Dual boot with XP installation failure

[millara]

I have tried to install LL 2.6 64 bit alongside Windows XP in a dual boot setup. I used a DVD boot disk for the installation. All went well until the end of the installation when I was asked to restart the PC. Before doing this I removed the DVD as I thought the PC would boot again from it. I think this was probably a mistake. The PC hung and neither the F4 or Enter recommended in the instructions had any effect.

I performed the installation again thinking that it would recognise that there was already a copy of LL on the PC. This was probably my second mistake as it did not give me any warning so I suspect that I now have two copies on the PC with more partitions. This time I left the DVD in during the restart and it was ejected automatically at the appropriate time.

The PC will not now start up. I have never seen the screen that offers LL or Windows at startup. The PC automatically tries to start XP but offers me the screen to start in safe mode, etc. Regardless of what I choose, it returns to the inititial startup and offers me the safe mode, etc screen again. It's now in a loop that I don't know how to break.

Can anyone help please? Thanks

Alistair, Edinburgh

[gold_finger]

Boot with the live dvd again, open a terminal and enter the following command which will show the current partition set-up on the hard drive:

Code:

sudo parted --list

Then enter this command to list your computer's specs:

Code:

inxi -b

Copy/Paste entire output of both commands back here for us to look at.  Will be able to tell from that how best to proceed.

[millara]

Thanks for your reply. Is this the info that you need? I have tried to install LL on the smaller 61.5 GB disk. The larger disk was transferred from a newer PC that failed but contains a lot of my data.

Alistair

linux@linux:~$ sudo parted --list
Model: ATA WDC WD2500JS-75N (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start  End    Size    Type    File system  Flags
1      32.3kB  65.8MB  65.8MB  primary  fat16        diag
2      65.8MB  247GB  247GB  primary  ntfs        boot
3      247GB  250GB  3224MB  primary  fat32


Model: ATA IC35L060AVV207-0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 61.5GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start  End    Size    Type      File system    Flags
1      32.3kB  24.1GB  24.1GB  primary  ntfs            boot
2      24.1GB  61.5GB  37.4GB  extended
7      24.1GB  36.4GB  12.4GB  logical  ext4
5      36.4GB  59.6GB  23.2GB  logical  ext4
6      59.6GB  61.5GB  1878MB  logical  linux-swap(v1)


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system).  /dev/sr0
has been opened read-only.
Error: Invalid partition table - recursive partition on /dev/sr0.       
Ignore/Cancel? i                                                         
Model: _NEC DVD_RW ND-3500AG (scsi)
Disk /dev/sr0: 818MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 2048B/2048B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start  End  Size  Type  File system  Flags


linux@linux:~$ inxi -b
System:    Host: linux Kernel: 3.13.0-62-generic x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: Xfce 4.11.8 Distro: Ubuntu 14.04 trusty
Machine:  Mobo: MSI model: MS-6702 version: 1.0 Bios: American Megatrends version: Version 07.00T date: 04/02/01
CPU:      Single core AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (-UP-) clocked at 2000.280 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RV280 [Radeon 9200]
          X.Org: 1.15.1 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: [email protected]
          GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI R200 (RV280 5961) TCL DRI2 GLX Version: 1.3 Mesa 10.1.3
Network:  Card: Realtek RTL8169 PCI Gigabit Ethernet Controller driver: r8169
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 311.5GB (-)
Info:      Processes: 159 Uptime: 5 min Memory: 349.0/1750.0MB Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 1.9.17
linux@linux:~$

[rokytnji]

Is bios set to boot from

Code:

Model: ATA IC35L060AVV207-0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 61.5GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

and was Linux Lite grub installed to MBR of

Code:

Model: ATA IC35L060AVV207-0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 61.5GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Because if you installed grub to mbr of

Code:

Model: ATA WDC WD2500JS-75N (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

which so far sounds like you have not (no grub screen on boot).

But something is fishy with

he PC automatically tries to start XP but offers me the screen to start in safe mode, etc. Regardless of what I choose, it returns to the inititial startup and offers me the safe mode, etc screen again.

https://neosmart.net/wiki/fix-mbr/

If me. I'd 1st concentrate fixing Windows XP boot failure. Then move on to switching drives in bios to boot Linux Lite.

Edit: a Chkdsk using command prompt in safe mode in Windows XP boot may help out also

http://www.wikihow.com/Run-a-Chkdsk-Function


Method 2  Through the Command Prompt 

[gold_finger]

See if you can repair Win XP booting using link from rokytnji.  If you can do that then you can just use the GParted program from live LL dvd to delete the Linux partitions that were made before and redo the installation.  However, because of possible complications noted in next paragraph, it might be better to wait until we see requested info below before trying to proceed.

If unable to repair XP boot, we'll need a bit more info after seeing what you posted so far.  I see that you have two hard drives and you said that you had a problem with the larger one, but put it in to access the data on it.  Main question is:  which of the two hard drives was Windows XP booting from before you installed LL?  Based on what you said, I'm guessing that the larger drive became unbootable at some point and you then installed XP to that 24GB NTFS partition shown on the smaller drive in order to have a usable system again.  Is that assumption correct, or completely off base?  Also, just so we know, do you have an XP install/restore disk?

At this point it's hard to guess what exactly is going wrong.  I suspect a combination of things are possible if assumptions above are correct.

• For whatever reason, LL's grub boot loader either didn't get installed correctly or was pointed to the wrong hard drive.
  
• It's possible, if you changed anything in the Bios settings, that computer is set to try booting from the larger HDD instead of the new small one and you're running into whatever problem you had with it before.
  

Those are purely guesses at this point.  Answer above questions and if possible describe in more detail what kind of problem you were having before with that larger HDD.  (That info may or may not prove useful.)  Also, boot again with live LL dvd, open a terminal again and run the following commands one at a time in the order shown:

Code:

sudo os-prober
sudo mkdir /mnt/one /mnt/two
sudo mount /dev/sdb7 /mnt/one
sudo mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt/two
ls /mnt/one
ls /mnt/two

Copy full output of all commands and paste back here.  Should have a good idea of how to proceed from there.

[millara]

Thanks again gold_finger.

I have not tried rokytnji's XP repair suggestion yet.

I have not made any manual changes to the Bios settings.

I don't have an XP install/restore disk

The saga of the HDDs is that my Dell PC failed. It was diagnosed as a CPU over-heating fault. It was not considered worth trying to repair due to its age. I acquired an old PC as a stop-gap measure. This is the one on which I am trying to install LL. It came with the 65GB disk (C:\) on which XP was installed. The 250GB disk from my Dell was transferred to the PC as D:\ as it contained my data but it also has a copy of XP on it. However, XP was loading from C:\.

I have since bought a new PC with Windows 10 which I hate with a passion! I therefore thought it would be a good idea to try out LinuxLite on the old PC to get some experience of it without putting my main PC at risk.

I have run the commands as you requested. Here is the result.

linux@linux:~$ sudo os-prober
/dev/sda1ell Utility PartitionellUtility:chain
/dev/sda2:Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition:Windows:chain
/dev/sdb1:Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition:Windows1:chain
/dev/sdb5:Linux Lite 2.6 (14.04):Ubuntu:linux
/dev/sdb7:Linux Lite 2.6 (14.04):Ubuntu1:linux
linux@linux:~$ sudo mkdir /mnt/one /mnt/two
linux@linux:~$ sudo mkdir /mnt/one /mnt/two
linux@linux:~$ sudo mount /dev/sdb7 /mnt/one
linux@linux:~$ sudo mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt/two
linux@linux:~$ ls /mnt/one
bin    dev  initrd.img  lost+found  opt  run  sys  var
boot  etc  lib        media      proc  sbin  tmp  vmlinuz
cdrom  home  lib64      mnt        root  srv  usr
linux@linux:~$ ls /mnt/two
bin    dev  initrd.img  lost+found  opt  run  sys  var
boot  etc  lib        media      proc  sbin  tmp  vmlinuz
cdrom  home  lib64      mnt        root  srv  usr
linux@linux:~$

I trust this is what you need. Thanks

Alistair

[gold_finger]

I have since bought a new PC with Windows 10 which I hate with a passion! I therefore thought it would be a good idea to try out LinuxLite on the old PC to get some experience of it without putting my main PC at risk.

Good idea.  That's how many people start out and is how I did it myself a few years back.


Alright, from last series of commands can tell that there are Windows boot files on both hard drives and that you do indeed have two installations of LL on the smaller drive.  (Don't know which of the two LL's was which install attempt, but doesn't really matter.)

PC is/was booting from "C: drive", which is the smaller HDD's Windows install.  However, LL installer detected that as the 2nd available drive, "/dev/sdb".  Assuming you didn't manually designate partitioning, that means the boot loader (by default) was installed to the larger drive which was designated as "/dev/sda".  Theoretically, if that's what happened and Bios is still set to boot from the smaller HDD, Windows boot loader was not touched and should still be working.

With that in mind, lets try the easiest things first.

Boot computer and hit whatever key is necessary to get into the Bios settings.  (Should see instructions flash briefly along bottom of screen immediately after powering on telling you which key to hit.  Some of the more common ones are <Esc>, <F2>, <Del>; but keys vary by manufacturer.)  Find section in Bios relating to the Boot order of devices and look at which HDD is first on the list.

• If small HDD is first, then for some reason Windows boot loader got messed-up.  (Don't panic about that.)  If that's the case, change the order so larger drive is first and then try booting.  If my theory is correct, you should then see a grub menu offering two choices for LL and two choices for Windows.
  • Try the first choice for LL and see if it boots correctly.  If "yes", open a terminal and post back result of this command:
    

Code:

lsblk

• • Don't bother trying second LL menu option -- it won't work.
    
  • Reboot computer and try each of the Windows menu entries to see if one or both of them work.  If both work, figure out and make note of which gets you booted into the smaller drive.  (Just look at what's being called the "C: drive" in each of them.)
    
  
  
• If large HDD is set first in boot order, change so small HDD is first and boot from that.  Hopefully that will at least start Windows and possibly show a grub menu if I was wrong and LL's grub boot loader did get installed to the small drive.  If you do see a grub menu, try first listing for LL and the two Windows entries.  Again, don't bother trying second LL entry.
  

Report back results from which ever scenario above applies to current situation.

[millara]

The boot order is

1st boot device = DVD
2nd boot device = IDE-0:IC35L060AVV207-0
3rd boot device = disabled
Try other boot devices = no

From the LL File Manager I can see that the 2nd boot device is the smaller HDD.
It also seems that the Bios does not know about the larger HDD.

I am tempted to disconnect the larger HDD to take it out of the picture but I don't want to cause further problems. What do you think?

Alistair

[gold_finger]

I am tempted to disconnect the larger HDD to take it out of the picture but I don't want to cause further problems. What do you think?

That is one option I had in mind but was saving for later if booting from large drive did not work.

Bios boot order shows 3rd option = disabled.  Use arrow keys to highlight that 3rd option, then hit <Enter> to see the submenu for it.  Look to see if other HDD is listed there and select it.  Then move choice for that HDD one position up so it is before the first (smaller) HDD in boot order.  (Probably done by hitting the "+" key while having it highlighted.)  If able to do that, follow above instructions to test ability to boot from it into both LL and Windows and report back results (including output from command noted above).

If no luck with any of that, then disconnect cable to the larger drive and boot with LL dvd again.  Open the GParted program (Menu -> System -> Partition Drives).  Small HDD should show in the program's window and its partitions will now show as being part of disk "sda" instead of "sdb".  Do the following to delete all previously set Linux partitions so you can start fresh:

• Right-click the Swap partition (/dev/sda6), choose "Swapoff"
  
• Right-click the Swap partition, choose "Delete"
  
• Right-click and choose "Delete" for both LL root partitions, (/dev/sda7 and /dev/sda5)
  
• Right-click extended partition (/dev/sda2) and choose "Delete".
  
• Hit "Apply" button along top of window, or go to Edit -> Apply All Operations to finalize the deletions.
  
• Now you'll have only the Windows partition and empty space left on the HDD so you can start over.  Close the GParted program.
  

Start the installation again and choose the "Along side" Windows option.  Installer should automatically see and use empty space on the drive.  When install process completes, choose "Continue Testing" instead of "Reboot".  Wait 15-30 seconds until installer program fully shuts itself down, then shutdown LL (Menu -> Shutdown/Logout button).  If shutdown process appears to stall, hit the <Enter> key.  That will normally cause dvd to eject and finish the shutdown process.  If that doesn't shutdown, try holding down the <Ctrl>, <Alt> and <Prtscn> keys while slowly typing out: R  E  I  S  U  B.  If not able to contort your fingers to do that, then you'll have to resort to a hard shutdown -- press and hold power button until machine turns off.


Power system back on (still with large HDD disconnected) and hopefully you'll be able to boot into LL and Windows.  If it boots to LL without showing a Windows option, open a terminal and enter following command to add an entry for it:

Code:

sudo update-grub

Reboot and test booting to Windows.


If all is well booting into both, go ahead and reconnect large HDD and you should be fine from there on out.  Report back results.

[millara]

Today's report:

I set the large HDD to boot sequence 3 then moved it to two and the smaller HDD to 3. When I rebooted the PC, it went straight to LL. I ran the lsblk commend and got:

alistair@alistair-MS-6702:~$ lsblk
NAME  MAJ:MIN RM  SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 232.9G  0 disk
├─sda1  8:1    0  62.7M  0 part
├─sda2  8:2    0 229.8G  0 part
└─sda3  8:3    0    3G  0 part
sdb      8:16  0  57.3G  0 disk
├─sdb1  8:17  0  22.4G  0 part
├─sdb2  8:18  0    1K  0 part
├─sdb5  8:21  0  21.6G  0 part
├─sdb6  8:22  0  1.8G  0 part [SWAP]
└─sdb7  8:23  0  11.5G  0 part /
sr0    11:0    1  1024M  0 rom 
alistair@alistair-MS-6702:~$

When I closed down, the PC shut down. It had not been doing this before when I closed down LL running from the DVD.

When booting I noticed a menu flash by and when restarted again I stopped it at this screen. It is "GNU GRUB version~beta2-9ubuntu1.3". This menu offered XP startup from both HDDs. Neither works. The screen just goes black.

If I do nothing at this GNU GRUB menu, the PC goes straight to LL.

Should I now return the smaller HDD to boot sequence 2, disconnect the large HDD and follow your instructions for deleting the partitions and reinstalling LL?

Alistair