Dualbooting XP and Arch

Zack89 · 2008-09-28 02:56:15

Hi! I just finished setting up my Arch Linux in Vbox.. and im feeling brave enough to dual boot it on my Windows PC.. I read the wiki and it seems simple enough.. but I just have a few questions.. Im going to do it in this method since this is how I got it to work on my Vbox:

/dev/hda1 Windows
/dev/hda2 Swap
/dev/hda3 Root

Now just a few questions.. A.. will root and Swap be Primary or Logical Paritions? B.. where am I installing GRUB on /dev/hda3? And I guess C.. I shouldnt have to fix my Windows Boot Manager when I install this? I had to fix it when I did a dual boot between Vista and XP.. (Vista... *shiver*)
Thanks!

AD28 · 2008-09-28 03:18:48

A) It's up to you.. I would just make them primary partitions.

B) You can install grub on sda3 if you want, but you'll have to take a copy of its boot sector over to your windows system partition.

dd if=/dev/sda3 of=arch.bin bs=512 count=1

Copy this arch.bin file over to C:\ in windows.. many ways to do it, but I usually just email it to myself. Then add arch to the ntldr.

The other option is just installing grub to the mbr and use grub to chainload windows.

C) If you do the 1st method correctly, it won't touch the ntldr. If you use the other option and install grub to the mbr, you'll have to run FIXMBR if you decide to remove linux later on.

Zack89 · 2008-09-28 04:07:22

Yeah thats what I read in the wiki.. so if im chainloading windows I would install Grub on to /dev/hda1? That method seems easier than doing the arch.bin file thing then modding ntldr.. I dunno where ntldr is even on windows lol >_> I just get scared when I see NTLDR missing when windows boots >_>

Allan · 2008-09-28 04:33:34

You would install grub to the MBR (master boot record) of hda which will appear as /dev/hda at the top of the list you select from. Will will need to uncomment the windows section in /boot/grub/menu.lst and adjust it to point at hda1.

Zack89 · 2008-09-28 05:08:49

I think I understand, thanks!

Allan · 2008-09-28 05:16:42

Fairly general advise for taking your first step into dual booting - Make sure you have everything backed up.

Zack89 · 2008-09-28 05:25:48

Oh Totally.. I actually had a similar experience where I tried to install LFS on my Mac.. (was totally new to Linux so >_>) and totally screwed it up.. thank Steve jobs for Time machine.. hr and a half (and many abused penguins later) had my system back up ^^ Thanks Allan! You so smart

Arch Linux

#1 2008-09-28 02:56:15

Dualbooting XP and Arch

#2 2008-09-28 03:18:48

Re: Dualbooting XP and Arch

#3 2008-09-28 04:07:22

Re: Dualbooting XP and Arch

#4 2008-09-28 04:33:34

Re: Dualbooting XP and Arch

#5 2008-09-28 05:08:49

Re: Dualbooting XP and Arch

#6 2008-09-28 05:16:42

Re: Dualbooting XP and Arch

#7 2008-09-28 05:25:48

Re: Dualbooting XP and Arch

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