when I install a double boot linux/winxp, I always want to keep the Windows boot menu to choose the operating symtem. This is what I usually do:
-Install Winxp
-Install linux (if you dont have space to create a new partition for linux, you have to use partition magic to reduce the size of the WinXP partition and leave some space to create the partition for linux. You can create the partition during the linux setup.
- During the linux setup, choose to install the boot manager (lilo or grub) in the boot sector of the partition where you are installing linux (not in the MBR).
- When you finish the linux installation you wont be able to boot Linux so you have to boot with the linux cd and when you get the prompt create a file with the first sector of the partition where you installed linux
(let's suppose that the partition is hda2, and the file containing the 1st sector is linboot.sec):
dd if=/dev/hda2 of=linboot.sec count=1
you will need to copy this file to the partition (root directory) where you installed WinXP, so copy the file to a floppy (I think you wont be able to mount the WinXP partition to copy directly)
-Restart, boot WinXP, copy linboot.sec to c:\ , Modify the file C:\boot.ini (you will need to change its attributes, it is usually hidden and read only). You have to add a line for linux, the file should be like this:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
C:\linboot.sec="Linux"
Restart and you should see the menu to choose the operating system. If you choose linux, you will see then the linux boot manager (grub or lilo), just configure grub or lilo to boot linux directly without prompting...
Ok, that's all... maybe too complicated (there should be an easier way.. probably using the linux boot manager to choose the OS)
-Install Winxp
-Install linux (if you dont have space to create a new partition for linux, you have to use partition magic to reduce the size of the WinXP partition and leave some space to create the partition for linux. You can create the partition during the linux setup.
- During the linux setup, choose to install the boot manager (lilo or grub) in the boot sector of the partition where you are installing linux (not in the MBR).
- When you finish the linux installation you wont be able to boot Linux so you have to boot with the linux cd and when you get the prompt create a file with the first sector of the partition where you installed linux
(let's suppose that the partition is hda2, and the file containing the 1st sector is linboot.sec):
dd if=/dev/hda2 of=linboot.sec count=1
you will need to copy this file to the partition (root directory) where you installed WinXP, so copy the file to a floppy (I think you wont be able to mount the WinXP partition to copy directly)
-Restart, boot WinXP, copy linboot.sec to c:\ , Modify the file C:\boot.ini (you will need to change its attributes, it is usually hidden and read only). You have to add a line for linux, the file should be like this:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
C:\linboot.sec="Linux"
Restart and you should see the menu to choose the operating system. If you choose linux, you will see then the linux boot manager (grub or lilo), just configure grub or lilo to boot linux directly without prompting...
Ok, that's all... maybe too complicated (there should be an easier way.. probably using the linux boot manager to choose the OS)
lol)