Stupid question/protocol needed

[nicorelli]

What is GRUB and LILO?

I want to dual boot Windows XP and Linux using two hard disk drives. It seems that I need to partition my hda to have it contain boot files for both OSs and then partition hdb for Linux operations. Is there a clear, concise way to do this for a neophyte like myself? I have access to partitioning software as well as qtparted on Knoppix 3.4.

Being the idjit that I am, I installed Knoppix 3.4 on hdb without partitioning hda to boot it. Now when I run Windows XP, "my computer" shows no hdb. At start up, hdb is detected; Windows can't see it though.

Can anyone help me?

[mzilikazi]

What is GRUB and LILO?

Both are boot loaders.

Being the idjit that I am, I installed Knoppix 3.4 on hdb without partitioning hda to boot it. Now when I run Windows XP, "my computer" shows no hdb. At start up, hdb is detected; Windows can't see it though.

Can anyone help me?

You don't need to do anything to hda except:
a) Edit ntldr to boot Linux
How? Beats me.
OR
b) Install GRUB or LILO to boot both win & Linux.

Personally I would do this (assuming you installed linuxto hdb1):
Boot Knoppix
mount /dev/hdb1 /mnt/hdb1
chroot /mnt/hdb1
apt-get install grub
ctrl+d (to leave chroot)
grub-install /dev/hda --root-device=/mnt/hdb1
update-grub

reboot
enjoy!

[OErjan]

this works for me (and oters).
you can use XP/NT/win2k... bootloader to start Linux. just write LILO to a floppy, make a "image" of the floppy-mbr put that image as a lable in C:\ BOOT.INI, mine looks like this.

[boot loader]
timeout=2
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
C:\linux.ipl="LINUX"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

a quick guide with a few more details.

1) make lilo write to floppy, have this line in lilo.conf:

boot=/dev/fd0

or do

lilo -M /dev/fd0

2) make a image of the floppy-mbr:

dd if=/dev/fd0 of=/dev/fd0/linux.ipl bs=512 count=1

this puts a file called linux.ipl on the floppy

3) put a copy of linux.ipl in C:\ ,
safest way is in windows and copying it from the floppy.

4) Modifiy C:\boot.ini -- add a line with:
Code:
C:\linux.ipl="Linux"


repeat 2) and 3) every time you run LILO.

Microsoft ntldr now believes you hae yet another windows installed. happy booting
if you want more details ask further.