Problem XP and LINUX OS dual boot...
By japerz
@japerz (86)
Philippines
September 13, 2009 2:13pm CST
Ei guys need help, recently I decided to dual boot OS, Windows XP dual boot with LINUX Fedora 10 (with XP already installed). I did, complete the installation and it went smoothly, the problem is with the booting section. I want it to automatically boot on windows XP not on Linux. How can i repair this booting, to straight boot on windows XP. My pc is currently booting straight on fedora.
Any help or suggestion from the experts? =)
Thanks in advance..
2 people like this
8 responses
@forptc (287)
• Philippines
13 Sep 09
I really couldn't recall much my experience in installing and using two OSs specifically Linux and Windows together though I attempted to do it with Windows Me and Linux Mandrake before. I was just kind of iffy with how to setup Linux with Windows installed. I didn't encounter much problems when I succeeded once. A boot option shows up after the memory test and what-have-yous then I could choose between Windows and Linux. I just don't know about Fedora but there just might be a setting for initial boot in Fedora. Try googling it. As for booting on Windows XP, you could try running msconfig on StartRun. Then go to boot.ini tab where you'll see the boot loader. Check if Linux is in the list of operating systems. You might want to change the default OS on the [boot loader] section. It is also advisable to install the other OS on a separate partition. This makes it easier for the PC to detect which OS to run without much fuss or conflict. Maybe you installed both on the same partition and Fedora becomes the default OS. Or maybe Fedora IS definitely configured to be the default OS. I haven't worked with that OS before so I'm not sure about it. Hope this helped.
@japerz (86)
• Philippines
14 Sep 09
Ei guys, thanks for the quick reply. I did check the boot.ini in xp. Here's what's in it:
[boot loader]
timeout = 30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating system]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft WIndows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin/fastdetect.
I dont see any Linux/Fedora on it.. ???
@forptc (287)
• Philippines
14 Sep 09
Hmm, looks bad. I couldn't recall from my installation of Linux-Me before whether there was a Linux in the boot.ini. I do recall though having two options with an XP-98 setup. You could try to check your BIOS because some motherboards have the boot option in their BIOS and you could choose between which two OSs would be the default. If there isn't any, you just might want to search for material on how to configure your Linux to be the default OS and probably also be able to configure a boot loader similar to XPs. If it still doesn't work, check if you've installed it in the same partition as the XP, it just might have an effect overriding XP. You could try reinstalling it on a separate partition.
@japerz (86)
• Philippines
14 Sep 09
Ei ra.. Finally get it. I saw a bootloader selection in fedora. I found it on application section I think and set it to boot first to windows XP. Now it go straight to windows XP not fedora. If I want to use fedora, that's the time I go to selection mode to choose on 2 OS.
Thanks man for all the reply. =)
@ferdzNK (3211)
• Philippines
14 Sep 09
I too have never installed yet a linux in my hard drive. All I'm using was live disc and the portable ubuntu. But if you see the win XP in your linux boot menu, then there must be a config tool for it to set the default OS to boot to after a certain time. For WinXP its just the text file Boot.ini that is needed to be edit. There must be a similar way for your linux fedora.
@forptc (287)
• Philippines
14 Sep 09
So far I've had success with 98/Me and XP on dual boot. The Linux-Me that I did worked too, it's just that I had to go for the Linux first because the Mandrake's setup needed to manage the partitions and I didn't want to compromise the previous OS. It was risky then and I didn't have any back-up of my files. Good thing my sister bought a spare HDD and I had the chance. Well I do hope the boot loader settings in XP works but if it won't, just check out sissygrl's post with the website on dual OS booting on Fedora. Good luck.
1 person likes this
@EliteUser (3964)
• Australia
15 Sep 09
Hey,
I don't really know how to fix your problem, sorry about that. Hopefully someone else will be able to answer your question better than I have done, in a really good way so you can actually benefit from it. Make sure you have a good day, Happy Lotting!!
@EliteUser (3964)
• Australia
30 Sep 09
Hey,
I truly have no idea how to fix your XP and Linux Dual Boot problem, sorry. Hopefully someone else will be able to answer your question better than I have done, in a really good way so you can actually benefit from it. Make sure you have a good day, God bless and Happy Lotting!!
@pratyushtamhankar (859)
• India
17 Sep 09
Ya thats quite simple...
In C drive, or wherever your windows is installed, there's a system file "boot.ini"
If you don't see this file, most probably your "view system files" is "off". Note that its not just a hidden file, its a hidden system file. I guess you know how to make system files visible...
Ok so back to the boot.ini file. Open it using notepad. Things are quite easy when you see the contents of this file. It has something like "primary OS" or something like that. I really don't remember. But I'm sure that when you'll read it, you'll easily understand it. Just try it out...
Ya and do tell me if you have got it or not and whether your problem is solved or not...
Take care buddy..
@pratyushtamhankar (859)
• India
20 Sep 09
Great ! Thank you too. Your method is much easier than mine...
@prajnith (941)
• India
22 Sep 09
just load fedora and go to /boot/grub/ and open menu.lst
it should be something like
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda3
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.10-1.741_FC3)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.10-1.741_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/
initrd /initrd-2.6.10-1.741_FC3.img
title Fedora Core (2.6.9-1.667)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667 ro root=LABEL=/
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-1.667.img
title windows xp
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
just change default=0 to default =2
@1anurag1 (3576)
• India
14 Sep 09
while installing fedora you ll get the option to select it as a primary boot os or not.
if u ve not done this during that time. i m not sure but i can suggest u to go to the xp and set the primary boot system as xp via going to the properties from my computer and then advance and then settings.
u ll get the option there
if this does not work go via typing in run "msconfig" u will get the options there
