Hi,
First I installed Windows XP on my local machine, then I installed Windows Server 2008 Standard and Windows 2008 Enterprise. At this point I could see all the Windows versions in Window's provided boot-loader. Then I installed Windows 2003 and obviously this version could not recognize the Windows 2008 versions. As a result, the 2003 boot-loader only shows Windows XP and Windows 2003.
This led me to Grub and now I am able to boot all my versions, but somehow they appear in two groups and I have to boot them indirectly through the Windows boot-loader:
1) booting "root (hd0,0)" brings me to the Windows XP / Windows 2003 boot-loader
2) booting "root (hd0,1)" brings me to the Windows 2008 Standard and Enterprise Edition boot-loader
What I would like is to boot from Grub directly into Windows XP / 2003 / 2008. The problem is I have two install more versions of Windows and it will become too messy.
Is it possible to tell Grub to bypass the Windows boot-loader and directly boot Windows XP / 2003 / 2008?
Cheers,
Andrej van der Zee
Miltiple Windows versions with grub
Started by
kokot-san
, Jul 30 2008 06:59 AM
1 reply to this topic
#2
was_jaclaz
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Finder
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Italy
Posted 30 July 2008 - 07:42 AM
Are you using Grub or grub4dos, that can chainload directly NTLDR or BOOTMGR.
Check the grub4dos guide and forum:
http://www.boot-land...s/?showforum=66
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=5187
However, you cannot "bypass" the Windows loader, what you can do is to have a number of windows loaders.
This has been tested and works for NTLDR + BOOT.INI, but should work for BOOTMGR+BCD as well, with the needed adaptations.
For NTLDR+BOOT.INI:
Solution 1):
Create a number of floppy images, similar to the one detailed here:
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm
each with a NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM (optional NTBOOTDD.SYS) and BOOT.INI with just the entry pointing to the desired NT, 2K, XP or 2003 installs.
Map the image to floppy and boot from it.
Solution 2):
Create a number of copies of NTLDR, renamed to something else, like OTLDR, PTLDR, RTLDR, etc. each hexedited to point to a renamed BOOT.INI, like COOT.INI, DOOT.INI, EOOT.INI, etc. pointing to the desired NT, 2k, XP, 2003 install.
Chainload directly from grub4dos either NTLDR, OTLDR, PTLDR, etc.
The two solutions may be "combined" having the multiple loaders on a floppy (or "superfloppy" image).
For BOOTMGR+BCD:
As above, based on this:
http://www.multiboot....uk/floppy.html
jaclaz
Check the grub4dos guide and forum:
http://www.boot-land...s/?showforum=66
http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=5187
However, you cannot "bypass" the Windows loader, what you can do is to have a number of windows loaders.
This has been tested and works for NTLDR + BOOT.INI, but should work for BOOTMGR+BCD as well, with the needed adaptations.
For NTLDR+BOOT.INI:
Solution 1):
Create a number of floppy images, similar to the one detailed here:
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm
each with a NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM (optional NTBOOTDD.SYS) and BOOT.INI with just the entry pointing to the desired NT, 2K, XP or 2003 installs.
Map the image to floppy and boot from it.
Solution 2):
Create a number of copies of NTLDR, renamed to something else, like OTLDR, PTLDR, RTLDR, etc. each hexedited to point to a renamed BOOT.INI, like COOT.INI, DOOT.INI, EOOT.INI, etc. pointing to the desired NT, 2k, XP, 2003 install.
Chainload directly from grub4dos either NTLDR, OTLDR, PTLDR, etc.
The two solutions may be "combined" having the multiple loaders on a floppy (or "superfloppy" image).
For BOOTMGR+BCD:
As above, based on this:
http://www.multiboot....uk/floppy.html
jaclaz
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