Dual Boot Problems

[xerxes_thegreat]

I recently installed Mandrake Linux 8.0 on my computer. I have three hard drives, and only room for two of them at a time, so I took my secondary 40 GB HD out so I could use my 4GB HD to install Linux. It put a bootloader on my primary HD, the 13GB, so whenever I have the 4GB HD in, it will load the Linux bootloader, where I may then choose an operating system to use. But if my 40GB HD is in the computer in place of the 4GB, the Linux bootloader doesn't load. So basically I can only boot up an operating system if the 4GB HD is in the computer, preventing access to my 40GB drive.

I just want to play Far Cry!

 

[DiamondzAndGunz]

Well, it might not be a permanent solution, but have you tried getting a floppy boot disk? I have one, in case any of my computers ever go psycho (or if I have to boot a CD on my laptop. Yes, it's that old). It came on the first install disk of my copy of Slackware linux. If you have access to another computer, you might want to browse around (either on the net, or on your linux CD) and see if you can get access to a boot disk. The one I use is, IIRC, Smart Boot Manager (or something similar sounding to that).

After you create the disk, just pop it in the floppy, and choose the HD you want to boot from. I believe this should fix your problem, at least temporarily, so you can sort out your boot situation (and play Far Cry )

 

[Padma]

I would also suggest you ask for help at mandrakeusers.org. I almost guarantee you some of those folks can help you straighten this out.


(BTW: Why MDK 8.0? They're beta testing 10.1 currently. And 10.0 Official is out for free download. )

 

[Detlef Richter]

It's a general problem, i think. I had the sema one with Suse Linux and i think, the best way to fix it is, to install the bootloader on a bootdisk. To write into the HD bootblock is alwas a problem. You can change your settings easily with a bootdisk.

 

[xerxes_thegreat]

Thanks for the info. I put all the drives in the computer, but hooked the cables up from my DVD drive into the 40GB HD. Now if I want to watch a DVD I need to turn off the computer and hook the cables up to the DVD drive. I am getting a new mobo + PSU soon, so this won't be a problem for long. Thanks, guys.