On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:32:29 -0600,
RHG <dickgb@comcast.net> wrote:
> Joe wrote:
> > RHG wrote:
> >> ray wrote:
> >>> On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:04:58 -0600, RHG wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> I now have grub with debian linux as the primary os and Windows
> >>>> XP as the secondary. linux is installed on a usb 2nd HD. I
> >>>> also keep a backup of my XP files on the 2nd HD. I would like
> >>>> to be able to remove the dual boot feature and boot each os
> >>>> independently. Can someone please tell me how to go about this.
> >>>> For one thing, I cannot find instructions on how to remove
> >>>> grub. Help please.
> >>>
> >>> You don't 'remove' grub - you overwrite it with whatever else
> >>> you're doing. I don't understand your request - you want to be
> >>> able to 'boot each os independently' - how? Seems to me like if
> >>> you want to have two systems installed and be able to boot them
> >>> both then you need either a boot manager or else to be able to
> >>> select which disk to boot from BIOS - do you have that
> >>> capability?
> >>
> >> Sorry about the reply to the wrong address. Must have pushed the
> >> wrong button. =============
> >>
> >> I don't think I do have that capability, but then that's why I'm
> >> here asking questions.
> >>
> >> Until I get all the software working on Linux I need to be able
> >> to access XP as my primary OS. Right now, if my system is
> >> updated by MS it will reboot and, because of the way grub is set
> >> up, it boots into Linux. Furthermore, if I go away and I take my
> >> backup (on hd1) to another physical location [for security], then
> >> I cannot boot my machine and get to my XP programs. I would LIKE
> >> to be able to remove the second (usb) drive off the system and
> >> still operate. Is there any way to do this, and if not, how do I
> >> restore the original BIOS? If I cannot have both systems boot
> >> independently, then I'll have to have a separate machine for
> >> Linux, in which case, how do I overwrite grub? Thanks for your
> >> patience.
> >
> > Why not set grub to boot XP by default?
> This sounds great. I've been reading all afternoon trying to
> become more familiar with grub, but I can't find a "cookbook"
> approach to modifying the code to change the boot order.

Look for the line that starts with "default" in /boot/grub/menu.lst.
"menu.lst" is very well documented on my machine. default is 0 by
default, which will select the first selection, 1 would be the second,
etc. It may also be "saved" which will reboot your previous choice.

> Also, I get the impression that the grub program remains on the hd
> that carries the linux software. The consequence of this is that
> when you remove the second hd, for backup safety, you can no longer
> boot the system at all, which is the problem I have right now.
> What I want is a stand alone machine running XP off of hd0; when I
> plug in hd1 I would then be able to boot from linux.

I believe the latter stages of the grub bootloader are usally
installed on the linux partition, but don't have to be. Unfortunately
I'm barely capable with grub. If you have a fat partition on the
Windows disk, grub can be installed there, I'm not sure about NTFS.

"info grub-install" may yield useful information, or much info can be
found at http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub.html .

You could also opt for another bootloader such as LILO which will
install all required info in the MBR.

> If this isn't possible, how do I get back to an XP machine booting
> off of the regular BIOS. I would then put linux on another
> machine.

I believe the command from the recovery console is "fixmbr" to rewrite
the master boot record.

HTH,

Michael C.
--
mjchappell@verizon.net http://mcsuper5.freeshell.org/

Any job done reluctantly is a difficult one.