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Dual booting Multiple OS

Hosting more that one OS on your hard disk can be a pain if you’re not really sure on configuring the boot loader. I’ll confine the scope of this post to parenting only Debian based Linux OS ( Ubuntu ) and WIndoze. Because for the most part of it, I’ve only worked on them.

Why would you have to Install / reconfigure Grub in the first case?

1) You had to install Windows after you installed Ubuntu/Linux which led to the Grub ( Previously installed by Ubuntu ) to be over written by the Windows Boot loader.

2) You screwed up an installation right at the wrong spot and now you can boot neither Windows nor Linux.

Installing Grub through a Live CD:

  1. Insert the Ubuntu Live CD into the tray and restart your system
  2. Once you’re at the Live CD Desktop, Navigate to the terminal ( Applications>Accessories>Terminal)
  3. Type sudo fdisk -l /* This would list all the OS installations and drives that you have. Make note in which drive Ubuntu has been installed – Let’s say it’s hda3*/
  4. Next we’ll have to enter the Grub shell. Fot that type sudo grub
  5. In the grub menu type find /boot/grub/stage1 . This would return a listing of the drives in which the OS’s/ boot records are installed.
  6. Identify where Ubuntu’s Grub is on, by relating the output from step 3 and the above output.Now to let the Grub shell know what grub files are to be used, type root (hd0, 3) /* You’ll have to change this accordingly as per your output from step 3*/
  7. Now to install Grub on MBR,  type setup (hd0)
  8. By now, You should have got a success message from the grub shell telling you that the Grub has successfully been installed.
  9. Type quit and exit the terminal. Reboot and this should have properly fixed your Grub.

Installing Grub using the Super Grub disk:

If in case you do not have a Live CD, you can download a super grub disk and use it to setup the Grub for you. Check this page for more info on using the Super grub disk.

Note:

Installing Grub in your MBR will overwrite WIndows bootloader. If in case you do not find Windows in your boot menu after rebooting, all that you have to do is to make an entry in the Grub boot list.

Making an Entry of Windows in the Grub boot list:

  • In the terminal , type sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst /* Always have a backup of this file. Screwing this will only cause more trouble */
  • Add the following lines wherever you would like the Windows entry to be listed

title WIndows XP Professional Edition

root(hdX,Y) /* Based on the fdisk -l output. Note: /dev/hda1 ==(hd0,0). /dev/hda2==(hd0,1) –> Grub  convention */

savedefault

makeactive

chainloader +1

  • Save Menu.lst and reboot. This should resolve the issue
Written on June 5th, 2008 , Linux Tags: , , , , , ,
Passwords and Security

Just ten minutes before I was supposed to leave for work yesterday,  I had this remote urge to get back Hardy running on my desktop. I had it installed but because of a windows re-install, the GRUB boot menu was overwritten. So all that I had to do was to re-install Grub!

 Powered the CPU , inserted Gutsy’s Live CD, logged into the desktop and fired a few commands in the terminal. The shell gave in a success message and I quickly rebooted to check if the Grub was installed. And boy, it did get installed right in the first go :-) !

I had to catch the 10:45 service so I powered the CPU off and ran my might to reach in time. Post work when I get back home and turn on the Desktop to check back on sweet old Ubuntu, I’m in for a surprise – I didn’t remember the Password for my Admin acccount ! Even before my instincts to re-install the OS took control, I rebooted and logged into Windoze. Googling a bit had even more surprises in store – A few posts in the Ubuntu Forum stated a minutes walk to Glory - You could override the admin’s password by a few quick commands! And till date, I was thinking Linux gave me all the security in the world. How wrong I was ! Or was I ?

This only made me think if Linux had a backgate entry, Bill’s Windoze should as well. Again thanks to Sergey and Larry, I realized hacking the windoze admin password was a cake walk too! Damn, it took me so many years to realise that. It was no damn rocket science!

This incident forked out a few salient points

1) If there’s a password – It can and will be hacked. It’s only a matter of when and how!

2) Linux is still a better vault when it comes to data security- Check this link

3) If you’re really worried about data security, You have every reason to be! It’s a murky world out there ;-) !

4) We’ve got one of the best processors – the Brain. High time we knew how to use it effectively :-) !

Written on June 4th, 2008 , Linux, Technology Tags: , , , ,
The Heron’s up there in the Servers!

The Ubuntu family has now doled out their latest OS – Ubuntu 8.04 code named – Hardy Heron. This release is more than different when compared to it’s previous releases. Majorly because it’s got a Wubi installer which facilitates installation directly from a Windows platform. The OS gets installed on the same partition just like any other software application, thus relieving a linux noobie from all the hassles of partitioning a drive. It can also be uninstalled just like any other app. through the Add/ Remove programs. :-)

Hardy Heron is a Long term Support ( LTS ) version. The Ubuntu community release LTS versions once in every two years and I belive this version is going to be supported till 2011 ! For server editions the support is for Five years! :-)

Hardy comes in with the Firefox 3 ( Still in the Late stages of Beta ), Open Office 2.40 and the GIMP (2.4.5) . Early reviews suggest the OS is pretty stable and gels with a breeze in Windows.  Ubuntu 7.04 ( Gutsy Gibbon ) literally smirked at Vista. Wonder what Hardy has in store!

Any reasons why you shouldn’t be giving this  a shot? :-)

Rush and download it from here !

 

Written on April 25th, 2008 , Linux Tags: , , , , ,
OpenSolaris Installation

I’d ordered the Solaris 10 DVD from a third party agent a few days back. It did avoid the hassle of downloading the code from the website and burning it on to a ROM and the service by Rainbow Computech was pretty good. I got the DVD delivered to my home in three days with regular updates from them regarding the shipment. Wish the install was as easy as this!  :-(

First things first. I’m a quasi noobie  :-)   when it comes to installing Operating systems. So my experience would tell you what not to do when installing an OS  :-)   .If you are still contemplating on installing solaris with XP as a dual boot, be forewarned, you’re entering lukewarm waters. It’s real sad that I sound so very negative but I’m really frustrated with how things have turned up. Just Imagine! You have that cutie pie OS right in your System but still can’t use it. The worst part being that you still don’t know what to look for where and Google ain’t helping a bit.

Thankfully this time I backed up vital data on my disk before I ventured into the forest. I honked the DVD drive out and forked in the DVD. Rebooted my system and initiated the DVD boot.  Quite expectantly, the installers GUI failed and I had to navigate through text mode installation. Thanks to my 17″ Extra Wide LCD monitor, I had to keep altering the image display to have a look at the command statements in each and every screen. Finally when I make it to the partitioning screen, the lord starts demanding- Open Solaris 10 needs to be installed on a primary partition alone. I had installed Win Xp in the primary partition and had a couple of other drives similarly configured. Gutsy Gibbon was hatching golden eggs in the extended partition :-) . Looking at the screen, I initially was in the mindset of formatting one of the subsidiary drives and making it the primary one to cater to Solaris’s request. But then the installer was not making things any easier. The only option it gave me was to totally erase the drive and create solaris partitions. It just wanted full control on the drive! :-) . Probably there was a customization menu somewhere but as the monitor was as such giving trouble, I gave in too. Having taken full control over the drive the installation crooned it’s way to 100 percent completion.

It finally spitted out the DVD and reboots. Ah! and what do I find?It asks me for the login. Login? I wonder – what login? I remember it asking for root password but never in the installation did it ask me to give a default login. I understand Linux installations have this default login name. It varies for each OS but I never tried looking for the default login of OpenSol. It just didn’t strike me! So there ended the Open Sol saga- part one. leaving me with a lame hard disk with no OS to work on. How far can a noobie go with CUI  :-( ? Finally , I gave up and installed the bland Win XP again. Moments later I realize, Microsoft ain’t any good. It overwrites the previous MBR with its own setup. Sigh! Wish people came with a sweet heart! Now I have Win xP on a primary partition and the lame OpenSol on another!

Today,  curiosity got the better of me and I restarted the OpenSol installation. Thankfully, the installation recognizes the previous setup and asks me whether I want to upgrade the OS. Jubilantly, I configure it to do the needful and the upgrade starts. It goes on and on and on and finally it gives me a status – Upgrade Complete. Aye Sir, Me is on cloud nine :-) . I let it spit the DVD out and am eager to see the aesthetic OpenSol Splash grub menu. Someone rightly said,  never expect the expected. Screw Him! The System reboots and what do I get to see? Welcome to Microsoft Windows!!!  I’m at loss of words.

Open Sol is a wonderful OS and I’d love to work on it. Accepted, there’s something that I’ve missed out during the installation that led it to screw me but on a second thought- Can’t the installation be made any simpler? Can’t they provide a much better partition management tool? Johnathan! Are you listening? :-)

I’ll be back a few days later when I have some time to make my hands greasier . Till then  – Amen!

Written on February 18th, 2008 , Linux Tags: , , , , ,
Who says Wine ain’t smooth!!!

Just installed WIne on Ubuntu a few minutes back. Installed a couple of other windows based softwares too! Now they really work :-) . Haggard installations are now things of the past. Probably it’s time I move over to something more challenging.

Written on January 8th, 2008 , Linux Tags: ,
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