Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

San2ban · 2010-08-24 14:06:18

Dear Archers

My friend wants me to install ArchLinux on his desktop, with 2 separate HDD. He already has win xp installed on one HDD. He wants to dual boot. Pl. give some inputs as to how this should be done.

(My experience is limited. I have installed ArchX86_64 only, on my desktop)

I have read the wiki, but I am not confident of doing this with only so little explanation

alexandrite · 2010-08-24 14:23:07

It should be pretty simple. Just install Arch on the HDD without XP on it, install grub to the Arch drive's MBR, then change the boot priority in the BIOS so that the Arch drive is booted first.

When you add your "windows" menu item to GRUB, the "root" entry should look like:

rootnoverify(hd1,0)

assuming XP is on the first paritition of the other drive.

Assuming you install GRUB to the correct drive, it should be harmless to play around with menu.lst until you get it working right.

Last edited by alexandrite (2010-08-24 14:24:39)

San2ban · 2010-08-24 17:09:49

Thanks. I will follow your advice and report back.

The other HDD is 160GB, SATA, seagate make. hope this is OK

San2ban · 2010-08-28 16:44:33

Dear Archers
Tried to install arch on 2nd HDD, 40GB UATA disk. It recognizes the first HDD with windows on it as 'sdb'
and the 2nd HDD as 'sda'

While installation on this 2nd HDD (40GB), it says ' logical partitions clash' or something, and aborts installation
I take it hat the explanation / changes suggested in 'Archwiki' is to be implemented after installation of arch
Pl. guide me

San2ban · 2010-08-28 17:08:39

Pl. see the output of "Belarc advisor"
My 2nd HDD 40GB is recognized as drive 0 in win XP

ST3160211AS [Hard drive] (160.04 GB) -- drive 1, SMART Status: Healthy
ST340823A [Hard drive] (40.02 GB) -- drive 0, s/n

When I try to install arch on 2nd HDD, it recognizes this as 'sda'

Pl. guide

hokasch · 2010-08-28 17:15:16

it says ' logical partitions clash' or something, and aborts installation

if you want people be able to help, you will have to describe your problem a bit better

sda normally is the first hd, sdb the second.

San2ban · 2010-08-28 18:33:23

Dear archers

completed installation on sda, edited the menu.lst as suggested in "Archwiki", for booting from multiple hard drives.
After restarting, windows boots directly.
GRUB loaded in MBR of sda.
Pl. guide further

hokasch · 2010-08-28 18:35:22

Check your Bios, it should be set to boot from the hd you installed grub to (sda/the smaller drive).

San2ban · 2010-08-29 03:20:04

thank you. Yes, it was not so earlier. Now, after changing it to boot from sda, it asks which one to boot?
Archlinux
Archlinux fallback
windows

when I select 'Windows', it says "error: root (hd0,1) file not found.
Archlinux boots perfectly
Pl. guide me. what should I do to make windows boot?

Also, I do not know how to get the file menu.lst to edit it. Pl. guide

jasonwryan · 2010-08-29 03:44:37

San2ban this is all explained in detail in the wiki entry: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Win … _Dual_Boot

If you don't know how to edit the grub menu list, then you should read that entry as well: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Grub

alexandrite · 2010-08-29 03:46:50

menu.lst is in /boot/grub/ and you can edit it with whatever tool you like. Just keep in mind you have to be logged in as root to make changes to menu.lst.

You want to have your "windows" entry point to the correct partition, which of course is on whatever drive Arch is not.

San2ban · 2010-08-29 05:16:46

Many thanks to all of you for your suggestions. Every thing is set right.

My last problem on this issue is, the time given for selecting the OS to be loaded is very less, 5 seconds.
Pl. guide me how to increase this

jasonwryan · 2010-08-29 05:19:53

You obviously haven't been reading the wiki links provided - this option is spelled out on the Grub page http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Grub#Configuration

Please do not be a help vampire...

Closing

Arch Linux

#1 2010-08-24 14:06:18

Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#2 2010-08-24 14:23:07

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#3 2010-08-24 17:09:49

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#4 2010-08-28 16:44:33

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#5 2010-08-28 17:08:39

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#6 2010-08-28 17:15:16

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#7 2010-08-28 18:33:23

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#8 2010-08-28 18:35:22

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#9 2010-08-29 03:20:04

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#10 2010-08-29 03:44:37

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#11 2010-08-29 03:46:50

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#12 2010-08-29 05:16:46

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

#13 2010-08-29 05:19:53

Re: Dual boot ArchLinux and Win XP on 2 separate HDD

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