Interactions between GRUB and Vista Boot Pro

Mordax · 07-08-2008, 06:29 AM

I am attempting to set up a Multi-Operating System software development environment for Vista, XP and Linux

So far this project has gone badly, and necessitates the repair of Vista using Vista Boot Pro:
http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88231

I then intend to install Ubuntu, and use GRUB to boot the 3 operating systems, will GRUB have any negative interactions with Vista Boot Pro already being present, is there a chance of it undoing what Vista Boot Pro has already done?

**jamiemac2005** · 07-08-2008, 04:57 PM

Hey i have the basic set up you're suggesting... Basically, Nope the GRUB boot loader will have no negative interactions with Vista Boot Pro (as long as you set it up correctly)...

I think i used the instructions on the 4th page of this article( http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...lled_first.htm ) to help set up the bootloader... But basically in my system when choosing Vista from the grub menu the Vista boot loader would load (and either give me the option of loading different OSes or just load vista(if only one entry is in the Vista Boot Loader)...

Cheers,
Jamey

P.s. that article may not be what you're looking for(it may be for the vista bootloader) but the process is simple (and depending on what distro you're installing there may be an entry for Vista pre-installed [when you install linux])...

lensman3 · 07-10-2008, 07:01 PM

Use VMware. Don't do a triple boot. Load 2 of the OS's in VMware. That way you can jump between them without having to reboot. VMware will allow "virtual" Ethernet connections so all disks can be shared my mounting shares. You do need legal versions of XP and Vista. On my Linux Fedora Core 9, I have an XP machine that only has 18 Gigs of HD. I also run Ubuntu and Minix. These can be running at the same time as my XP. All you have to do is ALT-Tab between each of the running OS.

Since this a development environment, you can take a snapshopt of the disk and save that snapshot or restart point. So if you screw it up so bad you get the BSOD, then all you do is restart from that checkpoint.

There is a free version of VMware (which I use). You will have to register to get the authorization cookie.

VMware creates either one big file for its disks or a series of 2 Gig files for the disk. Also you can create VMware on a spare partition if you want. You can create a backup of the development environment just by copying the all the files in the directory to another directory. So if something screws up you just copy the backup back to where it should be (or leave it there) and restart.

Be sure to install VMware tools, it speeds everything up. You probably need a 2 core CPU for best response. Vmware is about 10% slower than the native machine and OS.

07-08-2008, 06:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mordax Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 47 OS: WindowsXPSP3, WindowsVistaSP1, UbuntuLinux	Interactions between GRUB and Vista Boot Pro I am attempting to set up a Multi-Operating System software development environment for Vista, XP and Linux So far this project has gone badly, and necessitates the repair of Vista using Vista Boot Pro: http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88231 I then intend to install Ubuntu, and use GRUB to boot the 3 operating systems, will GRUB have any negative interactions with Vista Boot Pro already being present, is there a chance of it undoing what Vista Boot Pro has already done?

07-08-2008, 04:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
jamiemac2005 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 911 OS: Win Vista Home Premium & Ubuntu Hardy(8.04)	Re: Interactions between GRUB and Vista Boot Pro Hey i have the basic set up you're suggesting... Basically, Nope the GRUB boot loader will have no negative interactions with Vista Boot Pro (as long as you set it up correctly)... I think i used the instructions on the 4th page of this article( http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...lled_first.htm ) to help set up the bootloader... But basically in my system when choosing Vista from the grub menu the Vista boot loader would load (and either give me the option of loading different OSes or just load vista(if only one entry is in the Vista Boot Loader)... Cheers, Jamey P.s. that article may not be what you're looking for(it may be for the vista bootloader) but the process is simple (and depending on what distro you're installing there may be an entry for Vista pre-installed [when you install linux])...

07-10-2008, 07:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
lensman3 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Littleton, Colorado USA Posts: 407 OS: xp 64 sp2 Fedora Core 8 (vmware xp core 8 x32) Minix	Re: Interactions between GRUB and Vista Boot Pro Use VMware. Don't do a triple boot. Load 2 of the OS's in VMware. That way you can jump between them without having to reboot. VMware will allow "virtual" Ethernet connections so all disks can be shared my mounting shares. You do need legal versions of XP and Vista. On my Linux Fedora Core 9, I have an XP machine that only has 18 Gigs of HD. I also run Ubuntu and Minix. These can be running at the same time as my XP. All you have to do is ALT-Tab between each of the running OS. Since this a development environment, you can take a snapshopt of the disk and save that snapshot or restart point. So if you screw it up so bad you get the BSOD, then all you do is restart from that checkpoint. There is a free version of VMware (which I use). You will have to register to get the authorization cookie. VMware creates either one big file for its disks or a series of 2 Gig files for the disk. Also you can create VMware on a spare partition if you want. You can create a backup of the development environment just by copying the all the files in the directory to another directory. So if something screws up you just copy the backup back to where it should be (or leave it there) and restart. Be sure to install VMware tools, it speeds everything up. You probably need a 2 core CPU for best response. Vmware is about 10% slower than the native machine and OS.