I am asking help for Suse Linux Entreprise Destop or Server, version 11.
Working with old generation Thinkpad T40 from IBM x85 infrastructure, I need to set up SLED version 11, booting with WinGrub without success. It seems that Wingrub can’t recognize file system from version 11 and above.
The latest version with success is version 10 SP4. Wingrub can access booting files in linux partition so that it boots.
Any ideas to solve the issue?
Background: for Thinkpad laptop, there is hidden partition to restore windows system installation when needed, which is only accessible by original MBR written by IBM. Thus any third party system, such as Suse, it should not overwrite MBR by Grub, otherwise no chance to recover such hidden partition function to restore windows installation.
Hi
In the final summary screen you can select where to install, I’m guessing your disk layout uses an extended partition, perhaps a /boot for SLE. I would suggest setting to either use /boot or the extended partition.
Perhaps if you provide the output from the following command can give some more guidence;
[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;52294]Hi
In the final summary screen you can select where to install, I’m guessing your disk layout uses an extended partition, perhaps a /boot for SLE. I would suggest setting to either use /boot or the extended partition.
Perhaps if you provide the output from the following command can give some more guidence;
fdisk -l
[/QUOTE]
Here below is the output:
Disk /dev/hda: 157.4 GB, 157456221184 bytes
240 heads, 63 sectors/track, 20339 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 15120 * 512 = 7741440 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 1490 11264368+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 1491 20339 142498440 f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/hda5 1491 6976 41474128+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda6 6977 7085 824008+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/hda7 7086 7695 4611568+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda8 7696 8914 9215608+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda9 8915 19620 80937328+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda10 19621 20339 5435608+ b W95 FAT32
Furthermore, to be precise, with SLE 10, I installed Wingrub to Windows XP boot.ini so that the booting from windows will break and load grub menu to boot SLE 10. But this can’t work when I upgrade to SLE 11.
[QUOTE=pi_david;52343]Here below is the output:
Disk /dev/hda: 157.4 GB, 157456221184 bytes
240 heads, 63 sectors/track, 20339 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 15120 * 512 = 7741440 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 1490 11264368+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 1491 20339 142498440 f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/hda5 1491 6976 41474128+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda6 6977 7085 824008+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/hda7 7086 7695 4611568+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda8 7696 8914 9215608+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda9 8915 19620 80937328+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda10 19621 20339 5435608+ b W95 FAT32
Furthermore, to be precise, with SLE 10, I installed Wingrub to Windows XP boot.ini so that the booting from windows will break and load grub menu to boot SLE 10. But this can’t work when I upgrade to SLE 11.
So how about the reason?[/QUOTE]
Hi
So if you install the bootloader into hda2 at the summary (it should set the bootflag [*]) and then add a custom chainloader entry for windows and just use grub, if you need to do a recover then reset the bootflag to hda1? Have no experience with wingrub (or much with XP either)… I’ve always used grub to control booting…
[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;52344]Hi
So if you install the bootloader into hda2 at the summary (it should set the bootflag [*]) and then add a custom chainloader entry for windows and just use grub, if you need to do a recover then reset the bootflag to hda1? Have no experience with wingrub (or much with XP either)… I’ve always used grub to control booting…[/QUOTE]
Hello,
thank you for your analyse to help.
I have little knowledge about grub, neither booting. so i try to understand and explain my concerns.
My core question is to protect original MBR by IBM which was damaged one time, that’s why I am doing all best not to touch MBR again.
In case of only windows, booting sequence will be: Power->BIOS->MBR(IBM)->windows (boot.ini)
In case of multi system, booting sequence should be: Power->BIOS->MBR(IBM?)->Grub or Wingrub(windows boot.ini with integrated grub to break)
So my question is: by installing bootloader into hda2, does it change anything in MBR? if not, i don’t understand how MBR(IBM) can find grub booting files…
What would it mean to reset bootflag hda2 or hda1? something is changing?
Power->BIOS->Extended Partition (with bootcode)->Grub (with chainloader
entry for windows)
So it just implements in your words the MBR in a different location,
you would see the boot flag (The asterisk *) move to hda2 all done by
the installer. You just have to look at the summary screen and change
as required to where the bootloader goes, if not sure take a picture
and post back here.
If you needed to boot into windows repair, you can boot into linux or a
live system and via fdisk change the boot flag back to hda1.
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
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[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;52375]Hi
In your case/description it would be;
Power->BIOS->Extended Partition (with bootcode)->Grub (with chainloader
entry for windows)
So it just implements in your words the MBR in a different location,
you would see the boot flag (The asterisk *) move to hda2 all done by
the installer. You just have to look at the summary screen and change
as required to where the bootloader goes, if not sure take a picture
and post back here.
If you needed to boot into windows repair, you can boot into linux or a
live system and via fdisk change the boot flag back to hda1.
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE Leap 42.3|GNOME 3.20.2|4.4.126-48-default
If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface,
please show your appreciation and click on the star below… Thanks![/QUOTE]
if i understand well the sequence, you are saying, the machine can jump from BIOS directly to extended partition without reading MBR, am I right?
I was told that BIOS reads always MBR then MBR reads bootflag…that’s why mostly i see linux grub will be installed to MBR, but i don’t understand how it would be even though i do see another option to install to extened partition.
Hi
No, the BIOS reads/looks for the bootflag (asterisk) and reads that
partition for the boot code on where to boot from.
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
SLED 15 RC3 | GNOME 3.26.2 | 4.12.14-16-default
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[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;52379]Hi
No, the BIOS reads/looks for the bootflag (asterisk) and reads that
partition for the boot code on where to boot from.
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
SLED 15 RC3 | GNOME 3.26.2 | 4.12.14-16-default
If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface,
please show your appreciation and click on the star below… Thanks![/QUOTE]
According to this wiki, it looks that bootflag is inside MBR. if so, changing bootflag, it means changing MBR, maybe not overwrite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_flag
Hi
Yes, so your original bootcode on hda1 will be untouched.
Again, just make sure you review the summary screen on what is being
installed where…
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
SLES 15 RC3 | GNOME 3.26.2 | 4.12.14-16-default
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[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;52383]Hi
Yes, so your original bootcode on hda1 will be untouched.
Again, just make sure you review the summary screen on what is being
installed where…
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
SLES 15 RC3 | GNOME 3.26.2 | 4.12.14-16-default
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please show your appreciation and click on the star below… Thanks![/QUOTE]
well that’s the point: what i want is exactly that the MBR should not be touched, which control to load hda1 or hidden partition to refresh system on hda1…
that’s why i used wingrub which is installed in boot.ini on hda1 windows, so that nothing is touching MBR(IBM) and once refreshed, just reinstall wingrub then all linux part will be ready by booting from wingrub.
But such wingrub can only work till SLE 10, not SLE 11…
It is a very dangerous command! A full backup of your hard disc is very recommended!
If you have no experience with MBR, VBR and partitions, i recommend a full backup with an image software (for example: Linux-based bootable CD “Restore media” of “Acronis True Image” and “full image backup” on an external usb device with ext4 partition). https://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/true-image-features/
It is a very dangerous command! A full backup of your hard disc is very recommended!
If you have no experience with MBR, VBR and partitions, i recommend a full backup with an image software (for example: Linux-based bootable CD “Restore media” of “Acronis True Image” and “full image backup” on an external usb device with ext4 partition). https://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/true-image-features/[/QUOTE]
Thank you!
As you said, this is really tremendous dangeous to operate as solution, especially for future.
I would like to try another means, back to my track: using wingrub, understand what’s the difference bt wingrub and grub? why wingrub can boot SLE10, but not SLE 11?
As you said, this is really tremendous dangeous to operate as solution, especially for future.
I would like to try another means, back to my track: using wingrub, understand what’s the difference bt wingrub and grub? why wingrub can boot SLE10, but not SLE 11?[/QUOTE]
the reason why I would not recommend to touch MBR is that: last time i damaged MBR with its hidden partition, it was even impossible to reformat the entire disk… IBM MBR and its hidden partition must be written with its wholly specific file format…no safe way to manage it
Background: for Thinkpad laptop, there is hidden partition to restore
windows system installation when needed, which is only accessible by
original MBR written by IBM. Thus any third party system, such as
Suse, it should not overwrite MBR by Grub, otherwise no chance to
recover such hidden partition function to restore windows
installation.[/color]
That hidden partition is on all ThinkPads. Yes, it is a convenient way
to restore Windows but what do you do when your hard drive dies? A new
hard drive won’t have that hidden partition and that partition is not
the only way to restore Windows.
You should use the ThinkPad provided utilities to burn a set of
recovery DVDs or try to find a set of recovery media elsewhere. Both
options will allow you restore your Windows partition but they won’t
recreate the hidden partition.
If you take that hidden partition out of the equation, you have so many
more options open to you!
–
Kevin Boyle - Knowledge Partner
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