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I tried to set up a dual boot windows xp/debian. I installed Debian after windows, and now I can't boot windows xp. I have grub2.

I tried to directly modify /boot/grub/grub.cfg with

menuentry 'WinXP' { insmod part_msdos set root='(hd0,msdos4)' insmod chain chainloader +1 }

but I can't make that work. When I select winXP in the grub menu, I get a black screen and the system restarts.

Please, any hint?

Output of df -h

Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on rootfs 30G 8.3G 20G 30% / udev 10M 0 10M 0% /dev tmpfs 177M 628K 177M 1% /run /dev/disk/by-uuid/4eba1bb8-14f7-4920-a9c3-2fb8894626d3 30G 8.3G 20G 30% / tmpfs 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock tmpfs 764M 232K 764M 1% /run/shm /dev/sda6 92G 2.3G 85G 3% /data /dev/sda5 9.9G 258M 9.1G 3% /home

output of sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disk identifier: 0x00089f15 Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sda1 * 204796620 267710463 31456922 83 Linux /dev/sda2 267710464 271904767 2097152 82 Linux swap / Solaris /dev/sda3 271906814 488397167 108245177 5 Extended /dev/sda4 16128 204796619 102390246 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT /dev/sda5 271906816 292878335 10485760 83 Linux /dev/sda6 292880384 488397167 97758392 83 Linux Partition table entries are not in disk order

Output of /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# # DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE # # It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates # from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub # ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ### if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then load_env fi set default="0" if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}" save_env saved_entry set prev_saved_entry= save_env prev_saved_entry set boot_once=true fi function savedefault { if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then saved_entry="${chosen}" save_env saved_entry fi } function load_video { insmod vbe insmod vga insmod video_bochs insmod video_cirrus } insmod part_msdos insmod ext2 set root='(hd0,msdos1)' search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4eba1bb8-14f7-4920-a9c3-2fb8894626d3 if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then set gfxmode=640x480 load_video insmod gfxterm insmod part_msdos insmod ext2 set root='(hd0,msdos1)' search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4eba1bb8-14f7-4920-a9c3-2fb8894626d3 set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale set lang=en_US insmod gettext fi terminal_output gfxterm set timeout=5 ### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ### ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ### insmod part_msdos insmod ext2 set root='(hd0,msdos1)' search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4eba1bb8-14f7-4920-a9c3-2fb8894626d3 insmod png if background_image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/joy-grub.png; then set color_normal=white/black set color_highlight=black/white else set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue set menu_color_highlight=white/blue fi ### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ### ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ### menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os { load_video insmod gzio insmod part_msdos insmod ext2 set root='(hd0,msdos1)' search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4eba1bb8-14f7-4920-a9c3-2fb8894626d3 echo 'Loading Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae ...' linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-686-pae root=UUID=4eba1bb8-14f7-4920-a9c3-2fb8894626d3 ro noapic nolapic echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...' initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-686-pae } menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os { load_video insmod gzio insmod part_msdos insmod ext2 set root='(hd0,msdos1)' search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4eba1bb8-14f7-4920-a9c3-2fb8894626d3 echo 'Loading Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae ...' linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-686-pae root=UUID=4eba1bb8-14f7-4920-a9c3-2fb8894626d3 ro single echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...' initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-686-pae } ### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ### ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ### ### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ### ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ### ### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ### ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ### # This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the # menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change # the 'exec tail' line above. ### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ### ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ### if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then source $prefix/custom.cfg; fi ### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
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    You shouldn't edit /boot/grub/grub.cfg. Does it work if you update grub using update-grub? Commented Sep 27, 2013 at 14:46
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    try (hd0, msdos3) or try re-installing os-prober and running update-grub now that you've converted to MBR. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 1:18
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    just looking at that fdisk output hurts my brain. IMO your partition table is so messed up that you should backup your data, re-partition the disk and re-install everything from scratch. install windows xp first into a primary partition. then install linux and grub. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 1:36
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    @cas I really don't see anything wrong with that partition table. Sure, it's not in order, and there is some wasted space, but I don't see anything overlapping (other than "extended" of course). Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 14:41
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    I'd suggest breaking into the grub command prompt (at the menu when booting the machine). Then I believe if you type "(hd, <TAB><TAB>" it'll give you a list of how it thinks you can complete that... Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 14:46

1 Answer 1

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If I understand the Microsoft docs correctly (I should downvote you just for making me read that ;) ), XP cannot load from GPT disks:

Q. Can Windows XP x64 read, write, and boot from GPT disks?

A. Windows XP x64 Edition can use GPT disks for data only.

Q. Can the 32-bit version of Windows XP read, write, and boot from GPT disks?

A. No. The 32-bit version will see only the Protective MBR. The EE partition will not be mounted or otherwise exposed to application software.

So, it looks like even if you could get grub to see the windows installation, you still would not be able to boot into it from a GPT disk.

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    It could be possible with a carefully set up hybrid MBR. Commented Sep 27, 2013 at 17:26
  • does it mean I should reinstall Debian? but I do not remember any option that could be set during the installation process to change this behavious, I mean I do not remember that I had to choose gpt over mbr Commented Sep 28, 2013 at 2:38
  • @simona no, Debian is fine, it is XP that can't boot from a GPT disk. You have not explained how update-grub2 fails but my guess is that it found XP but simply cannot boot it because XP can't run from a GPT disk. Commented Sep 28, 2013 at 13:15
  • I think I made a mistake, both windows and debian are on the same disk, different partitions. because windows xp (32bit) is installed there, it can't be a gpt disk, can it? I thought it was a gpt disk because in the grub.cfg there is the entry root=(hd0,gpt1). I apologize for that Commented Sep 29, 2013 at 1:54
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    @simona the fdisk -l shows you do have a gpt hard drive. Apparently booting XP from it is either very hard or impossible. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 1:06

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