Dual-boot XP and PCLinuxIS 2007 issues

Hi guys,

I've been scouring forums for a few days now and received valuable help from
PM'ing a member here but I am still having problems booting to a new install of PCLinux so I thought I would post the issue here. Keep in mind I'm a complete Linux noob but trying to learn. Here's the setup:

2 HDD's: Main is a SATA drive , second is and IDE.

Windows is installed on the SATA drive and for the Linux install I made 4 partitions.
On the IDE drive is /root (hdd6), swap (hdd5) and /home (hdd8)
On the SATA drive is /boot (sda7)

The install seemed to go well and I installed grub on the /root on the IDE drive.
After this I ran bootloader and added PCLinux 2007 to the boot.ini

I rebooted without the linux disc in and the boot option menu came with the choices being XP Home or PCLinux 2007. XP loads fine if selected but if I pick Linux the screen goes black for a second and them right back to the boot menu. XP is the only one that works though I can boot to the Linux live CD if needed.
I hope someone can help, I've spent a few days on this alreadsy and I'm determined to make it work right.

Thanks

Edit:
After running boatloader, this is my boot.ini

[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
C:\BootPart\bootlinx.bin="PCLinuxOS 2007"

 

hi,

i had the same problem with bootpart when i tried to dualboot w2k and mandriva linux, i now boot a completely different way

but i may be able to help a little with your dualbooting problem,

i need to see your menu.lst (lst = list NOT first)

can you download this and install in windows

http://www.fs-driver.org/

its a driver that allows you read and write access to linux from windows, you will be able to 'see' and install the linux partitions (mine are called x, y and z),
after you have allocated letters to your linux partitions and rebooted can you copy and paste your boot/grub/menu.lst entries and i'll have a look

 

Thanks Hawklord, here is my menu.lst file:

timeout 10
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
gfxmenu (hd1,5)/usr/share/gfxboot/themes/pclinuxos/boot/message
default 4

title linux
kernel (hd0,6)/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=/dev/hdd6 acpi=on resume=/dev/hdd5 splash=silent vga=788
initrd (hd0,6)/initrd.img

title linux-nonfb
kernel (hd0,6)/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux-nonfb root=/dev/hdd6 acpi=on resume=/dev/hdd5
initrd (hd0,6)/initrd.img

title failsafe
kernel (hd0,6)/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=failsafe root=/dev/hdd6 failsafe acpi=on resume=/dev/hdd5
initrd (hd0,6)/initrd.img

title windows
root (hd1,0)
map (0x81) (0x80)
map (0x80) (0x81)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title windows1
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

 

hi,

(i wanted to check something in your menu.lst)

as i said, i had the same sort of problem and i found a way to dual boot without the need for bootpart or editing boot.ini, the only 'option' loader i use is menu.lst, (the reason i needed to look at yours),

this is the way i boot

linux = master
windows = slave

linux is not, in any way, shape or form, installed in windows, and vice versa (apart from a couple of lines in menu.lst)

i get the grub loader screen and the option to boot into linux (default) or windows,

i can swap my windows drive to master and it will boot as if its the only one, using ntldr and boot.ini (ie, a normal boot)

if you would like instructions i will gladly offer them

 

Was there a problem with doing it the normal way - i.e letting the grub/lilo bootloader take over the MBR on the first HD?

It would have given you access to Windows or Linux easily enough without having to do it the hard way that you seem to have done - or nearly done
To use the boot.ini method means installing to the root partition then make a boot sector image of that partition, which is normally only used when trying to get two or more Linux's to behave with Windows

A simple system + swap file partition is all you really need - having /home and /boot partitions is over complicating things IMO. I've never used either in seven years and dozens and dozens of Linux installs

A swap partition of 512 MB is all you'll ever need and a main partition of 10 GB is ample (EXT3 is a good all round file system to choose for this)

I would start again and not try to over complicate things. You just need a main Linux system partition and a small swap and let Linux install it's grub or lilo bootloader to the MBR. You shouldn't have any trouble with that setup

 

Hi Hawklord and Mikkh,

Thanks for the good ideas. I was actually trying to install it using the guide that is stickied at the top of the linux forum here and my thought was to try to make Windows the default so if my wife boots up it will take her straight to Windows after 10 seconds. After 3 days of messing with it I'm going try to set it it up the way you guys described unless you can think of any way to adjust what I have to make it work. I'll post back after giving it a try shortly.

 

I re-installed as suggested and everything works great! Thanks for all the help. I'll try your suggestion too Plodr.

 

As a follow-up, I tried makiing Windows the default in the Grub boot order and it didn't list Linux upon boot up. I had to re-install so I'll leave it as default and live with it.