope this helps :)