Adding Ubuntu to the boot manager

[Jonathan_King]

I want to install Ubuntu to a new partition on one of my hard drives. However, I do not want to install GRUB along with it. I want to be able to keep my Windows boot loader, and add an entry to it referencing the Linux partition. Does anyone know how to do this?

 

[Zidane24]

The only way I know how is to install GRUB to just the linux partition and then add an entry to the Windows bootloader that would start the GRUB bootloader and thus boot ubuntu

 

[Jonathan_King]

How can I install GRUB to just one partition? THe last time I installed Ubuntu, it completely hijacked the boot loader. I had a bear of a time trying to get rid of GRUB. My solution was to unplug my other hard drives and then install it one its own drive. Now I would like to install it on a partition on a hard drive with 2 other OS's on it.

 

[Zidane24]

How can I install GRUB to just one partition? THe last time I installed Ubuntu, it completely hijacked the boot loader. I had a bear of a time trying to get rid of GRUB. My solution was to unplug my other hard drives and then install it one its own drive. Now I would like to install it on a partition on a hard drive with 2 other OS's on it.

When you install Ubuntu...at the last step there is an advanced option where you get to choose where to install GRUB

Just tell it to install to the linux partition...not the HD as a whole

 

[Jonathan_King]

How can I install GRUB to just one partition? THe last time I installed Ubuntu, it completely hijacked the boot loader. I had a bear of a time trying to get rid of GRUB. My solution was to unplug my other hard drives and then install it one its own drive. Now I would like to install it on a partition on a hard drive with 2 other OS's on it.

When you install Ubuntu...at the last step there is an advanced option where you get to choose where to install GRUB

Just tell it to install to the linux partition...not the HD as a whole

I will try it, but I still do not trust GRUB. :sarc:

 

[Jonathan_King]

Okay, I installed Ubuntu, and had it create GRUB on the Ubuntu partition, and it worked fine. Now I need to add an entry in the boot manager for GRUB. I tried using EasyBCD to add the entry, but I have had no luck with the program. It likes to mess up all my entries, forcing me to run a Startup Repair and eventually resorting to using BCD Edit to manually configure the boot loader. I looked through the tutorials for bcdedit, but I have not figured out how to add an entry. Can someone clue me in?

 

[ManyBeers]

Okay, I installed Ubuntu, and had it create GRUB on the Ubuntu partition, and it worked fine. Now I need to add an entry in the boot manager for GRUB. I tried using EasyBCD to add the entry, but I have had no luck with the program. It likes to mess up all my entries, forcing me to run a Startup Repair and eventually resorting to using BCD Edit to manually configure the boot loader. I looked through the tutorials for bcdedit, but I have not figured out how to add an entry. Can someone clue me in?

here is a tutorial How to Dual Boot Windows 7 and Linux using BCDEdit | iceflatline
You need to copy a file from Grub and place it in the root of C:\and then point bcedit to that file
I am going to do this also in the near future on my Gateway desktop.
My Sony laptop currently dual-boots WinXP and Ubuntu 8.04 using Windows bootloader and the procedure is almost identical.
I used the System Rescue cd. SystemRescueCd | Get SystemRescueCd at SourceForge.net

my laptop bootloader

 

[Jonathan_King]

Isn't there a way just to add an entry into the BCD?

 

[ManyBeers]

Isn't there a way just to add an entry into the BCD?

I don't think so. That Grub file needs to be in C:\
I had to do the same thing with my laptop. It's not
difficult.
Maybe you don't have to. Look here:http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/EBCD/Ubuntu
You will need to download EasyBCD:http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

 

[Zidane24]

Isn't there a way just to add an entry into the BCD?

Not in this case because of how your going at it (I think)...

If you had GRUB handle the bootloader than things wouldn't be as complicated (at least from my standpoint)

 

[Jonathan_King]

Boy, I just don't want GRUB *infecting* my hard drive.

 

[ManyBeers]

Boy, I just don't want GRUB *infecting* my hard drive.

You don't have to. That link to EASYBCD is what you want.
With EasyBCD you don't have to copy the Grub boot sector files to
C:\. Just follow this tutorial:Ubuntu - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki
and download Easy BCD. In fact when I set up my dual-boot I will also use EasyBCD.

 

[Jonathan_King]

I hate to be a pain, but I really do not want to use EasyBCD. It really messes up my boot loader entries. If I can find a better way, great. If not, then thank you, I will take your advice.

 

[Tews]

Well, you can always re-install if you really want to...

 

[Jonathan_King]

True.

Ha! I got a new error message! "The forum requires you to wait 30 seconds between posts".:roflmao:

 

[ManyBeers]

I hate to be a pain, but I really do not want to use EasyBCD. It really messes up my boot loader entries. If I can find a better way, great. If not, then thank you, I will take your advice.

In that case use this:How to Dual Boot Windows 7 and Linux using BCDEdit | iceflatline
tutorial which uses the native Windows bootloader. Again you will need to copy the first 512 bytes of Grub's stage one to the root of C:\ The tutorial explains how this is done.

 

[Jonathan_King]

I hate to be a pain, but I really do not want to use EasyBCD. It really messes up my boot loader entries. If I can find a better way, great. If not, then thank you, I will take your advice.

In that case use this:How to Dual Boot Windows 7 and Linux using BCDEdit | iceflatline
tutorial which uses the native Windows bootloader. Again you will need to copy the first 512 bytes of Grub's stage one to the root of C:\ The tutorial explains how this is done.

Thanks, I will try it out when I get home to my own machine.

 

[Jonathan_King]

I tried it, and I got the following error message:

Cannot load from harddisk
Insert Systemdisk and press any key

What does this mean?

 

[SIW2]

Not sure what you are doing with Easybcd to make it "mess up your entries". It never does that to mine.

Have you tried the new Easybcd 2.0 ?

http://neosmart.net/forums/showthread.php?t=642

 

[Jonathan_King]

Not sure what you are doing with Easybcd to make it "mess up your entries". It never does that to mine.

Have you tried the new Easybcd 2.0 ?

EasyBCD 2.0 Beta Builds - The NeoSmart Forums

There seems to be a problem. Apparently I need an account with them?