Installed Linux after XP & Vista, but no Linux?

Tech Support Forum Linux, BSD and Other OS's
1

Ok, I had Xp and Vista installed on my computer, then I installed Linux - Ubuntu on a partition (Ext 3), and its SWAP on a different partition (linux-swap), but when I boot up, it loads to the Vista bootloader, and not straight to Linux as the instructions said…

How to: Dual-boot Windows Vista and Linux

There was no option that said to specify GRUB as the bootloader when installing it, so I’m assuming that was the default.

How do I get Linux to boot?

(Eventually, I want to triple boot all of them with the use of Vista Boot Pro… VistaBootPRO - Go PRO with Windows Vista and VistaBootPRO)

2

During the installation of Ubuntu, you must install the bootloader on the first boot partition instead of the partition where you install Ubuntu. So you must install GRUB on the partition where Vista is installed.

3

GRUB should have been installed to the MBR, not the root partition.

4

The first boot partition is the place where the system ‘goes’ after POST. So from that point, you’ll have to make a ‘road’ leading from the start of that partition to all OSes. By installing GRUB on the MBR (the correct way), you actually put a roadsign there, leading to linux. If that roadsign is not there, then the system won’t go there (by speaking).

5

ok, so, how do I install GRUB properly, will I have to do a re-install???

6

Yeah, you’ll have to reinstall Ubuntu. At the bootloader setup choose to install GRUB to the MBR instead of the root partition.

7

you just need an install floppy to install GRUB to HDD from FDD, i don’t know where you DL the floppy image, i’ll try to find it

Edit: here’s how to do it

8

how do i do that, it doesnt give an option tp install grub, im tryin to install 6.10

9

im at this stage…

Select which partitions you want to use for your new installation, and where you want to mount each of them.

You must mount one partition on the root file system (“/”), and you must choose at least one partition for use as swap space.

…does the “/” go under the primary partition where my vista os is installed

…the other options are:
/home
/boot
/usr
/vat

which one do i put under the linux (ext3) partition

10

i tried putting /boot in the same partition where my vista os is installed, but it wont install cause its an nfts

11

k i tried installing the GRUB to (sd0,0) but i got this error…

We’re sorry; the installer crashed. Please file a new bug report at OpenID transaction in progress (do not attach your details to any existing bug) and a developer will attend to the problem as soon as possible. To help the developers understand what went wrong, include the following detail in your bug report, and attach the files /var/log/syslog and /var/log/partman:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File “/usr/bin/ubiquity”, line 166, in ?
main()
File “/usr/bin/ubiquity”, line 161, in main
install(sys.argv[1])
File “/usr/bin/ubiquity”, line 57, in install
ret = wizard.run()
File “/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/frontend/gtkui.py”, line 305, in run
self.process_step()
File “/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/frontend/gtkui.py”, line 856, in process_step
self.progress_loop()
File “/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/frontend/gtkui.py”, line 628, in progress_loop
raise RuntimeError, (“Install failed with exit code %s\n%s” %
RuntimeError: Install failed with exit code 1
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “/usr/share/ubiquity/install.py”, line 1404, in ?
install.run()
File “/usr/share/ubiquity/install.py”, line 385, in run
self.configure_bootloader()
File “/usr/share/ubiquity/install.py”, line 1163, in configure_bootloader
raise InstallStepError(
InstallStepError: GrubInstaller failed with code 1

12

You need at least 2 (empty, unused) partitions to install any linux. They can be primary or logical, it doesn’t matter. /swap has its own filesystem, called “linux swap” and the root partition should be ext3 or reiserFS. The / partition is the root partition that contains the entire file hierachy. /home /var /etc /boot and so on are part of that hierarchy and CAN be on separate partitions but it isn’t necessary. It can be useful to have /home on its own partition to protect your data and make it easy to backup.

The master boot record is something else entirely. The boot loader (grub in this case) should be installed to the MBR and not any other place, but it will overwrite your windows loader. GRUB shouldn’t have any problems booting windows.

13

k, i understand everything except the fact on how to install GRUB to the master boot record?? on the final step of installing I put (sd0,0) as the location to install GRUB as my Vists OS is on the first Sata and the first partition, but when I tried installing GRUB to that location, I ended up getting the error message I mentioned above

14

[QUOTE=donkey]
you just need an install floppy to install GRUB to HDD from FDD, i don’t know where you DL the floppy image, i’ll try to find it

Edit: here’s how to do it
[/QUOTE]
boot the 6.10 LiveCD & follow these instructions (or any LiveCD[ot]i was wrong about creating a floppy, just use the LiveCD[/ot]

15

huh? what instructions?

the only thing im stuck on is on how to install GRUB to the master boot record?? Anyone got an answer for this

16

[QUOTE=blade]
huh? what instructions?
[/QUOTE]
Click Here

[ot]the underlined url[/ot]

17

stuck on the 2nd part…

"This will return a location. If you have more than one, select the installation that you want to provide the grub files.
Next, THIS IS IMPORTANT, whatever was returned for the find command use it in the next line (you are still at grub>. when you enter the next 3 commands)"

my terminal just says… “Error 15: File not found” after i typed “grub> find /boot/grub/stage1” according to the instructions