Arch Linux

Memphys

Member

Registered: 2008-06-22

Posts: 2

Bootloader Question

Hello all,

When I built my new system, I didn't have a retail copy of XP so I used a reinstall disk from one of my old Dell's and installed XP on sda1. When I installed Arch, I installed grub on sda1. Now that I have a retail copy of XP, will installing it on sda1 wipe grub?

Thanks

ralvez

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2005-12-06

Posts: 1,694

Website

Re: Bootloader Question

As far as I know it will. Windows wants to be "the only" operating system in the disk.
You can however re-install grub after you put Windows and that's all you should need to do to have a dual boot.

I personally prefer using VMWare or VirtualBox to have those few XP apps. that only run in Windows because I do not have to exit my Linux environment to run XP... just and idea.

R.

MilosC

Member

From: Serbia

Registered: 2008-06-04

Posts: 79

Re: Bootloader Question

I think it will. I would reinstall GRUB to Arch partition, because it's very simple (grub-install).

Berticus

Member

Registered: 2008-06-11

Posts: 731

Re: Bootloader Question

Well first you won't be able to install XP since you just have the reinstall disc that came with a Dell. That's there simply to reformat if there's an issue. You won't be able to use it to actually install XP on a new system.

Secondly, if you do put XP on sda1, everything in there will be wiped since XP will format it to NTFS. Windows installer would also install ntbootloader onto MBR without informing or asking you. So best ways to dual boot Windows and Linux is to either install them on two separate hard drives (this is what I do) or install Windows first.

yvonney

Member

Registered: 2008-06-11

Posts: 671

Re: Bootloader Question

I found that the boot cd for supergrub works for whatever I need to do to get back grub... then I boot ARCH and uncomment the windows chainloader thing and set the partition to the XP number there as well. an I find virtualbox is great as well though some apps you may want to run from XP on it's own partition.

I found it surprisingly easy to have linux installed first and on the beginning of the drive (3 partitions only though) then use gparted to FORMAT the remaining unused space as ntfs which was the way I got XP to just install.. then the supergrub fix grub thing, then boot into linux and edit the chainloader lines... I was very surprised it wasn't harder ...

I would completely wipe the drive of partitions with gparted before anything... and any rescue cd thing does feel right nor work from what I've heard.

Last edited by yvonney (2008-06-22 17:46:41)

Memphys

Member

Registered: 2008-06-22

Posts: 2

Re: Bootloader Question

Thanks for the posts.  I have used virtual box in the past under Ubuntu, but for gaming native xp is best.