Multi-boot Mayhem

[avatar_58]

Ok heres my plan

Hard Drive 1 - SATA (120gb)
------------------------------------
(1) Windows XP Pro *current main*

Hard Drive 2 - SATA (250gb)
------------------------------------
(1) 160gb - Spare space for XP Pro *downloads etc*
(2) 30gb - Windows x64
(3) 30gb - Windows Server 2003 *for school, tests, etc*
(4) 30gb - Linux *unsure which distro maybe slack or fedora*



Now, how might I go about doing this properly? I already have the XP pro setup on HD1 as its what I'm using currently and I don't want to mess it up. I know already that I need to install Linux last and use lilo/grub whatever to boot into the different partitions. My question is what do I do to make the 2003 and x64 installtions "obey"? I don't want to format the drive nor do I want it either of them to take over the MBR.

Do I just install them on the seperate paritions and just tell let them screw with the MBR for now and let Linux fix it up properly last? Will I be able to have this work with the 2 HDs?

I just wanted to double check with anyone whos done this before I mess things up badly. I've had a slackware-xp dual boot before but never more than one windows boot.

Would it be easier to unhook my HD1 for now and setup the other 4 first then hook it back up? I'd rather not have to reformat XP just to get this working...

[Kevin Wolff]

Do I just install them on the seperate paritions and just tell let them screw with the MBR for now and let Linux fix it up properly last?


Yes.

[Stormbringer]

I only have one pair of boots and I only need one pair. What are you talking about?

[avatar_58]

Ok all the windows installs work. Seems XP-based installs have become smarter over the years and require no effort to multi-boot http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[avatar_58]

Issue..answer if you know.


I know have all my os/s installed and they work fine and dandy (hooray) but there are still some problems.

For some reason the GRUB loader worked just fine and I properly added all my Windows choices into the menu with the proper devices....but the result is odd. Now I get a menu with fedora,xp,x64 and 2003. Good right? Nope. Fedora works, but if I select any of the windows choices it goes to the xp boot menu (??) and then asks me again which windows I want. It seems like the grub loader is only pointing me to the boot.ini once I have selected a windows choice. Anyway to fix this? GRUB was put into my mbr fyi


Another issue...for those who have ever used fedora core, how do I setup networking? I can't seem to find the config files as they are not in the right locations anymore (eth0). I have a wireless nic (might need linksys drivers) and I wanted to connect to my router but I'm not sure how to go about starting since ifconfig is nowhere to be found and neither is the ifcfg-eth0 files... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[Kevin Wolff]

As long as the different Windows installs boot, I wouldn't be concerned. Trying to "fix" this may just lead to more trouble.

As for networking...use the GUI tool for that. Hat > System Settings > Network. There you can put in your IP address and all that. BUT...if you're using a wireless card, that may not find anything. What's your model number? I have a Linksys WUSB11...drivers for that can be found here: www.linux-wlan.com (http://www.linux-wlan.com) (those work for most Linksys 11b cards, whether PCI/USB or PCMCIA). If you have a 11g card... I guess www.prism54.org (http://www.prism54.org) would have your driver.

As for ifconfig...Fedora has this stupid problem where you have to type /sbin/ifconfig, as well as adding /sbin/ for every program in there.

[avatar_58]

*sigh*

Apparently my card isn't supported and trying the ndiswrapper didn't work because it wanted a 64-bit driver. I found the name of the driver that x64 windows used and tried that, but it wouldn't do anything. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Boy....its times like this I wonder why I try. The smallest things are so very complicated...

[Kevin Wolff]

What card is this?

Not to mention that a lot of people have issues with ndiswrapper. You sure you're loading the INF correctly?

[avatar_58]

Its the Wireless WMP54GS with Speedbooster. I followed the instructions on the ndis help page to the letter. At first it looks like it works but then when you check the logs it says it failed to load.

Without ndis what else am I to use? There doesn't seem to be much choice...

[Kevin Wolff]

Ok, found something. I don't know how ndiswrapper works, but I'm sure you can change this somewhere:


Only problem left I have is that one of the cards has a different PCI ID and brings up an error when loading ndiswrapper.


Instead of 14E4:4320 (as it should be) it's detected as 14E4:4306.



BTW it's a Broadcom chipset, which is EVIL.

[Kevin Wolff]

Also another driver that may work:
http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com

(Yours may not actually be Broadcom. There's a couple "WMP54G"'s in existence.

[avatar_58]

Kevin Wolff said:
Ok, found something. I don't know how ndiswrapper works




You and me both


Kevin Wolff said:
BTW it's a Broadcom chipset, which is EVIL.



Thats not my fault. Linksys works in windows (even in 64!) http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I really hate this part about linux....so little amount of drivers and it always happens to be the hardware *I* own thats not supported...

I'm going to keep trying but this is rediculous...



EDIT- It is broadcom. Thats what x64 detects it as without any drivers. The windows xp driver is linksys. However with an lsmod it reveals it to be discovered as broadcom.... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

EDIT2: Btw if I sound pissed I'm sorry...but its just so annoying when people tell me linux is so good and I always run into issues. Thanks for at least trying to help me http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Kevin Wolff]

I'm sorry...but its just so annoying when people tell me linux is so good and I always run into issues. Thanks for at least trying to help me http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


This is why I say Broadcom is evil. They turn your Linux experience into crap with their "No drivers, sorry!" policy.

I'm still looking into stuff for you.

Oh, and during the making of this post, my own wireless card under Linux crapped out on me. Thanks for the karma. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[avatar_58]

Well not just broadcom. My last linux experience was with slackware. I had oodles of issues that caused me to avoid linux and eventually un-install it. It seems all my hardware is always "evil". http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I haven't had a good linux experience yet.....I was told fedora made things easy and intuitive. Coming out of the install and into their login screen and finally into KDE was great. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I was starting to finally believe linux *could* be easy.

Then this hit... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif...with the reality that it might not be fixable I am not happy....One solution might be to download the 32 bit version of fedora (or wait till fedora core 4) and try that. Unfortunately I shouldnt have to! I have an AMD64 and I wanted to see fedora64 in action. I really hope I can get this fixed and get by this issue.... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Kevin Wolff]

Ok, for ndiswrapper, is this the driver you downloaded? ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pub/network/WMP54GS_20040423.exe

You may need to try more than one INF file from the package.

[avatar_58]

Is that the 64-bit driver? I need the 64-bit one to work.... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Odd thing, I check linksys site and they don't have 64 bit drivers??? How the hell does windows x64 work then? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

I tried to find the inf file in winx64 but no luck.

[Kevin Wolff]

Okay, another note. It appears that ndiswrapper doesn't work well with AMD64. They are working on this; you can try installing version 1.1-rc2, the current beta. Otherwise you'll have to just use the 32-bit Fedora.

Somewhat OT, but if you find your purchased hardware to be evil a lot, go here (http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl) before buying. Or for the sake of wireless, here (http://linux-wless.passys.nl). http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[avatar_58]

Doesn't work with amd64? Oh this gets better by the minute! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif What piece of hardware DOES work? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Well I can try that version...but I don't have high hopes. However I do need a 64-bit driver...

[Kevin Wolff]

What piece of hardware DOES work? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif


Everything nobody ever buys. That's the rule, you know. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

As for the 64-bit Windows driver...if you go to Driver Details in the card's Device Manager entry, it'll tell you the .sys file, and SHOULD tell you what INF goes with it. If not, search inside all files in c:\windows\inf (by inside all files, I mean, use the middle search box, not the top one) for the .sys file name. Did this 64-bit Windows driver come with Windows?

[avatar_58]

Yes it came with windows. I didn't even do anything and it was already there asking me to connect to my wireless LAN (which I didnt since my AV doesnt like 64 at the moment http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

Unfortunately no INF file is listed nor do any searches bring up results. I would assume this is due to the fact that it was already part of windows and not installeld.

I can get the name of the sys for you...just let me reboot and I'll brb

[Kevin Wolff]

Unfortunately no INF file is listed nor do any searches bring up results. I would assume this is due to the fact that it was already part of windows and not installeld.


Actually that's exactly why it SHOULD come up in a search. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/redface.gif

[avatar_58]

BCMWL564.SYS

Thats the file it uses. Unfortunately I tried once again and the inf is nowhere to be found...

[Kevin Wolff]

Alright. There won't be any INF with that file name. You have to search inside the INF files for this file name, or for "wmp54", I guess. This time do the whole drive, and be sure you're using the box that says "Containing text:", otherwise it won't work.

[avatar_58]

I may try a few more searches....I'll let you know if I find anything.

[avatar_58]

Alrighty now we are getting somewhere! I searched the net for that .sys file from x64 and found a zip with both it and a inf file to use (luckily).

Following the directions of ndsiwrapper, I managed to get the wireless card detected! If I modprobe ndiswrapper it loads up and I can access 'wlan0'

However I do not know where to put my info into..it suggest /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-wlan0
but it doesn't seem to even read that (I had to create the file)

so.....I also read that doing this helps:

$ iwconfig wlan0 mode auto
$ iwconfig wlan0 key restricted 1234567890
$ iwconfig wlan0 essid "ID"

and if i watch my iwevent console it shows the info being fed into the wireless card. So far so good! Unfortunately after that I try

/sbin/ifconfig wlan0 up

Nothing happens. Checking ifconfig shows the connection but nothing works (ping etc) and if I try a

ifup wlan0

instead, it tries to get an IP but fails and my iwevent console shows that all my info I just fed via iwconfig is reset!!! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif I'm not sure what the heck is up...


Also, why does ifconfig try to get an IPv6 IP? Can that be changed? Is there a proper spot to put my wlan0 config?

Help! I'm so close.....


ps- what the f***.....fedora just had a brain fart, zoomed through my list of commands and froze. What the???







UPDATE -> It works! Sweet Lord it works!!!! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif After spending far too much time I finally got the damned thing working. Thank you wolff for your help, but it turned out to be a few faults with the help files I was following. After some experimenting I finally found what was wrong and it works! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Kevin Wolff]

Awesome. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now, two things to follow up:

1. Why didn't you use system-config-network like I told you to?
2. Which version of ndiswrapper did you settle on? Version 1.0, like I said, doesn't work well - and in the case of your card, it leaks memory like crazy. Did you install 1.1-rc2? (be sure to update to later releases when they come out - you're running a beta. Then again, my 11b drivers are version 0.2.1-pre23, so YMMV.)

[avatar_58]

I tried the network GUI but it wouldnt allow me to edit any settings, nor add any devices... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I'm using 1.0 since it worked....once they realease 1.1 full I'll update (doesnt seem to be leaking or any issues?)

Anyway I'm happy it worked!

[Kevin Wolff]

I'm using 1.0 since it worked....once they realease 1.1 full I'll update (doesnt seem to be leaking or any issues?)


One guy said it grew to 250MB overnight. I would assume overnight to be an 8-hour time period.