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View Full Version : Got knoppix but had to start windows!!



rsmanyan
02-18-2005, 02:52 PM
I am a newbie. Ihave knoppix3.7 and a hp windowsXP home PC. Everytime, I want to run knoppix, becoz I have to insert the CD, I have to start WinXP , insert the koppix cd and restart the computer. As my harddisk is a single NTFS partition, Iam not able to do hdd install. Tried stoopng the windows booting with pause/break key,but my keyboard is not getting detected.

Is there a way for this ?

Regards,
RSM

Harry Kuhman
02-18-2005, 02:57 PM
You could insall a boot manager like XOSL (http://www.ranish.com/part/xosl.htm) or Smart Boot Manager (http://btmgr.webframe.org/) to your hard disk MBR.

gnarvaja
02-19-2005, 02:52 AM
... or check the Ultimate Boot CD (http://www.ultimatebootcd.com)

--GN

rsmanyan
02-19-2005, 09:05 AM
Thank you Harry and GN,

Let me try them and come back.

On first look, I may require some help though for installation of SBM as I am new to MBR and Linux.

XOSL requires DOS OS on FAT16/32 but I have only Windows XP . Do I have to install XOSL after erasing my XP and reinstal XP ?

RS

rsmanyan
02-19-2005, 09:27 AM
Thank you Harry and GN,

Let me try them and come back.

On first look, I may require some help though for installation of SBM as I am new to MBR and Linux.

XOSL requires DOS OS on FAT16/32 but I have only Windows XP . Do I have to install XOSL after erasing my XP and reinstal XP ?

RS

harken
02-19-2005, 11:02 AM
Maybe I'm missing something but what has the fact that you have only one, NTFS partition, to do with the impossibility of installing Knoppix? Get yourself something like PartitionMagic, create a new partition (actually 2 or 3) then install Knoppix there. Even fdisk can do the job.

And WinXP can be brought to a boot options menu by using the F8 key.

Harry Kuhman
02-19-2005, 02:44 PM
...XOSL requires DOS OS on FAT16/32 but I have only Windows XP . Do I have to install XOSL after erasing my XP and reinstal XP ?
XOSL des not require a DOS OS or a FAT16/32 patrition. While the documentation that comes with XOSL prefers that XOSL co-exist with a Windows partition, I and others prefer to give it it's own partition (this helps if you want to reload partitions from image files). If you find that you do need a DOS os at first, such as to do the original disk partitioning, there are several free DOS (http://www.freedos.org/) systems available on the web that would make a handy addition to your tools. My advice is to give XOSL it's own partition; or just install SBM to the MBR.

CrashedAgain
02-19-2005, 05:02 PM
I am a newbie. Ihave knoppix3.7 and a hp windowsXP home PC. Everytime, I want to run knoppix, becoz I have to insert the CD, I have to start WinXP , insert the koppix cd and restart the computer. As my harddisk is a single NTFS partition, Iam not able to do hdd install. Tried stoopng the windows booting with pause/break key,but my keyboard is not getting detected.

Is there a way for this ?

Regards,
RSM
The three finger salute (ctrl-alt-del) should work during the early stages of the boot process (while the computer is still checking memory etc before it actually starts loading XP). You may have to repeat it a couple of times to give yourself enough time to get the CD in but it's better than waiting all through the XP boot.
Check out the post Need help (andrewg678), he was able to use QTparted to resize his NTFS partition without losing any data to do a HD install (but back up first, just in case).

foamrotreturns
02-21-2005, 01:39 AM
Wait, are you trying to install to hard drive, or do you only want to run knoppix from the CD? If you're trying to do a HDD install, don't you think this should be in the HDD install forum?
BTW, I agree on the Ctrl+Alt+Del sequence to prompt the delay necessary to insert the CD. There's probably not another way to do it.

Harry Kuhman
02-21-2005, 03:41 AM
....There's probably not another way to do it.
Sure there is. Type the DEL key or whatever gets you into BIOS setup. Open the CD drive, insert the disk, go get a cup of coffee, do whatever you want, when you are ready to boot just leave the BIOS and all will be fine.

foamrotreturns
02-21-2005, 07:52 PM
....There's probably not another way to do it.
Sure there is. Type the DEL key or whatever gets you into BIOS setup. Open the CD drive, insert the disk, go get a cup of coffee, do whatever you want, when you are ready to boot just leave the BIOS and all will be fine.
I thought of that, but when you go into BIOS, regardless of if you make changes or not, it will still reboot the computer. The same function as Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Harry Kuhman
02-21-2005, 08:44 PM
I thought of that, but when you go into BIOS, regardless of if you make changes or not, it will still reboot the computer. The same function as Ctrl+Alt+Del.
One problem that was stated as being an issue with Ctrl-Alt-Del is that you might have to do it multiple times before you got the CD ready, which could be a serious problem, either Windows starts or you end up scratching a CD. Entering the BIOS gives you all the time that you want. There may also be other options, some BIOS's (like my HP notebook) have a key that you can hit to change just the boot order, and another to try to boot from the network. I don't believe these options do a full restart when you select or exit them, but would give you the time needed to swap in a CD.

rsmanyan
02-23-2005, 12:13 PM
I am very grateful to all those responded and gave their suggestions. I thank them, especially Mr. Harry Kuhman. I tried the Smart Boot Manager, but as I am not having any DOS boot floopy, could not install from XP command prompt. May be I should get a freeDOS disk or Ultimate Boot CD, one of these days.

Entering into BIOS seems to work for me and I am not seeing the blue screen before opening the CD case, which is what I want.

I once again thank this Forum Members for being such interactive and supportive.