Windows/Linux booting

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PsichoDM

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 24, 2006
Messages
161
Hey!

I was wondering if anybody was aware of a site or a guide that explained how exactly an OS boot procedure worked, both from the user and the programmer point of view (in case I wanted to manually screw with it).
I want to install a FC4 distro on one of my partitions, and I want to know all about the boot sequence in case something goes wrong and I have to manually fix it.

Thanks!
 
Just google "bootloader" or "linux bootloader". The most popular are LILO and GRUB. They each have lots of websites devoted to them.

You're already half way towards a successful dual boot. You HAVE to install Windows first. Then FC or any other linux distro you choose will have a new bootloader to take the place of the Windows one.
 
upriverpaddler said:
Just google "bootloader".

You're already half way towards a successful dual boot. You HAVE to install Windows first. Then FC or any other linux distro you choose will have a new bootloader to take the place of the Windows one.
Click to expand...

You dont' HAVE to install Windows first. You can boot Linux from NTLDR. It's just easier to install first.
 
upriverpaddler said:
Just google "bootloader" or "linux bootloader". The most popular are LILO and GRUB. They each have lots of websites devoted to them.

You're already half way towards a successful dual boot. You HAVE to install Windows first. Then FC or any other linux distro you choose will have a new bootloader to take the place of the Windows one.
Click to expand...

Thanks :) In fact I do have that system worked out on my laptop, with the dual boot working fine, but my concern was more about how to deal with that boot loader after it's there.

For example, what if I want to completely reformat my linux partition, is Windows never going to boot up again? :)
 
The boot loader lives in the boot sector of your harddrive (first 512 bytes of primary hard drive)
After you make a selection in it, it passes control over to whatever partition.
 
PsichoDM said:
Thanks :) In fact I do have that system worked out on my laptop, with the dual boot working fine, but my concern was more about how to deal with that boot loader after it's there.

For example, what if I want to completely reformat my linux partition, is Windows never going to boot up again? :)
Click to expand...

If your using GRUB as your boot loader and you don't have a separate /boot partition, you will not be able to boot into Windows.
 
ryan_975 said:
If your using GRUB as your boot loader and you don't have a separate /boot partition, you will not be able to boot into Windows.
Click to expand...

No if you delete your linux partitions you will have to boo up to the repair console on the windows install disk, then run a command.... If I'm remembering correctly I think it's called "fixmbr"
 
duby229 said:
No if you delete your linux partitions you will have to boo up to the repair console on the windows install disk, then run a command.... If I'm remembering correctly I think it's called "fixmbr"
Click to expand...

Yeah, you're right. But until then, you won't be able to boot windows.
 
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