Re: [gentoo-user] dual booting windows 7, extended partitions, and the mbr

[Allan Gottlieb <gottlieb@nyu.edu>]

At Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:05:43 +0100 Mick <michaelkintzios@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Tuesday 08 June 2010 12:47:37 Allan Gottlieb wrote:
>> At Tue, 08 Jun 2010 10:52:14 +0100 Neil Bothwick <neil@digimed.co.uk> wrote:
>> > On Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:10:06 -0400, Allan Gottlieb wrote:
>> >> I am now ready to install linux (and grub).
>> >> Can I have all of linux on extended partitions?  Something like
>> >>
>> >> 4.  Extended
>> >> 5.  linux / (a logical partition inside the extended partition)
>> >> 6.  linux swap (another logical partition)
>> >> 7.  linux lvm2 partition (another logical partition)
>> >> 8.  linux small vfat partition (logical)
>> >>
>> >> I am mainly concerned about #5.  Googling reveals that you can boot
>> >> from a logical partition but the authors seem to recommend against
>> >> it (without saying why in detail).
>> >
>> > Yes. My Linux only computers have no primary partitions, everything is on
>> > logical partitions and has worked that way for many years without a
>> > single issue.
>> 
>> Thank you.  That is just the endorsement I needed to go ahead.
>
> The first partition has FreeDOS I think and a couple of recovery tools.
>
> The second partition *should* have a backup of the MSWindows OS _and_ the boot 
> files.  If you less about with it you will probably find that your MSWindows 
> OS does not boot anymore.
>
> The third partition should have the MSWindows OS.
>
> A quick check for finding a file called BCD and perhaps BCD_backup will show 
> you which is the boot partition.
>
>
> If you are still under warranty you may want to install GRUB in your Linux 
> /boot partition not in the MBR and then copy an image of the boot partition 
> record from the Linux /boot partition to a file in your MSWindows OS 
> partition.  I have detailed how to chainload Linux from MSWindows in this 
> thread:
>
> http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.gentoo.user/226452/focus=226560
>
> HTH.

Thanks.  Currently I am successfully chainloading windows from grub
loaded in the MBR.  My only problem is with the network under linux, but
that is another thread.

thanks again,
allan