vista/sabayon dual boot: sabayon first [Solved]

[_mic_]

Hi all,

I've been using debian and ubuntu (if i have to be honest more ubuntu lately) for quite a lot now and I like to try a dual boot with vista and sabayon (to try to make the first steps into the gentoo world)

I have another laptop where I'm running ubuntu and vista and the both installations were pretty smooth following this article. http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vista_with_linux_linux_is_already_installed.htm

I was wondering if, starting from sabayon this time (sabayon first and then vista), things would be the same (to sum up: install sabayon..live cd..gparted..install vista..Easy BCD...reinstall grub and add lines for vista) or would i have to do something different.

Thank you all,
mic

[kodiakmax]

I don't see why that wouldn't work. Though it's been my expierence that windows hates being on anything other than the first partition, so keep that in mind when partitioning (though usually you can get anything to work if you have the time). Personally I have always installed windows first and never had a problem. Also since you would have to re-install grub if you installed vista second why not just install it first and avoid that? Of course you could always just use a boot partition and avoid the problem of the MBR being overwritten by windows as well. So, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

[_mic_]

hi kodiakmax,
thanks for replying.

so keep that in mind when partitioning (though usually you can get anything to work if you have the time). Personally I have always installed windows first and never had a problem.

did you shrink the partition using the disk management tool or did u use a different tool to create the partition in vista (i just don't really trust in its tools).

Also since you would have to re-install grub if you installed vista second why not just install it first and avoid that?

you're definitely right on this one....i think i'll do that.

will sabayon automatically recognize the vista partition like in here?
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vista_with_linux_vista_installed_first.htm until "page 3"?
sorry if i keep posting the same website but this tutorial is pretty straightforward.

thanks again,
mic

[_mic_]

did you shrink the partition using the disk management tool or did u use a different tool to create the partition in vista (i just don't really trust in its tools).

what a idiot...never mind. I'll leave free space (not formatted NTFS) for sabayon when i install vista
....sorry about that...early morning i couldn't think straight

thanks again,
mic

[kodiakmax]

sounds like you got the hang of it, and yes, when sabayon installs grub it will also add the windows partition (at least it has everytime I've done it)

[_mic_]

sounds like you got the hang of it, and yes, when sabayon installs grub it will also add the windows partition (at least it has everytime I've done it)

...yes!

Ok, I did it and every went fine.
The problem now is when updating. I follow this
http://forum.sabayonlinux.org/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=16399
cause i had lost compiz and even that solution worked pretty well.

When rebooting, the splash screen read VISTA but I couldn't boot it
and everytime I tried I booted into sabayon.

Can I use Vista as a primary OS? (it is the one I use for work and I couldn't
take another reinstall from scrath of both OS without taking into account the risk
of data lost).

Which is the best way to dual boot vista/sabayon and in case of GRUB failure
to reboot into vista without a hitch?

Tahnks,
mic

[_mic_]

Ok, I realized that I haven’t been so clear on my previous post

I install Sabayon of the free space left on my machine.

First question:

Q. - When I’m prompt to choose which OS has to be the primary, which one should I choose if I want Vista as a primary?

I make a copy of the menu.lst in Sabayon

Q. - Before or after updating it?

Q. – With this installation what would be the command to update the grub?
grub-install /dev/sda ??? or sda1 ???
(taken from http://forum.sabayonlinux.org/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=16399)
I’m sorry but until now I was using
apt-get update grub (debian based systems)

Then from here (http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vista_with_linux_vista_installed_first.htm?page=4)

I boot into Vista,

install Easy BCD
Manage Bootloader
Reinstall the Vista Bootloader
Add/Remove Entries
Install NeoGrub and I paste the Sabayon boot entries

Q. - Whit or without the Vista entry?

Q. - Would that work in order to be sure that if something happen to Sabayon (whatever that is) I can boot into Vista?

Sorry if I’m repeating myself but last time I got really frustrated and I don’t want to spend another day to reinstall OS, software and all that stuff.

Thanks for your help,
mic

[wolfden]

Step 1
Install Vista

Step2
Install Sabayon

Grub stuff is no big deal, you can always edit the grub.conf and setup what is first and second ..., your making this way harder than it is

[kodiakmax]

OK, I will try to answer your question but I'm still a little unclear.

Q. - When I’m prompt to choose which OS has to be the primary, which one should I choose if I want Vista as a primary?

I don't remember this prompt. However I would select whichevery OS you want as primary... It's super easy to change which OS is selected as default in grub.conf if you pick the wrong one.

I make a copy of the menu.lst in Sabayon

Q. - Before or after updating it?

If you are using sabayon to install grub it uses menu.conf (it's the same thing just called different) It never hurts to make backups. You could always make a backup before and after. call them grub.conf.before and grub.conf.after or something

Q. – With this installation what would be the command to update the grub?
grub-install /dev/sda ??? or sda1 ???

When a new kernel comes out and you use entropy to update it. Sabayon will automatically edit your grub.conf for you. The new kernel will be added to the bottom of your boot list.

I boot into Vista,

install Easy BCD
Manage Bootloader
Reinstall
the Vista Bootloader
Add/Remove Entries
Install NeoGrub and I paste the Sabayon boot entries

Q. - Whit or without the Vista entry?

Q. - Would that work in order to be sure that if something happen to Sabayon (whatever that is) I can boot into Vista?

Not really sure what your asking here. If you re-install the vista bootloader it will overwrite grub in the MBR and you won't be able to boot sabayon unless you modify the vista bootloader. I don't know anything about the syntax required for using the vista bootloader though. I imagine though that you could either boot sabayon directly somehow with the vista bootloader or chainload grub somehow.

Basically I would leave the vista bootloader alone. Once grub is installed and configured if something happens to sabayon and it won't boot you will still be able to boot into windows. Grub is unrelated to Sabayon in that if one breaks the other does too.

I don't know if you've installed your OS's yet or not but like I said earlier If you install Vista first then install Sabayon and let grub install into the MBR overwriting the vista bootloader; things should just work swimmingly for you.

[_mic_]

Step 1
Install Vista

Step2
Install Sabayon

Grub stuff is no big deal, you can always edit the grub.conf and setup what is first and second ..., your making this way harder than it is

you're right wolfden...i feel the same way...i generally don't panic but what can i say?..this time i did.

i'll do what you said (like i did the first time btw) hoping for the best ( i honestly never had problem with GRUB on the ubuntu/vista dual boot...maybe i'm scared by a new system ).

thanks