Dual Win7 & Ubuntu

[jlindblo]

I have the 32 bit Win7 & Ubuntu installed on one system with dual boot ... works fine and the menu appears correctly. I installed to a clean disk Win7 first and then Ubuntu second using the Ubuntu wubi installer. I also have another system with the 64 bit Win7 OS that I would like to put Ubuntu on too, but have been unable to successfully create a dual boot menu on it. I realize that boot.ini is no longer used but even using EasyBCD I cannot add Ubuntu. I use the wubi installer that works from within Windows ... I must be overlooking something simple??

 

[limneos]

Hello jlindblo...

yes, you're missing something here...
Windows 7 after a clean install, it creates a small 200MB hidden partition to store the BCD store database. (similar files to boot.ini). This is where the bootloader is stored.
This partition is currently invisible to you, so even if you added a linux boot entry in EasyBCD, easybcd thinks that it has written the files to the partition where the bootloader is, but it actually can't write there cause it's hidden (no drive letter given). To fix that, open Disk Management, assign a drive letter to your hidden small partition (200MB of size must be), and then add a linux boot entry from EASYBCD again. This time it should work and you should be able to dual boot.

(If later on you need to hide again the small boot partition, you can. You can have it hidden and the dual boot will still work. If you need to re-hide it, just ask. Disk management won't allow you, needs a trick.

Hope it helps

 

[SIW2]

Hi limneos,

I'd be curious to know how to rehide that system partition without using a 3rd party app.

SIW2

 

[limneos]

Hi limneos,

I'd be curious to know how to rehide that system partition without using a 3rd party app.

SIW2

Sure... I found it when I wanted it hidden cause I thought its convenient.

here you go.
Run elevated cmd and start diskpart

diskpart> list disk

(find your disk number with he 200mb hidden partition, your w7 boot disk usually)

diskpart > select disk 0 (change 0 with your disk no)

diskpart> list partition (find your 200 mb partition)

diskpart> select partition 1

diskpart > remove (don't worry, it doesn't remove the partition , just the letter)

DONE

 

[SIW2]

Thanks,

That's interesting - how do you then get it back -assign a letter in Disk Management ?

I don't have one of those little system partitions , but may try it in future.

SIW2

 

[limneos]

either by using the same commands, but instead of remove , type assign.

Or from Disk Management. It always allows you to assign a drive letter to this hidden partition, it just doesn't allow you to remove it.

 

[squall325]

my bcd drive is only 8mb and not 200mb

 

[jlindblo]

Thanks limneos ..... I appreciate your response to my dual boot question which I'll print out as soon as I can find an HP 5740 printer driver (which I have not been able to find thus far)

 

[limneos]

Is it the 5740 Deskjet, or the J5740 officejet? Are you looking for a driver for Windows 7?

 

[jlindblo]

HP Deskjet 5740. I remember that XP downloaded a driver for it automatically but since Win7 didn't I went to HP's site and downloaded the latest XP driver and attempted an install. It came back with an error and said it was not compatible. Now it seems that there was a mode in XP that would allow "Compatibility Mode" but I haven't come across it yet in Win7. Seems that Compatibility Mode was selectable from the Shortcut Icon before .... but if it won't install I won't have the icon. So I'm still working on that one ...

Jim

 

[jlindblo]

Well .... some progress I guess. I assigned "X" to the 200 MB hidden partition and then reinstalled Ubuntu 8.10 using it's own installer wubi.exe from within Windows. (I did NOT do the Manual Install). I then followed the instructions at www.neosmart.net/wiki/displayh/EBCD/Ubuntu (Adding Ubuntu to the Vista Bootloader) to Drive 0, Partition 0, which did NOT work by the way. I made several changes and rebooting to test ..... and NO success. What I get when I select "Ubuntu" is the OS loading up to the Grub> PROMPT and no progress after that. My menu item #2 on boot looks like this:

Name: Ubuntu
BCD ID: {cc8164e1-e2a8-11dd-a5f8-e57f48c7afb9}
Drive: X:\
Bootloader Path: \NST\NeoGrub.mbr

My Ubuntu Folder with all it's files is on C: and the individual files wubildr.mbr and wubildr are also in C: (it's root)

On X: (previously hidden) are 3 files (bootmgr, BOOTSECT.BAK, NeoGrub) and in the NST folder are 2 files (menu.1st, and NeoGrub.mbr)

The menu.1st lists just 2 commands:

find --set-root --ignore-floppies \ubuntu\winboot\menu.lst
configfile \ubuntu\winboot\menu.lst

find --set-root --ignore-floppies /boot/grub/menu.lst
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

The instructions at NeoSmart, although helpful, are NOT an accurate step by step answer .... they may have been at one time ... but they are not now.

Surely this should not be so complicated?

Jim

 

[limneos]

find --set-root --ignore-floppies \ubuntu\winboot\menu.lst
configfile \ubuntu\winboot\menu.lst

find --set-root --ignore-floppies /boot/grub/menu.lst
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

If you get grub at startup, then EASYBCD is fine.

The above boot list though, searches for ubuntu folder in partition X: !!!
Try changing the root partition as stated below.

Add on top of this file:

root (hd0,0)

or

root(hd0,1)



hd0 is your first hard disk, the following "0" is your first partition.
So (hd0,0) means first hard disk, first partition.
(hd1,2) means second hard disk, third partition. etc...

Try until you find which partition is the one containing ubuntu .

Final example of what you should try:

root (hd0,1)
configfile \ubuntu\winboot\menu.lst

If you can, post here a screenshot of your Disk Management

 

[SIW2]

Now it seems that there was a mode in XP that would allow "Compatibility Mode" but I haven't come across it yet in Win7. Seems that Compatibility Mode was selectable from the Shortcut Icon before .... but if it won't install I won't have the icon. So I'm still working on that one ...
Jim

Hi Jim,

You can right click on the setup.exe., select Properties, Compatibility tab.

Tick the box , select the compatible o/s in the drop down flap, (may be worth ticking Run as administrator as well) click Apply and OK.



Hope it helps

SIW2

 

[jlindblo]

If you get grub at startup, then EASYBCD is fine.

The above boot list though, searches for ubuntu folder in partition X: !!!
Try changing the root partition as stated below.

Add on top of this file:

root (hd0,0)

or

root(hd0,1)



hd0 is your first hard disk, the following "0" is your first partition.
So (hd0,0) means first hard disk, first partition.
(hd1,2) means second hard disk, third partition. etc...

Try until you find which partition is the one containing ubuntu .

Final example of what you should try:

root (hd0,1)
configfile \ubuntu\winboot\menu.lst

If you can, post here a screenshot of your Disk Management

I have tried both the root (hd0,0) and root (hd0,1) to no avail. Ubuntu loading stops at the Grub> prompt! My first hard drive has only Win7 on it and the Ubuntu folder is in C: I have renamed the hidden partition X:
Here is a screenshot if that helps:

 

[jlindblo]

Works now after crash!!!!

Well I had a little scare. I rebooted and Win7 hung solid .... rebooted again and the same thing. Ok ....the menu says "REPAIR" in the boot screen so let's try that. The "repair" ran for about 20 minutes and said the it could not be fixed! Excuse Me?? Now THAT'S just great .... all the nifty stuff I had. Ok .... try ONE last time .... and hey, it's coming up, but taking some time. On opening on screen popped a warning that HP wants to make some changes to your computer and would you like to continue? Well, why not? So I did ..... and then "Your device is installed and ready to use". Oh .... so it's like XP without the heads up messages! But I'm good to go ...l thanks for the assist!


Thanks SIW2,
I tried both .... in XP Compatibility Mode and as Admin. I appear to have the printer installed (& I probably didn't know it before) but I am unable to put it Online ... but still, the install tells me that it has failed>

I appreciate your response though.

Jim

 

[jlindblo]

Ok ..... I think it was too small to be readable?? Here's another shot ...

 

[jlindblo]

Whoops ..... did not wait for the jpg to upload ... sorry.

 

[SIW2]

Hi Jim,

They don't make specific Vista drivers for that model. There are basic HP drivers included in Vista/Win7 which work for your model allegedly

Installing the Printer Driver Located in the Windows Vista Operating System 

Hope it helps

SIW2

 

[jlindblo]

limneos,
I uploaded my Computer Management jpg if you still have time to help me?

Jim

 

[limneos]

Hello jlindblo...

From what I see, your linux partition must be the third on the first hard disk, with 9GB or so...

If that's the case, then you should try to put in the menu.lst these lines (and only these):

root (hd0,2)
configfile \ubuntu\winboot\menu.lst

Try saving the file as it is above and try again.