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Dual boot: XP from HD mint mate 16 from Ext HDD

Tags:
  • External Hard Drive
  • Windows XP
  • Dual Boot
  • Mint Mate
Last response: in Linux/Free BSD
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May 4, 2014 5:22:56 AM

Hi

I am trying to install Mint Mate 16 on external HDD, achieving dual boot with XP that is currently installed on the machine
For testing purposes I am doing it on VMware machine, but the purpose is actually do it on a physical machine.

From what I read, my understanding is that there is nothing much to do. simply install Mate, and the installation process will set the boot-loader correctly. Unfortunately - couldn't get done.

Here's what I did.

First time:
1. Boot the currently XP installed VM from a mint mate live USB
2. run setup
3. On the installation type screen I choose Something Else - to be able choose the Ext drive as the target partition
4. On the same screen The boot loader is installed to the Local Disk (i.e. the VM)
5. Setup finished successfully - restart VM
6. Machine wont boot. Instead of boot menu to choose XP or Linux, I get a grub rescue prompt with "no such device" error.

Second time:
Repeat the process
I found a YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKL1tmn-xC0) suggesting to install the boot loader to the external disk (rather than to the internal one)
Only in step #4 boot loader is installed to the external HDD (where Mint Mate is installed)

After restarting the machine - no boot menu is displayed but XP is booting smoothly

Third time:
Repeat the process only at step #3 I chose I "install mint along side with others".
The outcome was that Mint was installed into a partition within the VM, and while booting a grub boot menu is displayed allowing choosing between XP and Mint.

Some more info:
The external disk has 3 partitions in that order (checked from within another Linux VM)

1st Partition: NTFS
2nd Partition. NTFS
3rd Partition. Extended partition divided into two. one for Mint Mate (partition #5), one for the swap (partition #6)
some small free space at the end of the disk.

For some reason partition #4 is missing??

Suggestions?

Tx

OJ

More about : dual boot mint mate ext hdd

Anonymous
May 4, 2014 5:32:38 AM

You can install Grub on Linux Mint and add Windows XP to its configuration file.

Since Grub will be on your external HD, then you wont be able to boot unless you plug your external hd.

Windows doesnt support booting to Linux or any other operating system but Windows, so I dont know of anyway you can do the same on Windows. You can use Wubi, but it was abandoned as it results in slow operating system.
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May 4, 2014 5:43:08 AM

Not sure I fully understand Your suggestion

What do you mean "install Grub on Linus Mint". What exactly should I do?
When I installed both Mint and boot-loader on the external HDD, I got an error.

Also, are you saying that I can not achieve XP booting from internal disk, mint boot from the external, without being depended on the external to boot XP?

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Anonymous
May 4, 2014 5:53:23 AM

OJS said:
Not sure I fully understand Your suggestion

What do you mean "install Grub on Linus Mint". What exactly should I do?
When I installed both Mint and boot-loader on the external HDD, I got an error.

Also, are you saying that I can not achieve XP booting from internal disk, mint boot from the external, without being depended on the external to boot XP?



Seems Grub already comes installed on Linux Mint (Unlike Gentoo), so edit /boot/grub/grub.conf and change the configurations there.

You can add Windows XP to the configuration file:

  1. title Windows XP
  2. rootnoverify (hd<Hd number>,<Partition number>)
  3. makeactive
  4. chainloader +1


Make sure to replace <Hd number> and <Partition number>

You cannot boot into Linux using Windows' Boot, but you can boot into Windows AND Linux using Grub, that is what I meant.

The reason for the error is that, Linux Mint can't get Grub's file, maybe because you haven't attached the external HD? Or maybe because your BIOS doesn't boot the external HD?
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May 4, 2014 6:21:39 AM

Maybe or probably I don't fully understand all the terms and mechanism...
Is that possible to install grub on the internal disk while mint (or any other Linux ) to the external disk?

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Best solution

Anonymous
May 4, 2014 6:56:30 AM

OJS said:
Maybe or probably I don't fully understand all the terms and mechanism...
Is that possible to install grub on the internal disk while mint (or any other Linux ) to the external disk?



The problem is not with the Internal Disk or External Disk, the problem is that Grub needs a Unix/Unix-like operating system such as Linux, and you have installed Linux on the External Disk, so you have to install Grub on the disk containing Linux.

Since you have Windows on the Internal Disk and not Linux, then you can't install Grub on the Internal Disk, BUT, you can use GRUB4DOS/WINGRUB (Which is just a port of Grub to Windows) and install it on the Internal Disk (Containing Windows):

https://sourceforge.net/projects/grub4dos/

Then you can configure it to boot into Linux.

Note: Grub can boot into Windows, Linux and FreeBSD.

Don't worry if you can't understand, keep questioning, I am a patient guy :)  , the only way you will understand is by questioning the things you don't understand.
Share
May 4, 2014 9:00:32 AM

MJaoune,

Thanks for your help and willingness

Now I understand the problem..

Did some quick reading, and I guess you gave me the solution I needed, not to mention I am now wiser...at least a bit

If I'll have more problems - I'll give you a call :) 

tx again
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Anonymous
May 4, 2014 9:10:38 AM

OJS said:
MJaoune,

Thanks for your help and willingness

Now I understand the problem..

Did some quick reading, and I guess you gave me the solution I needed, not to mention I am now wiser...at least a bit

If I'll have more problems - I'll give you a call :) 

tx again


No problem mate and please, if you need any help with Linux or any other thing, we are more than pleased to help.

BTW, has Linux and Windows dual boot worked for you?
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May 4, 2014 11:05:15 AM

I didn't do it yet. later.
I'll post the result

Tx mate
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May 6, 2014 12:15:15 PM

Couldn't make work

After downloading Grub4Dos 0.4.4 (http://download.gna.org/grub4dos/)
I followed the instructions in http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/install_windo...

Extracted grldr, and menu.lst to c:\
Edit boot.ini to add grub4dos to XP boot menu
Add Linux Mint to menu.lst (http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/boot.htm#linu...)

Boot the VM
select Grub4Dos
select linux Mint in the grub4dos boot menu

Error:
kernel /vmlinuz PMEDIA=usbflash
Error 15: File not found

I think it probably the disk and partition number as I wrote to the menu.lst
Tried to change the partition number number - but no success (1,3) and (1,4)
within XP disk management:
The disk is 1
The Linux partition is not recognized but it is the third one.

Am I right?
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Anonymous
May 6, 2014 1:36:36 PM

OJS said:
Couldn't make work

After downloading Grub4Dos 0.4.4 (http://download.gna.org/grub4dos/)
I followed the instructions in http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/install_windo...

Extracted grldr, and menu.lst to c:\
Edit boot.ini to add grub4dos to XP boot menu
Add Linux Mint to menu.lst (http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/boot.htm#linu...)

Boot the VM
select Grub4Dos
select linux Mint in the grub4dos boot menu

Error:
kernel /vmlinuz PMEDIA=usbflash
Error 15: File not found

I think it probably the disk and partition number as I wrote to the menu.lst
Tried to change the partition number number - but no success (1,3) and (1,4)
within XP disk management:
The disk is 1
The Linux partition is not recognized but it is the third one.

Am I right?


Hard disk and partition numbers start with 0, so 0 is the first one.

Try using (0,2) or (0,3).

If you are in a virtual machine, then the whole numbering is different, since the virtual machine treats the disk its running the OS from to be the first disk and partition (0,0).

You would have to give me few information on how you set up the virtual machine.
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May 7, 2014 12:42:27 AM


"Hard disk and partition numbers start with 0, so 0 is the first one."

Yes. Since the local disk is 0 the external disk (Linux is installed on an external disk) is 1.

The partitioning is as follows:
1st Partition: NTFS
2nd Partition. NTFS
3rd Partition. Extended partition divided into two. one for Mint Mate (partition #5), one for the swap (partition #6)
As I remember the linux boot loader is installed on partition #3 (is it possible at all?), yet I tried HD(1,3) and HD(1,4) .

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Anonymous
May 7, 2014 12:58:04 AM

OJS said:

"Hard disk and partition numbers start with 0, so 0 is the first one."

Yes. Since the local disk is 0 the external disk (Linux is installed on an external disk) is 1.

The partitioning is as follows:
1st Partition: NTFS
2nd Partition. NTFS
3rd Partition. Extended partition divided into two. one for Mint Mate (partition #5), one for the swap (partition #6)
As I remember the linux boot loader is installed on partition #3 (is it possible at all?), yet I tried HD(1,3) and HD(1,4) .



3rd partition means (1,2) and not (1,3), am I correct?

I meant, if you have created the virtual machine on the external hard disk, it will treat it as the primary internal one, and it wont be able to use other partitions.

I am also doubting this error:

Quote:
Error:
kernel /vmlinuz PMEDIA=usbflash
Error 15: File not found


I will un-select my answer as best until this problem is solved.
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May 7, 2014 1:45:03 AM

Anonymous said:

3rd partition means (1,2) and not (1,3), am I correct?


Yep. My mistake. 3rd partition is 2.
I tried (HD1,2) - same error
Also tried (0,2) (0,3)


Anonymous said:

I meant, if you have created the virtual machine on the external hard disk, it will treat it as the primary internal one, and it wont be able to use other partitions.

if you refer the VM partitions - OK

Anonymous said:

I am also doubting this error:

Quote:
Error:
kernel /vmlinuz PMEDIA=usbflash
Error 15: File not found

Not sure what your point is.

tx
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May 7, 2014 8:13:18 AM

Your goal is an external hard drive that you can plug into any computer to boot from, even your own.
With the external drive plugged in boot to the installer.
From a terminal, ctl+alt+t, type sudo fdisk -l (as in small L).
Make a note of the external hard drive's designation, probably /dev/sdb
Follow instructions until it asks what type of install, you choose "other"
there you designate where to install Mint, probably /dev/sdb1
IMPORTANT! You want Grub boot loader on the external drive not the hard drive. There's a place to check where to install grub on that page as well, make sure you check the right spot.
Finish install.
Anytime you designate to boot from the USB on any computer it will run the mint. If you want windows to be an option then from the terminal in Mint again ctl+alt+t, type sudo update-grub and whatever systems are on the computer running mint at the time will be added to grub.
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