Arch And Windows 7 Dual Boot On Separate HDD

Hi everyone.
Firstly, a big thank you to everyone for helping me out in my first thread regarding choice of partitions and filesystems.
I went on to install Arch today on my second HDD (160GB). My first HDD has Windows 7 installed on it. (The BIOS shows that the HDD with Win 7 installed is HDD1.)
Arch showed the HDDs as sda and sdb. I was installing on sdb and created my partitions accordingly.
sdb1 --> root (15GB)
sdb2 --> swap (1GB)
sdb3 --> var (10GB)
sdb4 --> home (remaining space)
I had to flag sdb1 as Bootable.
Then I was asked about mountpoints and something about selecting by dev or uuid. I didn't quite understand but selected dev. Then formatted with ext4. Did not add any parameters.
Before proceeding they gave a warning about no /boot partition but I continued anyway.
It was an FTP install and went pretty smoothly. I configured everything exactly as I had read in the guides online and Wiki. GRUB said it configured successfully (I did not make any chnges to it). I had put GRUB on sdb and not on any partition.
As I rebooted, my system did not show the GRUB but went straight on to Windows 7. I went into BIOS and changed my first drive to the 160GB Seagate where I had installed Arch and rebooted. This time GRUB came up without any option to boot Windows 7. When I selected Arch it gave an error and did not boot.
So I'm back on Windows 7 and need help. I'm a noob and did not much understand the solution that I saw on another thread. Since I intend to have the 2 OSs on separate drives and dual boot, what should I do?
Will be very grateful for any help.
Last edited by Ritwik7 (2010-06-06 12:01:31)

Here you go:
# Config file for GRUB - The GNU GRand Unified Bootloader
# /boot/grub/menu.lst
# DEVICE NAME CONVERSIONS
# Linux Grub
# /dev/fd0 (fd0)
# /dev/sda (hd0)
# /dev/sdb2 (hd1,1)
# /dev/sda3 (hd0,2)
# FRAMEBUFFER RESOLUTION SETTINGS
# +-------------------------------------------------+
# | 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024
# ----+--------------------------------------------
# 256 | 0x301=769 0x303=771 0x305=773 0x307=775
# 32K | 0x310=784 0x313=787 0x316=790 0x319=793
# 64K | 0x311=785 0x314=788 0x317=791 0x31A=794
# 16M | 0x312=786 0x315=789 0x318=792 0x31B=795
# +-------------------------------------------------+
# for more details and different resolutions see
# http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB#Framebuffer_Resolution
# general configuration:
timeout 5
default 0
color light-blue/black light-cyan/blue
# boot sections follow
# each is implicitly numbered from 0 in the order of appearance below
# TIP: If you want a 1024x768 framebuffer, add "vga=773" to your kernel line.
# (0) Windows
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
# (1) Arch Linux
title Arch Linux
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/mapper/vghparch-lvroot ro quiet
initrd /kernel26.img
# (2) Arch Linux
title Arch Linux Fallback
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/mapper/vghparch-lvroot ro
initrd /kernel26-fallback.img
I installed grub on the second hdd and configured the bios so this drive comes first in the boot sequence and as pyther pointed out above the drive where grub is loaded from becomes hd0.
Last edited by Ashren (2010-06-07 18:51:29)

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[SOLVED] Grub refuses to boot Arch on a dual boot

Hi,
After hours of trying things out and searching the web for answers, I finally gave up and joined this helpforum.
I found several similar topics, but none seemed to work.
So here's the deal.
My HDD looks like this
sda1 (/boot)
sda2 (Windows7, bootflag)
sda3 (/swap)
sda5 (/)
sda6 (NTFS ExtraData)
So i'm trying to dual boot windows7 and arch.
my menu.lst looks like this:
# (0) Arch Linux
title Arch Linux
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda5 ro
initrd /initramfs-linux.img
# (1) Arch Linux
title Arch Linux Fallback
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda5 ro
initrd /initramfs-linux-fallback.img
# (2) Windows
title Windows 7
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
makeactive
chainloader +1
Windows boots fine, but when I try to boot Arch I get this
Booting 'Arch Linux'
title Arch Linux
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda5 ro
error 15: File not found
Thanks,
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Last edited by preute (2011-12-12 18:51:16)

I think that the lines
root (hd0,4)
are wrong. They are for GRUB's root (which is /boot), not /. So I think it should be
root (hd0,0)
instead.

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On a normal (single HDD) dual boot setup it is quite easy: install the GRUB files to (hd0,1), dd the first 512 bytes in /dev/hda2 and copy it to hda1, then edit the boot.ini file in hda1 to load the dd image saved there.
However, when NTLDR is on (hd0,0) and the GRUB stage1.5 and stage2 files are on (hd1,1) how can I achieve a dual boot system using NTLDR to chainload GRUB? Can GRUB stage1 load from (hd0,0) and look for stage1.5/stage2 on a completely separate hard drive (hd1,1)? Or can't it be done?
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Last edited by Shagbag (2007-10-30 16:36:12)

TheSaint wrote:It'll be necessary to configure mkinitcpio to address the correct path in order that the future kernel updates will go to ther right place.
See this for details.
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[SOLVED]Windows dual boot

Here's my fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x495d01ab
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 3060 24579418+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 3061 4365 10482412+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 4366 16832 100141177+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 16833 19457 21085312+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 16833 18137 10482381 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 18138 18790 5245191 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 18791 19312 4192933+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 19313 19326 112423+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 19327 19457 1052226 82 Linux swap / Solaris
and here's my menu.lst
# Config file for GRUB - The GNU GRand Unified Bootloader
# /boot/grub/menu.lst
# DEVICE NAME CONVERSIONS
# Linux Grub
# /dev/fd0 (fd0)
# /dev/hda (hd0)
# /dev/hdb2 (hd1,1)
# /dev/hda3 (hd0,2)
# FRAMEBUFFER RESOLUTION SETTINGS
# +-------------------------------------------------+
# | 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024
# ----+--------------------------------------------
# 256 | 0x301=769 0x303=771 0x305=773 0x307=775
# 32K | 0x310=784 0x313=787 0x316=790 0x319=793
# 64K | 0x311=785 0x314=788 0x317=791 0x31A=794
# 16M | 0x312=786 0x315=789 0x318=792 0x31B=795
# +-------------------------------------------------+
# general configuration:
timeout 5
default 0
color light-blue/black light-cyan/blue
# boot sections follow
# each is implicitly numbered from 0 in the order of appearance below
# TIP: If you want a 1024x768 framebuffer, add "vga=773" to your kernel line.
# (0) Arch Linux
title Arch Linux
root (hd0,7)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/e20fd940-03ae-48c4-a666-790e9be9e5d5 ro vga=792
initrd /kernel26.img
# (1) Arch Linux
title Arch Linux Fallback
root (hd0,7)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/e20fd940-03ae-48c4-a666-790e9be9e5d5 ro vga=792
initrd /kernel26-fallback.img
# (2) Windows Vista
title Windows Vista
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
Yet when I select Vista from the grub, all I get is an error saying that my windows boot manager needs to be fixed and I should put in my Windows CD etc....
I want the grub to be in the MBR...I just need to be able to access the Windows OS as well. Is there something wrong in my menu.lst file ?
Last edited by Inxsible (2009-02-13 07:33:36)

Funny, I have an HP Laptop that dual-boots Vista and Arch x86_64. I don't seem to recall having a problem. I installed Vista first (system restore disk <yech!>), then used gparted to resize the Vista partition, then did a standard Arch install.
# cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
default 0
timeout 30
color light-gray/black light-gray/blue
title Arch Linux
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/fbece3b5-a239-4f40-91b6-d82986108e2d ro
initrd /boot/kernel26.img
title Arch Linux Fallback
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/fbece3b5-a239-4f40-91b6-d82986108e2d ro
initrd /boot/kernel26-fallback.img
title Windows
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
makeactive
# fdisk -l /dev/sda
Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9c5a55bb
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 6374 51199123+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 18396 19457 8522752 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 6375 18395 96558682+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 6375 6501 1020096 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 6502 9051 20482843+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 9052 18395 75055648+ 83 Linux
Partition table entries are not in disk order
I'd be happy to send you any parts of my laptop configuration that might help.
Last edited by airman99 (2008-12-24 14:19:52)

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It's time for diner (i'm in France). I'll see this in the next hour.
Many thanks
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EDIT:
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Last edited by the.ridikulus.rat (2013-09-27 18:29:09)

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Windows DVD will only boot from optical drive when connected internally. If plugged in via external USB it stops at black screen with flashing cursor and doesnt progress
Using 5HT-2a's method on Redit (see below) and the EFI install, I get the Cx0000005 cannot find source media error and cannot install
Hacking the Bootcamp tool to create a Windows 8 ISO with all the drivers works (see link below) but when using it in EFI it crashes repeatedly during install so you never can complete the process (I think this is due to the video drivers) and therefore can't run Bootcamp assistant thus get proper trackpad support
Using lion10's method (below) for tweaking a standard Mac partitioned HD I was able to get past the cannot install Windows error ("windows cannot be installed to this disk. the selected disk is of the GPT partition style") and install Windows using EFI
Best guides/links I have found:
lion10's method:The ultimate way to install Windows 8.x in (U)EFI mode on Apple systems
5HT-2a's method: http://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/2fy3be/by_popular_demand_my_better_than_boo tcamp_guide/
skipsizemore's method: Can't install Windows 8 x64 on late 2013 MBP with1TB SSD
Bootcamp drivers 2 versions depending on Mac:
Older Macs: Boot Camp Support Software 5.1.5621
Newer Macs (most 2013+): Boot Camp Support Software 5.1.5640
Bootcamp Assistant Hack for USB creation on older Macs: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1680652There is an additional parameter required if you are using Yosemite during code signing (-deep I think, but cant remember)

What I ended up doing (so far)
I'm not 100% sure of the state of my disk when I got to where I ended up but I had previous completed the GDisk and DISKPART methods from 5HT-2a and lion10's methods. I was using a 128gb SSD
I then decided to start from the top (as I had previous installed Win 8.1 on the original HD using DVD)
So I ran the Yosemite installer (via USB) and used the partition tab in Disk Utility to repartition the disk into 2 partitions, 1 for OSX and 1 (ExFat/NTFS) for Windows
I then booted in Bios (Windows, not EFI) using the Windows 8.1 DVD using the DVD plugged in internally (wouldnt work using USB enclosure)
Installed Windows to the partition I created (probably the 4th one)
After Windows installed, ran the Bootcamp set up program
Reran Yosemite installer and installed Yosemite
Swapped out the optical drive for a larger HD (7200rpm) and formatted it with HFS+

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