Installing Windows after Linux

dunix · 2004-09-23 17:30:27

I hear rumours that if i install Windows after linux, it will clear my mbr and grub will not work anymore...

If this is true, is there anyway to avoid it or reboot grub into mbr after i installed windows?

patrix · 2004-09-23 17:41:47

just make yourself a linux boot disc so you can boot back to linux and reinstall grub.

Maybe there's a grub installer for windwos, who knows.

dunix · 2004-09-23 17:46:24

As this is the newbie corner could you point me in the direction where ill make a boot disk?

Snowman · 2004-09-23 19:31:09

If you want boot floppy disks:
ftp://ftp.archlinux.org/images/
You'll need to use dd to do it. I don't know the options.
You can use rawrite2.exe if you have access to a Windows machine.

You can probably also boot from the cd-rom

What the Windows installation will do will depend on the manufacturer's CD.
For my Compaq laptop, I just have a recues disk which wipes everything and installs the original setup. :twisted:

You should backup the config files (/etc) and your home directory.

That's why it is usually better to install Windows first.

Dusty · 2004-09-23 19:32:17

You can use the Arch install CD as a rescue disk, or a live CD (knoppix, amlug, etc), or any old boot floppy such as toms root boot (http://www.toms.net/rb/).

Basically, you reboot with the boot rescue disk in the drive, access the grub configuration file on the linux partition, and install it with grub install.

Ok, I've never done this with grub, only lilo, but I assume its basically the same.

Dusty

dp · 2004-09-23 20:00:28

the only thing you should know, if booting with a bootdisc/bootfloppy/lifeCD/... is what partition your root partition is

[damir@Asteraceae ~]$ mount | grep " / "
/dev/hda2 on / type reiserfs (rw)

jp_fielding · 2004-09-23 20:18:39

in the future, don't install grub on your first partition

when i install, i usually make 4 primary partitions, let's say:

a,b,c,d

i give windows a,b, then make c about 200mb for /grub and make d logical with a d1, and d2 extended.

d1 is /, d2 is swap

when you're done, make c the 'active' partition, so your bios will try to boot from there.

then if you install windows, your only concern is switching back the active partition and not resetting up grub. also, if you nuke your linux install and want windows back the way it was, make 'a' your 'active' partition.

hope that helps

ame · 2004-09-23 23:46:44

so you do not need grub to run linux and windows (eek!).
just install all your software and use the miKrosoft boot manager. it s pretty simple.
have a look at o'reillys 'linux in a nutshell' for installation information.
there will not be any problem.
if you dont find it i ll print it in this forum.
so ask me.
ame

lytez · 2004-09-24 06:18:55

As jp_fielding mentioned, Windows _MUST_ occupy the first partition on the primary master disk. I just thought I would clarify this, since you are installing Windows after installing linux..

dunix · 2004-09-24 13:54:31

Thanks for all your posts...

Forgot my Xp cd at work, so will have to wait to monday, to try it out...

But what seems most easy for me to do, if i understood right...

Install Windows, and then place a Archlinux cd, and reinstall grub from it, am i right in that?

zeppelin · 2004-09-24 15:07:11

dunix wrote:

Install Windows, and then place a Archlinux cd, and reinstall grub from it, am i right in that?

yeah, the concept is that easy.
although you have to be able to surpass some warning that you may face concerning 'wrong partition table', or anyways booting from LiveCD means that you have to mount the arch partition, and then point to grub.conf
which should be modified to point to the correct stuff
because your archroot would be under something like /mnt/arch

I with lilo had some problems in the past.
I hope I won't have to play with so many options and ugly hacks again..

If I were you [of I'm not cause I use lilo], I wouldn't install XP at all, and just use them at work [if you really have to].
of course you can try and you will be sucessful in the end, but just try a day when you feel lucky

or try the GOOGLE or this community with more specific problems that you may face trying.

That's all

dunix · 2004-09-25 18:35:45

Well...

I only use Xp for Games... Wine doesn't really seem to do it for me...

rasat · 2004-09-26 03:50:59

dunix wrote:

Install Windows, and then place a Archlinux cd, and reinstall grub from it, am i right in that?

If you have the Arch installer CD (or boot floppy), you can also use it as a boot disk. In boot prompt type (if your installed Arch linux is in partition hda3):

vmlinuz root=/dev/hda3

When your system is booted, run Grub:
grub-install /dev/hda

Miszcz · 2004-09-29 16:09:39

My lilo is down ...
Now i'm on knoppix but i can't boot arch from knoppix i try vmlinuz root=/dev/hda5 and vmlinuz26 root=/dev/hda5 ... witout no results
its my lilo on Arch

boot=/dev/discs/disc0/disc

default=Arch
timeout=50
lba32
prompt

image=/boot/vmlinuz26
        label=arch
        root=/dev/discs/disc0/part5
        read-only

What i must write to boot it ?
Plz for fast reply

Dusty · 2004-09-29 16:20:52

Try booting into normal knoppix. Then your Arch partition is usually automatically mounted. open a terminal. cd to the /mnt/hdxy/etc folder where hdxy is the drive that contains your Arch root partition. run:

lilo -C lilo.conf

This should work, assuming your Arch lilo entry is properly working. If not, try editing the file first and then running the command.

Dusty

Miszcz · 2004-09-29 16:33:16

Dusty wrote:

Try booting into normal knoppix. Then your Arch partition is usually automatically mounted. open a terminal. cd to the /mnt/hdxy/etc folder where hdxy is the drive that contains your Arch root partition. run:
lilo -C lilo.conf
This should work, assuming your Arch lilo entry is properly working. If not, try editing the file first and then running the command.
Dusty

root@ttyp0[etc]# lilo -C lilo.conf
/dev/mapper/control: open failed: No such device
Is device-mapper driver missing from kernel?
/dev/mapper/control: open failed: No such device
Is device-mapper driver missing from kernel?
Incompatible libdevmapper 1.00.19-ioctl (2004-07-03)(compat) and kernel driver
Fatal: raid_setup: stat("/dev/discs/disc0/disc")

rasat · 2004-09-29 16:56:58

Miszcz wrote:

My lilo is down ...
Now i'm on knoppix but i can't boot arch from knoppix i try vmlinuz root=/dev/hda5 and vmlinuz26 root=/dev/hda5 ... witout no results

I forgot to mention, the name of kernel is not according to lilo but boot CD's (or floppy). In Knoppix 3.6 it is "linux26" and "linux24".

linux26 root=/dev/hda5

You can also use linux24 if kernel 2.6.x is not in the CD you are using.

Miszcz · 2004-09-29 17:19:12

I boot it from ArchCD vmlinuz root=/dev/hda5 and it's work

Arch Linux

#1 2004-09-23 17:30:27

Installing Windows after Linux

#2 2004-09-23 17:41:47

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#3 2004-09-23 17:46:24

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#4 2004-09-23 19:31:09

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#5 2004-09-23 19:32:17

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#6 2004-09-23 20:00:28

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#7 2004-09-23 20:18:39

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#8 2004-09-23 23:46:44

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#9 2004-09-24 06:18:55

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#10 2004-09-24 13:54:31

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#11 2004-09-24 15:07:11

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#12 2004-09-25 18:35:45

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#13 2004-09-26 03:50:59

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#14 2004-09-29 16:09:39

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#15 2004-09-29 16:20:52

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#16 2004-09-29 16:33:16

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#17 2004-09-29 16:56:58

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

#18 2004-09-29 17:19:12

Re: Installing Windows after Linux

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