dual os - winXP/Linux; is it possible?

[Predator3]

This might not be the best place to ask but i give it a try anyway

It use to work with windows 2000/ME but now it can't write to mbr and linux crashes upon shutdown....

Thanks
Predator3

 

[old.Reverend Flatus]

A few more details might help...

 

[Predator3]

Hi my primairy system is winxp pro (ntfs) and my secondairy system is suse linux 7.4 (linux partitions)

Problem is: i can only boot linux with the bootdisk i made (it wont let me write to mbr) and i cant exit my linux system, it crashes bad when i want to exit..

Installed any updates for linux but still does not work. I did work fine when i used suse 6.4 with windows 2000/ME...

Thanks

 

[old.Reverend Flatus]

I've no experience with WinXP, however...
Are you saying that you used to be able to dual boot but can't now, or have you always had to boot from a floppy?
Also, when it crashes, what error messages do you see and how are you shutting down the system?

 

[Sawtooth]

dunno much about doing this but I know you can have a dual XP/Linux system...read it in the crappy XP manual you get with the disk...funny enuff i dont usually read this stuff but i had a strange prob when I put a dodgy dimm in and came across it then when I was lookin up the error message.


Saw

 

[Predator3]

thanks for your replies. WinXP works fine.. its just that i cant get the dual boot to work (because yast cant write it to mbr) and more important i can't get linux to shut down - i dont get any messages i just get a black screen and my system is locked up and my pc makes funny noises.

Also due to the shutdown i have to mount the disks everytime i start linux. Ive looked a the windows documentation but i didnt find anything about this

Only linux is a problem. I use to run winme/2000 pro with linux with dual doot, worked fine then....

 

[old.Reverend Flatus]

Originally posted by Predator3
its just that i cant get the dual boot to work (because yast cant write it to mbr)

Sounds odd, but I've never used SUSE or YAST so I'm no expert. Perhaps you could try another boot loader.

Originally posted by Predator3
and more important i can't get linux to shut down - i dont get any messages i just get a black screen and my system is locked up and my pc makes funny noises.

So presumably you're shutting down via a GUI rather than doing 'shutdown -h now' from the command line. I guess those funny noises are the disk grinding away.
Have you checked the system log for any messages that may give a clue?

Originally posted by Predator3
Only linux is a problem. I use to run winme/2000 pro with linux with dual doot, worked fine then....

Same Linux? Maybe it's a particular problem with WinXP and SUSE.

Not much help I know, maybe Mr TdC can assist...
(Surprised he ain't replied already!)

 

[Predator3]

hi again,

Sounds odd, but I've never used SUSE or YAST so I'm no expert. Perhaps you could try another boot loader.

I did the auto install and it didnt install the bootloader or mbr right away..i tried to install to mbs after install.. - I might try another bootloader.

So presumably you're shutting down via a GUI rather than doing 'shutdown -h now' from the command line. I guess those funny noises are the disk grinding away.

Indeed i use the GIU shutdown function and when its suposed to shut down it crashes (indeed hdd makes funnies bleeps)

Same Linux? Maybe it's a particular problem with WinXP and SUSE.

Nope i use to use RedHat 7.2 with windows 2000 ... now i use sus 7.4 with XP... (RedHat does indeed have a better install procedure...)

I might be a particulair problem with Suse but i never found any info in their extensive documentation..

Thanks again...

 

[Testin da Cable]

(Surprised he ain't replied already!)

...I've been asleep heh.


imo the answer is to install a bootmanager like [example] grub. current managers are smart enough to figure out [and be configured to] and use what's going on with your drive partitions.
I don't use suse so I can't comment on that, but if yast can't write to the MBR something is very very wrong. Don't use the microsoft multi-boot thingy because it sucks, not because it's MS but because it well, sucks. The best bootmanager ever made is the OS/2 one. m00 wibble too much coffee eep

 

[Predator3]

thanks for your help dude.

 

[old.Reverend Flatus]

Good luck. Let us know if you solve it.