Ubuntu
kdebase package

Dual boot Kubuntu & XP, separate HDDs

Asked by Rune

How do I set it up so that I get the option to boot XP or Linux at startup (without swapping HDDs)?

I have tried Kubuntu from the CD for some time and want to take the next step.
I gave it a disk to itself.

How do I make a linux.bin I can use? I cant access the Linux install from the live CD, and I was not prompted during install to make a boot disk as most tutorials say I should.

(I did get the whole thing to work on a PIII, but I dont feel like loosing XP on my `real machine`)

Anyone feel like helping a complete beginner?

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Ubuntu kdebase Edit question
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Rune
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Revision history for this message
Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said : 		#1

Have you installed it yet? If not, boot the live CD and then click the install icon on the desktop. It will ask some questions and then it will ask about partitioning. Select guided, whole disk and then select the drive you want to use. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T SELECT THE WINDOWS DRIVE OR WINDOWS WILL BE GONE. Finish the questions and then install. Make sure it is going to install grub to the master boot record of drive 0 (HD0).

Be sure to back up everything you are unwilling to lose just in case.

One thing to do is make sure the windows drive is set as the primary boot drive (you do this in the bios). You can probably do the opposite but I find that it works better this way. Also, grub as to be installed to the primary drive for it to load at boot time. If you run into any grub problems after install, post back and we can get them fixed. With two drives things don't always work as it seems they should.

Revision history for this message
Rune (rune-aremeriel) said : 		#2

Thank you for the effort.
I did reinstall both operative systems on another disk (Now HD0 or C:)
that I could partition according to the numerous tutorials online.
Both OS now works great. Now onto installing Linux MCE.

Thank you

Rune

Jim Hutchinson wrote:
> Your question #8968 on kdebase in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/kdebase/+question/8968
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Jim Hutchinson proposed the following answer:
> Have you installed it yet? If not, boot the live CD and then click the
> install icon on the desktop. It will ask some questions and then it will
> ask about partitioning. Select guided, whole disk and then select the
> drive you want to use. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T SELECT THE WINDOWS DRIVE OR
> WINDOWS WILL BE GONE. Finish the questions and then install. Make sure
> it is going to install grub to the master boot record of drive 0 (HD0).
>
> Be sure to back up everything you are unwilling to lose just in case.
>
> One thing to do is make sure the windows drive is set as the primary
> boot drive (you do this in the bios). You can probably do the opposite
> but I find that it works better this way. Also, grub as to be installed
> to the primary drive for it to load at boot time. If you run into any
> grub problems after install, post back and we can get them fixed. With
> two drives things don't always work as it seems they should.
>
>

Revision history for this message
Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said : 		#3

Sounds like everything is working fine. Do you consider this issue solved? If so, please mark it so on the launchpad site. If you have further questions please feel free to ask.

Revision history for this message
Best Rune (rune-aremeriel) said : 		#4

Actually...
Something weird happened that I can't explain, I had to reinstall Kubuntu because I didn't install MCE before I updated.
Anyway, after the reinstall I suddenly had two XP pro listed in Grub, but only the "old" install worked.
And I had to edit the HD for Kubuntu to HD(0.1) instad of HD(1.1).

The first KUBUNTU install did not recognize my two S-ATA disks (neither did the partitioning software I used), while they are now operating for both operating systems.
It could be linked to this.

Revision history for this message
Milambar (hetar) said : 		#5

I have a similar problem. I have two hd's. One had an old installation of xp that i didnt want anymore and the other had a brand new installation that i wanted to keep. I installed ubuntu on the old harddrive and told it not to touch the new one. But now i cant boot into windows anymore. When grub loads it only shows ubuntu, no windows OS. And when i disconnect the old HD, it cant recognize any OS's on the new hd. All of the files are still there but i wonder if i accidentally messed with the boot sector some how?

Chris