Arch Linux

Sikul

Member

Registered: 2009-01-02

Posts: 4

Grub not booting Vista

When I select my Windows Vista option in grub it goes to a screen and says "Grub Loading Stage2..." and then it goes back to grub boot options.

Here's the output for sudo fdisk -l:

Disk /dev/sda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x5424a154

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1        1925    15462531    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2   *        1926       31246   235520000    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3           31246       33678    19535040   83  Linux
/dev/sda4           33678       38913    42050208+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5           33678       33927     2000061   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6           33927       38913    40050084+  83  Linux

Here's my settings for /boot/grub/menu.lst:

# (0) Windows Vista
title Windows Vista
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
makeactive
chainloader +1


# (1) Arch Linux
title  Arch Linux
root   (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/a4b5938a-186f-467c-a3e0-665407cc4bc0 ro
initrd /boot/kernel26.img

# (2) Arch Linux
title  Arch Linux Fallback
root   (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/a4b5938a-186f-467c-a3e0-665407cc4bc0 ro
initrd /boot/kernel26-fallback.img

I think I may have installed grub to the windows partition, if that's even possible.  Anyone know a solution?

Edit:  Arch Linux boots completely fine.

Last edited by Sikul (2009-01-07 08:20:00)

bgc1954

Member

From: Edmonton, AB, Canada

Registered: 2006-03-14

Posts: 1,160

Re: Grub not booting Vista

Hi,
Welcome to the Arch Forums.  A simple search through the forums can sometimes help--if you hadn't already done that. Check out this: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=61545

---

Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils ... - Louis Hector Berlioz

b9anders

Member

Registered: 2007-11-07

Posts: 691

Re: Grub not booting Vista

I think I may have installed grub to the windows partition, if that's even possible.  Anyone know a solution?

If you did that, your windows install is gone. Doubt it though, I am not even sure grub can boot from a NTFS partition. What command did you use to install grub?

Last edited by b9anders (2009-01-07 14:28:20)

Mr.Elendig

#archlinux@freenode channel op

From: The intertubes

Registered: 2004-11-07

Posts: 4,092

Re: Grub not booting Vista

I think I may have installed grub to the windows partition, if that's even possible.  Anyone know a solution?

If you did that, your windows install is gone.

Wrong.

Boot the vista cd, fix the bootloader, then reinstall grub to mbr following this: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Reinstalling_GRUB

---

Evil #archlinux@libera.chat channel op and general support dude.
. files on github, Screenshots, Random pics and the rest

perbh

Member

From: Republic of Texas

Registered: 2005-03-04

Posts: 765

Re: Grub not booting Vista

Microsoft at it's finest hour!
I didn't dare to touch the MBR (after first treating Vista like I would XP and loosing the darned thing - which - in retrospect - might be just as well!).
So - I installed grub in the root directory (that would be /dev/sda3 for you - hd(0,2)) and used fdisk to set partition #3 as the active partition. Now _that_ work as a charm - other than each time Vista updates itself (automatic updates are on), it sets partition #2 as the active one and I have to use a live-cd ('grml' is awesome!!) to change the active partition back to #3.

All this works fine for my case ... YMMV

b9anders

Member

Registered: 2007-11-07

Posts: 691

Re: Grub not booting Vista

I think I may have installed grub to the windows partition, if that's even possible.  Anyone know a solution?

If you did that, your windows install is gone.

Wrong.

Boot the vista cd, fix the bootloader, then reinstall grub to mbr following this: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Reinstalling_GRUB

I was under the impression that grub simply will not install on anything but a formatted partition or MBR and will format it itself when installing(?).

Mr.Elendig

#archlinux@freenode channel op

From: The intertubes

Registered: 2004-11-07

Posts: 4,092

Re: Grub not booting Vista

If you did that, your windows install is gone.

Wrong.

Boot the vista cd, fix the bootloader, then reinstall grub to mbr following this: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Reinstalling_GRUB

I was under the impression that grub simply will not install on anything but a formatted partition or MBR and will format it itself when installing(?).

You are confused about how grub and bootloaders in general work.

---

Evil #archlinux@libera.chat channel op and general support dude.
. files on github, Screenshots, Random pics and the rest

Sikul

Member

Registered: 2009-01-02

Posts: 4

Re: Grub not booting Vista

I searched the forums and couldn't find anything useful.

I think I may have installed grub to the windows partition, if that's even possible.  Anyone know a solution?

If you did that, your windows install is gone.

Wrong.

Boot the vista cd, fix the bootloader, then reinstall grub to mbr following this: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Reinstalling_GRUB

I attempted this, but when I boot from CD it says it can't find any Windows installs , so I can't get to the step where I can open a command prompt.  Unless there is a key sequence I can hit to bring up a command prompt in Windows, I think this option is out.

Last edited by Sikul (2009-01-07 18:55:27)

Sikul

Member

Registered: 2009-01-02

Posts: 4

Re: Grub not booting Vista

Figured it out.  Booted up the Windows Vista install disk and brought up a command prompt.  Type "recboot /fixboot" and everyhing worked.  I didn't have to reinstall grub.  Thanks for the help.