# Install Windows 7 in 2nd Hard Disk, now cannot boot



## Rahim (May 23, 2009)

Seeing OpenSource Section deserted  nowadays.
Anyway i have 2 hard disks
hda (320GB)
hdb (500 GB)

I have XP and Other Linux Distros installed in the 1st Hard Disk. No problem here.
*Now i installed Windows 7 RC in the 1st Partition of the 2nd Disk. (/dev/sdb1)*

As expected Grub was over-written and i restored it and added the entry for Windows 7

```
title Windows 7 RC
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
chainloader +1
```

But it failed to boot into Windows 7.
So i remebered something called mapping and added them too in the menu.lst

```
title Windows 7 RC
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
chainloader +1
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
```

Finger-crossed. But yeh kya!!!!! It throws an error
"A Kernel file is missing from the disk. Insert System Diskette and Restart the System"

Now my question is very simple. Since i have installed Windows 7 in the second disk, so how should i edit Grub's menu.lst so that i can boot into Windows 7?

PS: There is no problem with XP & Other Linux Distros. Help karne wale ko koi gift nahiin milega 

Request for Linux Gurus. Start posting new stuff in OSS plz.


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## Liverpool_fan (May 23, 2009)

Try adding makeactive line before (or is it after?) chainloader +1 (try in both cases and see)


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## Kl@w-24 (May 23, 2009)

Try changing it to:



> title Windows 7 RC
> rootnoverify (hd1)
> map (hd0) (hd1)
> map (hd1) (hd0)
> chainloader +1


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## Rahim (May 23, 2009)

^Kiski advice sunu?  Kop or Blue?


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## Kl@w-24 (May 23, 2009)

^ Try both! I'm a noob in Linux, googled and found a problem similar to yours (2 hard disks, Win7 unable to boot thru GRUB). 

*ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=7318574


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## Rahim (May 23, 2009)

This is the error "A Kernel file is missing from the disk. Insert System Diskette and Restart the System"


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## Liverpool_fan (May 23, 2009)

This seems more like an HDD/partition error than GRUB problem. Does Windows 7 boot when you select the second HD as the boot disk during POST?


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## Rahim (May 23, 2009)

Tell you what, if i select Windows XP line in Grub Menu, that lists the new Windows 7 bootloader with "Previous Versions of Windows" option  So i can boot into Windows 7 alright but its a strange way indeed. So my new query would be how did that Windows & entry came in WIndows XP loader? Is there anyway Windows7 has installed its bootloader in the MBR of 2nd hard disk?


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## Liverpool_fan (May 23, 2009)

I can only guess but I think Windows 7 was NOT mapped in GRUB while being installed so it installed in MBR of first HD. 
I guess if you want Windows to take over the MBR of the second HDD, you should first make the second HDD as primary hard disk, then install Windows 7 and then change back the boot order, change the mapping and then boot. It should work.


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## NucleusKore (May 23, 2009)

a_rahim said:


> *Now i installed Windows 7 RC in the 1st Partition of the 2nd Disk. (/dev/sdb1)*



So I assume that you have installed it without changing the boot order in the bios. 

Make the entry like this

title  Windows 7
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader  +1
boot


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## Rahim (May 23, 2009)

^ I have already tried that but that 'boot' option at the end of the line is new. OK will try and get back to you. IS there any particular order i have to follow with those lines, kile chainloader +1 before makeactive or vice-versa?


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## NucleusKore (May 23, 2009)

The order is the sequence so don't jumble it up


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## Rahim (May 24, 2009)

Thatseth giveths me the sameth errorrooo
"A Kernel file is missingo from the disko. Inserto System Diskette and Restarto the Systemo"


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## NucleusKore (May 24, 2009)

OK
See this
*tehpost.blogspot.com/2007/02/grub-booting-windows-xp-using-grub.html

and  this

*www.supergrubdisk.org/wiki/Howto_Boot_Windows_From_A_Second_Hard_Disk


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## Rahim (May 24, 2009)

Is there any chance that WIndows7 might have written its bootloader in the MBR of the 2nd disk? How to check it or remove it?


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## NucleusKore (May 24, 2009)

This is why I use a third party bootloader - GAG. 

I backed uo my MBR using hdhacker (*dimio.altervista.org/eng/)
I then installed Windows 7 to a partition, consequently overwriting the MBR.
Booted into XP using the Windows 7 bootloader and restored the old MBR (GAG) using hdhacker.
Added a new entry in GAG for Windows 7


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## abhijangda (May 24, 2009)

i think u must first install Windows 7 boot loader which also shows XP then just install grub using ur linux cd/dvd it will automatically detect all the operating systems installed


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## NucleusKore (May 24, 2009)

^That's a good idea


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## Rahim (May 25, 2009)

^I think *thats* exactly what has been done when i restored Grub!!!!!! As i select the old Windos XP line in Grub menu, it shows Windows 7 Black and unimpressive bootloader with the 2 MS OS listed. So i may call this case solved. I take the full credit


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## Rahim (Jun 7, 2009)

Ok my honeymoon with Windows 7 is over 

I have restoried Win XP to my C: drive and used Super Grub Disk to restore the MBR as  Win XP CD Recovery Mode is somehow not accepting my Admin Password 
 I have even formatted my 1st partition (XP) and Win 7 partition. Will this have deleted the MBR too?  just a query.
Now when i reboot i get that Win 7 bootloader with Xp's entry but both doesnt boot. I can see why Win 7 disnt boot but Win XP too doesnt boot and tells me ntldr is missing but when checked throgh Debian, ntldr is indeed present.. So why am i getting Win7 loader instead of Win Xp loader? So i copied ntldr and ntdetect.com files from XP cd into C: drive.
This is the content of boot.ini of XP


> [boot loader]
> timeout=30
> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
> [operating systems]
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect



Xp entry in my Grub Menu


> title Windows XP
> rootnoverify (hd0,0)
> chainloader +1



So how should i remove Win 7 Bootloader and restore Win XP Bootloader? SGD failed.


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## NucleusKore (Jun 7, 2009)

Why do you make it so complicated? If you used GAG in the first place this thread would not have existed. Each OS in it's partition with it's bootloader, and let GAG handle the rest.


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## Rahim (Jun 8, 2009)

Is there no way to restore Win XP bootloader with out XP CD?


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## dips_view (Jun 8, 2009)

Boot from xp cd in recovery mode .. write bootcfg/rebuild ...add installation boot list type y...load identifier or naming OS eg xp,vista....enter os load option /fastdetect...exit and restart


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