LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: romana <romana@timelady.com>
  To  : Stephen Ward <sward@trinity.sa.edu.au>
        LinuxSA <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 14:00:47 +0930

Re: Dual boot - Win 2000 and Linux

Stephen,

I am a dual win2000/linux(RH7.1) booter. Bit more fiddly than previous 
dual boot setups, but works well:)

Ok, what you will need is two floppies - one in DOS format (to load a 
boot image), and one startup disk (created during linux install)
Unfortunately, win2k needs to be installed first, as it likes to hog the 
MBR.
So,

1) Install win2k. (Preferably first partition)
2) In Explorer, have a look at C:\. You will find a file called 
boot.ini. We will be playing with that later.(If you cant see it, go to 
Tools, Folder Options, View, Show Hidden Files & Folders.)
This file KIND of works like lilo.conf. (Same principle, anyway)
3) Choose your favourite Linux distro, and start installing.
MOST IMPORTANT!!!!! DO NOT INSTALL LILO TO MBR!!!!!
Create a boot partition, and ensure LILO is located there. Remember the 
/dev/hd** location (mine is /dev/hda6, for example)
4) Create that startup disk when prompted. Will definitely be needing that!
5) Using startup disk, boot into Linux. Mount your floppy drive, with 
the blank formatted DOS disk I mentioned earlier.
6) Now we want to copy the LILO boot sector to a file that is 512 bytes 
big, right onto the DOS floppy. We will be calling it 'linux.bin'. The 
command below uses my boot partition, /dev/hda6, as the example. Simply 
substitute your own boot partition.
dd if=/dev/hda6 bs=512 count=1 of=/mnt/floppy/linux.bin
7) Back to win2k. Remove the disks, and boot into windows. Open Explorer 
and copy the file linux.bin off the floppy to the root of your win2k 
drive (ie c:\).
8) Open c:\boot.ini file in "Notepad" and add the line 
c:\linux.bin="<insert distro name>" to the end of the file, and save it. 
Mine is an example:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 
Professional" /fastdetect
c:\linux.bin="RedHat"

Now, reboot, and you should get a choice! Test both options:)

For more info, I found this page with more details, and piccies for 
those who like such things

http://www.littlewhitedog.com/reviews_other_00011.asp
Romana:)

Stephen Ward wrote:

> I suspect that this question has been asked before, but anyway.......
> 
> I used to have an ideal (for me) laptop setup with Lilo booting to
> either Win 98 (yes, apologies etc.) and Redhat 7. I have now moved to
> Win 2000 (yes, apologies again etc.) but understand that a dual boot
> configuration is not possible as Win 2000 want to hog the MBR.
> 
> Can anyone suggest a dual boot scenario (as opposed to a VMware-type
> solution).
> 
> Thank you.......
> 

-- 
??????????????????????????????????????????
romana@timelady.com	icq no:393293

'between the idea & the reality, 
between the motion & the act, 
falls the shadow'
??????????????????????????????????????????

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