# Help on triple boot: Ubuntu, Win 7, XP.



## GoFigureItOut (May 26, 2012)

I'm trying to triple boot my laptop for the first time. I started off with just Windows 7, and I installed Ubuntu 11.04. All went well from the dual-booting aspect. After installing Windows XP, I had to use Boot Repair, so grub will be the default boot loader. The only way I can boot into XP is selecting Windows 7 from the grub menu, then choose XP from Windows 7 boot manager. How can I add XP to Ubuntu boot menu? I've tried editing /etc/default/grub and using os-prober to no avail. Basically, I want to be able to use XP without going through Windows 7. I read some where that you can manually add entries, but I have no idea as to where. It goes something like this:  

title Windows XP
root (hd0,1)
makeactive
chainloader  +1

 Any help is greatly appreciated!


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## newtekie1 (May 26, 2012)

You can't, AFAIK, you have to select Win7, which initiates the Windows boot loader and then select between the different versions of Windows from there.


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## temp02 (May 26, 2012)

AFAIK 
	
	



```
sudo update-grub
```
 should pick both windows versions, as long as they reside on different partitions.

BTW, can you post the result of 
	
	



```
sudo os-prober
```
 ?


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## GoFigureItOut (May 26, 2012)

temp02 said:


> AFAIK
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Here's the results from os-prober.

/dev/sda1:Windows 7: (loader):Windows:chain 

update-grub finds only Linux and Windows 7; Windows XP resides on /dev/sda2


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## temp02 (May 27, 2012)

Since _os-prober_ doesn't pick it up you can always add it to _40_custom_ and it will be added to _grub.cfg_ every time _update-grub_ is executed (these manual entries will be added after the entries found by _os-prober_ during the _update-grub_ process).

So 
	
	



```
cd /etc/grub.d/
sudo gedit 40_custom
```
 and paste the following on the end of the file (don't delete the top content of the file, also this is based on XP being on NTFS sda2) 
	
	



```
menuentry "Windows XP" --class windows --class os {
	set root=(hd0,2)
	insmod ntfs
	chainloader +1
}
```
 save and close GEdit.
After that, run 
	
	



```
sudo update-grub
```
 reboot and see if it works.
Good luck.


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## GoFigureItOut (May 27, 2012)

temp02 said:


> Since _os-prober_ doesn't pick it up you can always add it to _40_custom_ and it will be added to _grub.cfg_ every time _update-grub_ is executed (these manual entries will be added after the entries found by _os-prober_ during the _update-grub_ process).
> 
> So
> 
> ...



 I followed your steps and successfully  created the "Windows XP" entry on grub boot menu, but when booting from grub, I get NTLDR is missing error. However, when I select XP from Windows boot manager; it works. I'm assuming it has been overwritten by Windows 7. Does it matter in which particular order you install the OS'es? I installed in this order: Win 7, Unbutu, XP.


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## temp02 (May 27, 2012)

It errors at "missing NTLDR" because Windows XP boot loader wasn't installed on the partition with XP itself, so it relies on the Windows 7 loader. You might wanna do this: 
Boot Ubuntu;
Run 
	
	



```
sudo apt-get install gparted
```
 then run it 
	
	



```
sudo gparted
```

And you should see that the Windows 7 partition has a flag indicating that it is a boot partition, remove that flag;
Reinstall Windows XP on sda2 (now XP should install its loader on sda2 too);
Test if XP boots from GRUB;
After this restore the boot flag on the 7 partition and test all OSs;
I remember doing something like this long time ago (Longhorn/Vista early days), but it was with two different HDDs so it was "kinda" easier.
Good luck.


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## GoFigureItOut (May 28, 2012)

temp02 said:


> It errors at "missing NTLDR" because Windows XP boot loader wasn't installed on the partition with XP itself, so it relies on the Windows 7 loader. You might wanna do this:
> Boot Ubuntu;
> Run
> 
> ...



I did exactly what you said and came up with the same results. It doesn't really matter, though. It's just a slight inconvenience that I can overlook. However, I will remember the steps and commands your provided me for future reference. I appreciate your time and effort in helping me with this matter.  One last question. Is it possible to have the following OS'es: Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows Home Server, all without conflicts?


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