The first screen you see is likely to be the one coming from the grub2.
The settings are then in file boot.cfg (likely in a \boot\\grub\ directory ) on the SATA disk (which is set as the first boot device in your BIOS)
yes, grub2 is installed on linux lite which is ubuntu, so the file is /boot/grub/grub.cfg. on line 217 I changed 'Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sda1)' to 'choose between XP professional and tinycore', saved, and ran update-grub in terminal, but still was unable to affect the menu entry. below is parts of the grub.cfg file that I thought were relevant. I hope I didn't cut anything out that was needed.
menuentry 'Description: Linux Lite 2.0 GNU/Linux' --class description_ --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2' {
recordfail
load_video
gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos7'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos7 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos7 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos7 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic root=UUID=435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2 ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Description: Linux Lite 2.0 GNU/Linux' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2' {
menuentry 'Description: Linux Lite 2.0 GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic' --class description_ --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.13.0-24-generic-advanced-435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2' {
recordfail
load_video
gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos7'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos7 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos7 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos7 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
fi
echo 'Loading Linux 3.13.0-24-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic root=UUID=435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2 ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic
}
menuentry 'Description: Linux Lite 2.0 GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic (recovery mode)' --class description_ --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.13.0-24-generic-recovery-435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2' {
recordfail
load_video
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos7'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos7 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos7 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos7 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
fi
echo 'Loading Linux 3.13.0-24-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic root=UUID=435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2 ro recovery nomodeset
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic
}
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry 'Memory test (memtest86+)' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos7'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos7 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos7 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos7 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
fi
knetbsd /boot/memtest86+.elf
}
menuentry 'Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos7'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos7 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos7 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos7 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 435899ab-62c3-4c92-85e3-d0768d2ae4b2
fi
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sda1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-chain-68D492BDD4928CC6' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 68D492BDD4928CC6
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 68D492BDD4928CC6
fi
parttool ${root} hidden-
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
menuentry 'Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sdb1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-chain-D2A4CCA0A4CC8905' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='hd1,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos1 D2A4CCA0A4CC8905
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root D2A4CCA0A4CC8905
fi
parttool ${root} hidden-
chainloader +1
}
menuentry 'Slackware Linux (Slackware 14.1) (on /dev/sdb5)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-simple-cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos5'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos5 cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb5
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Slackware Linux (Slackware 14.1) (on /dev/sdb5)' $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-advanced-cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905' {
menuentry 'Slackware Linux (Slackware 14.1) (on /dev/sdb5)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-/boot/vmlinuz--cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos5'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos5 cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb5
}
menuentry 'Slackware Linux (Slackware 14.1) (on /dev/sdb5)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-/boot/vmlinuz--cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos5'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos5 cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb5
}
menuentry 'Slackware Linux (Slackware 14.1) (on /dev/sdb5)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-/boot/vmlinuz-huge-smp-3.10.17-smp--cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos5'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos5 cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root cef55db5-e514-49c8-bf74-32bbf1872905
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz-huge-smp-3.10.17-smp root=/dev/sdb5
}
}
That entry simply chainloads the IDE disk MBR.
That MBR is the "standard" XP one that chainloads the active partition VBR.
The VBR is the "standard" XP one that chainloads the NTLDR.
The NTLDR loads the BOOT.INI file which contains what you see on screen as:
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
grub4dos
I will show you what is in the xp boot.ini file:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional"/noexecute=optin/fastdetect
C:\grldr=grub4dos
and menu.lst from xp at C:\menu.lst
default 0
timeout -1
title Tiny Core
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz quiet tce=sda2 home=sda2 opt=sda2 norestore
initrd /boot/core.gz
title Windows XP
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
When you choose the "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" entry it will boot XP.
When you choose the grub4dos one, it chainloads grldr (one of the grub4dos files) which loads the settings contained in menu.lst, i.e. menu.lst contains the settings that you see on screen as
Tiny Core
Windows XP
yes. everything here is fine.
So, your boot sequence is:
SATA MBR->grub2->choice in grub.cfg-> IDE MBR->Active partition VBR->NTLDR->choice in BOOT.INI->grldr->choice in menu.lst
Now, when you choose in the last screen "Windows XP" you "go back" to NTLDR, and you loop to ->NTLDR->choice in BOOT.INI->grldr->choice in menu.lst
when you instead choose "Tiny Core" you directly load the OS.
To boot the XP you need anyway to go through the "NTLDR->choice in BOOT.INI", but if you have just a single choice in BOOT.INI it will load directly to XP.
If you do not use grub4dos, in your setup is not needed, you could add to the grub2 grub.cfg an entry to directly boot Tiny Core and remove the entry for grub4dos from BOOT.INI.
agreed. somehow I got this to work reliably and I have plans to clone the xp partition to pair with another distro. there are problems playing video with tinycore. I like to keep a flexible setup so I have options available. if only I knew how to use this stuff instead of getting lucky and getting it to work. I am really hoping that I can become good at using grub4dos. it appears to be the best boot loader/manager.
so I am guessing from your reply that the following files possibly need to be edited.
1. linux lite /boot/grub/grub.cfg
2. xp boot.ini
3. xp C:\menu.lst
is this correct?
thanks for the reply, wonko