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change boot.ini from grub4dos


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#1 paoasp

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Posted 20 March 2008 - 09:53 AM

Hi all
I need to install Suse 10 remotely starting from Win2K3,

For this scope, I put in the file boot.ini the reference to grub like that
default=C:\grldr
C:\grldr="Start GRUB4DOS"

and copied glrdr and menu.slt files in C:

At the reboot the grub4dos will be the default and will be lanched by ntlrd.

Now, in the menu.lst I used the target of fallback like that

****************************
# menu.slt
default saved

# By default, boot the first entry
#default 0

# Fall back to the second entry (back to Windows) if GRUB can't boot the first entry
fallback 1

# first entry (default 0)
title OpenSuSE 10.2 installer
kernel (hd0,0)/linuxkernel1/linux1 devfs=mount,dall ramdisk_size=65536 install=cd: netdevice=eth1 hostip=141.137.37.31 netmask=255.255.255.0 VNC=1 VNCPassword=Administrator1 SSH=1 SSHPassword=Administrator1 gateway=141.137.37.2
initrd (hd0,0)/linuxkernel1/initrd1
savedefault

# second entry (booting Windows 2K, fallback 1)
title Fallback to the Windows 2K boot menu1
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
savedefault

******************

In this way, if I have some problem to load the linux kernel I will have the fallback
to ntldr (of windows)
In fallback scenario the sequence is then:
ntldr (boot .in with defaul glrdr) -> glrdr -> ntldr

The problem is that ntldr will read again the boot.ini
and then will load by default glrdr again
This one means that the fallback scenario will go in loop
without any manual intervantion

Is there any way to specify by menu.lst file the ntlrd with a different boot.ini file?
Or any other solution proposal?

Many thanks in advance

Regards
/Paolo

#2 was_jaclaz

was_jaclaz

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Posted 20 March 2008 - 11:18 AM

The problem is unfortunately in NTLDR/BOOT.INI.

Grub4dos has not (yet) the ability to write to disk even simple text files.

Read this:
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=2777

What you can do is to have a (third) entry in menu.lst loading a DOS or Linux (floppy) image capable of either:
1) delete BOOT.INI alltogether (if no boot.ini is present NTLDR should default to either \WINNT\ or \WINDOWS\ drectory on first active partition of first hard disk (NO way back)
2) rename BOOT.INI to BOOT.BAK
3) Edit or rewrite a new boot.ini
Once done the above, the autoesec.bat could re-load grub4dos through grub.exe

Another possibility would be to have a second copy of NTLDR, named, say, OTLDR, hexedied as to load instead of BOOT.INI COOT.INI, be aware that Win2003 SETUPLDR.BIN/NTLDR have executable checksum that need to be fixed:
http://www.msfn.org/...SP1-t47226.html

This way you chainload from grub4dos menu.lst OTLDR instead of NTLDR.....

jaclaz

#3 xclimbing

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Posted 31 March 2008 - 03:52 AM

@ Paolo

Another way: make a NT boot floppy image ( assume naming it as ntboot.ima) and change your menu.lst as :

title Fallback to Windows 2000

find --set-root /ntboot.ima

map --mem /ntboot.ima (fd0)

map --hook

rootnoverify (fd0)

chainloader (fd0)+1

Question: How to make a NT boot floppy image?
Answer: Format a floppy disk(you can use Virtual Floppy Drive) under Windows 2000/XP/2003,then copy ntldr, ntdetect.com, boot.ini, bootfont.bin(if you use it) from c:\ to your just formatted floppy disk. edit boot.ini similar as follow:
[boot loader]

timeout=0

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

then save the floppy as ntboot.ima by software such as WinImage.

Good Luck!

Climbing




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