[CentOS] Re: Need Dual Boot Installation Help

[duffmckagan]

On 8/12/05, Bryan J. Smith <b.j.smith at ieee.org> wrote:
> duffmckagan <mckagan at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Moreover, you can still get that GRUB installed to the MBR,
> > then get the Cent OS working, and then patch the Kernel to
> > include NTFS Modules. Then add the required lines to the
> > /boot/grub/menu.lst file and get windows working.
> 
> You do _not_ need NTFS support in GRUB to boot Windows.
> GRUB will merely use the chainloader to pass off boot to
> the NTFS partition, even though it can't read it.
> 
> BTW, note there are _issues_ with GRUB and Windows NT5.1
> (XP) Service Packs / Hotfixes.  It seems that on its bootable
> drive (what MS calls the "System Drive") on a "Basic Disc"
> (legacy BIOS/DOS Primary/Extended/Logical disk slicing), it
> uses portions of the MBR to store "hidden info."  It will
> overwrite portions of GRUB.  If you re-install GRUB, it will
> overwrite portions of these hidden areas, and XP
> SP1+hostfixes or SP2[+hotfixes] will not boot.
> 
> The conditions seem to vary from system to system, but I have
> run into it regularly now -- especially with many SP1
> hotfixes and definitely with SP2.  There also seem to be some
> conflicting hotfixes, especially SP2+, that constantly change
> things (even on a 100% Windows XP system).  If I had to
> guess, and based on my views of the MBR with a hex editor, I
> think Microsoft is still trying to be compliant with the new
> ATA48 spec (lont story).
> 
> But _regardless_, I find that by keeping my "system drive"
> (C: filesystem) with the NTLDR, BOOT.INI, etc... XP partition
> within the first 32GiB (at least when geometry is <4096
> cylinders, =255 heads and =63 sectors) of the hard drive will
> typically work.
> 
> I literally had a situation where XP SP1 was booting fine in
> the first 64GiB, then I loaded some hotfixes, and it refused
> to boot.  Sure enough, upon inspection of the "damaged"
> (non-GRUB booting) MBR (which I made a copy of before
> re-installing, and then losing the ability of chainloader to
> work), I noticed the same bytes as SP2.
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Bryan J. Smith                | Sent from Yahoo Mail
> mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org     |  (please excuse any
> http://thebs413.blogspot.com/ |   missing headers)




Thanks for the information, and removing away my misconception.
This mailing list rocks. :)










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