Using the XP Bootloader to Boot Freespire

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Using the Windows XP Bootloader to Boot Freespire

There are any number of reasons why you might not want to install grub to your master boot record (MBR) if you dual boot windows and Linux. For example, your computer might have a customised mbr that allows access to a recovery partition (e.g. latest Thinkpads), or you might just be nervous about modifying the way you start windows if you intend to dual boot. If so, you can setup the windows bootloader so that it gives you the option to boot Linux or windows when you switch on your PC.

• The first step is to make sure you install Grub to the root partition and not the MBR. This procedure is documeted in this tip.

• Before rebooting copy the first sector of your root partition (I have assumed this is /dev/hda2, so change this to whatever partition you're using) to a small file. To do this type:

 sudo dd if=/dev/hda2 of=freespire.bin bs=512 count=1

• The file will be saved to the home directory. Once done, copy it to a floppy, CD, usbstick, or fat32 partition and reboot with the live CD.

• This time choose the partitioning option and when the partitioner loads check that your XP partition is active (bootable). If not, and your new linux partition may now be active instead, set it as the active partition. Once done, reboot into windows.

• Copy the file to c:\ once in windows. In Explorer go to Tools>Folder Options>View and select 'show hidden files and folders' and deselect 'Hide protected operating system files'. In c:\ you should see a file called boot.ini (or just boot). Right click this file, go into properties and uncheck read only.

• Open boot.ini with notepad and add this line to the end of the file:

 c:\freespire.bin="Freespire"

• Save and close, and restore the properties of boot.ini to read only.

• Reboot and now the windows bootloader will give you the option of booting windows or Freespire.

Using the Windows Vista Bootloader to Boot Freespire

Vista no longer has a boot.ini file. Follow the steps for XP above, but instead of editing boot.ini follow these steps:

• Launch command prompt with administrative privileges (by right clicking on cmd and choosing Run as Administrator)

bcdedit /create /d “Freespire” /application BOOTSECTOR

Note: bcdedit will return an ID for this entry that we will call {LinuxID} below. You will need to replace {LinuxID} by the returned identifier in this step. An example of {LinuxID} is {81ed7925-47ee-11db-bd26-cbb4e160eb27}

bcdedit /set {LinuxID} device boot

bcdedit /set {LinuxID} path \freespire.bin

bcdedit /displayorder {LinuxID} /addlast

bcdedit /timeout 10

(Vista instructions taken from: http://port25.technet.com/archive/2006/10/13/Using-Vista_2700_s-Boot-Manager-to-Boot-Linux-and-Dual-Booting-with-BitLocker-Protection-with-TPM-Support.aspx)