New to Linux....need help installing

N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok thanks so much, I'll get my system hooked up hard wired within that time as long as you'll be back tonight. if not, i'll wait until tomorrow to hook it up
 
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok so I'm hard wired online on the linux machine(partly releaved). SO heres that first command thing you wanted me to type in:
vinnie@vinnie-desktop:~$ sudo cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
Password:
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/sda3 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,2)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-386
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-386 root=/dev/sda3 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-26-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-386 root=/dev/sda3 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-26-386
boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
vinnie@vinnie-desktop:~$
Click to expand...

I will post the other thing you wanted me to do in the next post.
 
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
here's the other thing you guys wanted me to post
vinnie@vinnie-desktop:~$ sudo cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/sda3 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/sda5 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0
vinnie@vinnie-desktop:~$
Click to expand...
 
munkyeetr

munkyeetr

New Member
okay I may have the answer here. do the following:

enter the command:
Code: 
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

now at the very bottom of the file, after the memtest entry, and by that I mean this:
title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot
Click to expand...

add another entry that has this:

title Windows Vista
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
Click to expand...

save the file and reboot. let me know if this worked.
 
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok, well I did what you said, and i got to the widows vista loading screen(black screen with the bars going across) and then it just stood there and didn't go anywhere else(i waited about a min and then just shut off the computer). I think your on to something, maybe instead of HDD(0,0) maybe its (0,1)?
 
munkyeetr

munkyeetr

New Member
Before you change that try adding rootnoverify:

EDIT: If you got to the beginning of the Vista loading screen, you have the right partition. If it wasn't the right one you would see an error.

title Windows Vista
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok well now the problem is that when I type in command sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst it gives me like no time to type in a password, any idea what could be causing this?
 
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok(i'm on my laptop now) I did what u said to do and I got to windows and it said that it noticed windows failed to start the last time so I selected to repair windows. a screen then came up said windows was loading files, then that went away and the windows vista loading screen came up(the black one). It sat there for about a minute to minute and a half and then the screen went black. The screen is still black(been there for 5-10 minutes) Should i turn the pc off and try doing something to the linux again? also my pc has 2 hdd's, one has a 50gb backup of stuff, should I just run my system backup and pull all my stuff off the hdd because at this point all i want is vista to work?
 
munkyeetr

munkyeetr

New Member
try just rebooting again into Vista

I'm trying to figure out of we want to repair Vista's MBR and then reset GRUB to the MBR. I haven't come across this before, so I am learning it myself as we work through this.

But yeah, try rebooting into Vista again and see what happens.
 
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok, well I restarted, booted into vista, and I'm stuck on the black screen with the green bars rolling across. This time I booted windows with its regular setting instead of the repair bootup, but atleast this time I'm not stuck at a plain black screen.
 
munkyeetr

munkyeetr

New Member
First of all, you said you have a 50gb backup drive that has all your saved data. It is safely isolated from the Vista partition? I just want to be sure because I haven't done this before and I would hate to lead you somewhere where there's loss of data.

Basically what I want to do it reset the Vista bootloader to the Master Boot Record, make sure we can boot into Vista, then reset GRUB as the bootloader, and try to boot into Vista and Ubuntu. If this fails we can just reset the Vista bootloader again and you still have Vista. That is the theory, anyway.

So, if you're game for that, and your data is safe, let me know.
 
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok, well this computer has 2 hdd, I had setup windows restore to put all the backup data onto the 2nd hdd, and I know theres atleast 50GB of data on that hd. I'm not 100% sure if it has all the stuff to boot off of, but at this point I'll do anything to get the computer running. If you can guide me through the easiest way you know how to, I'll do my best to get this baby working.
 
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok,thing is this is an HP so it doesn't give u the system restore cds, and I never had the time to make a cd up(my dvd drive didn't like the DVD's i was putting in) So I'm really screwed, I have a vista upgrade cd somewhere around(ofcourse I can't find it) Do you think system recovery will work and take stuff off of my other hdd?
 
munkyeetr

munkyeetr

New Member
Actually you had a repair option the 2nd to last time you rebooted, but it froze. Try it again, and at the same time see of there's an option to go to a Command Line Prompt (just note that in case the repair doesn't work again).
 
N

NJNETSFAN

New Member
ok, i thought u left, but I went ahead and changed the(not sure whats its called) to this:
title=Winbugs MalaVista
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
makeactive
Click to expand...
and it booted up vista the same way as before and I booted up the repair way and I'm stuck at the black screen again(no cursor or anything, just a black screen like its trying to load something, but I left it like this for 20 minutes before and nothing happened) I have a vista home upgrade cd(I just can't get to it right now becuase its late and its in my parents bedroom). That should allow me to repair my windows correct?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top