Re: [ubuntu-uk] Dell - was ubuntu-uk Digest, Vol 69, Issue 59
On 28 Jan 2011, at 07:09, Will Bickerstaff will.bickerst...@gmail.com wrote: On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 9:55 PM, Neil Greenwood neil.greenwood@gmail.com wrote: Apparently, it's not a problem with the installation process of either Windows or Ubuntu. There are some recent Vista and Windows 7 programs that implement their copy-protection by writing to an unused portion of the boot sector. At least, it's unused by Windows, LILO and Grub 1. However, it's a fairly vital part of the Grub 2 installation. Also, the Windows program keeps writing to that part of the disk every time you boot into Windows. So your whole computer fails to reboot every time you use Windows. Which stops it being a dual-boot machine. There was a post about the problem on Planet Ubuntu by the Grub 2 maintainer. I'm afraid I've forgotten his name, since it was a few months ago now. Hope this clears up the mystery. That's absolutely spot on (Bug #441941) heres the link to his blog post with some tips on how you can help identify what the 'nasties' are doing http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/ucgi/~cjwatson/blosxom/debian/2010-08-28-windows-applications-making-grub2-unbootable.html -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/ I'm surprised that it didn't work, shortly after I purchased my Inspiron 15 (granted it was about a year an half ago so may be an older model), within the first few month I shrunk the Win7 volume on the laptop, and loaded Ubuntu on the free space - and everything worked perfectly. This may have been a bit out of date, since I did it a while ago, though. Regards, Liam Gallear-- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Dell - was ubuntu-uk Digest, Vol 69, Issue 59
On Thu, 2011-01-27 at 19:43 +, Barry Titterton wrote: Does anyone else find this something of a coincidence after Dell suddenly stopped shipping Ubuntu pre-loaded? Or have I got carried away with my conspiracy theories? Dell has brought back the pre-loaded Inspiron laptop (only one model) for the UK. In the States there are several models shipped pre-loaded. Michael Dell is very much pro-Ubuntu, but the world is not quite ready to go for it. That's our job! To prepare the way Windows 7 and dual boot is going to be a problem anyway unless you re-format and re-install Windows before installing Ubuntu. But in any case it isn't difficult to reinstate a boot sector before installing grub... I would have thought there is a workaround for dual booting (if you MUST dual boot). Regards,Barry. -- Barry Drake is a member of the the Ubuntu Advertising team. http://ubuntuadverts.org/ -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Dell - was ubuntu-uk Digest, Vol 69, Issue 59
On 27 January 2011 19:57, Barry Drake bdr...@crosswire.org wrote: Windows 7 and dual boot is going to be a problem anyway unless you re-format and re-install Windows before installing Ubuntu. But in any case it isn't difficult to reinstate a boot sector before installing grub... I would have thought there is a workaround for dual booting (if you MUST dual boot). Apparently, it's not a problem with the installation process of either Windows or Ubuntu. There are some recent Vista and Windows 7 programs that implement their copy-protection by writing to an unused portion of the boot sector. At least, it's unused by Windows, LILO and Grub 1. However, it's a fairly vital part of the Grub 2 installation. Also, the Windows program keeps writing to that part of the disk every time you boot into Windows. So your whole computer fails to reboot every time you use Windows. Which stops it being a dual-boot machine. There was a post about the problem on Planet Ubuntu by the Grub 2 maintainer. I'm afraid I've forgotten his name, since it was a few months ago now. Hope this clears up the mystery. Cofion/Regards, Neil. -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
Re: [ubuntu-uk] Dell - was ubuntu-uk Digest, Vol 69, Issue 59
On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 9:55 PM, Neil Greenwood neil.greenwood@gmail.com wrote: Apparently, it's not a problem with the installation process of either Windows or Ubuntu. There are some recent Vista and Windows 7 programs that implement their copy-protection by writing to an unused portion of the boot sector. At least, it's unused by Windows, LILO and Grub 1. However, it's a fairly vital part of the Grub 2 installation. Also, the Windows program keeps writing to that part of the disk every time you boot into Windows. So your whole computer fails to reboot every time you use Windows. Which stops it being a dual-boot machine. There was a post about the problem on Planet Ubuntu by the Grub 2 maintainer. I'm afraid I've forgotten his name, since it was a few months ago now. Hope this clears up the mystery. That's absolutely spot on (Bug #441941) heres the link to his blog post with some tips on how you can help identify what the 'nasties' are doing http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/ucgi/~cjwatson/blosxom/debian/2010-08-28-windows-applications-making-grub2-unbootable.html -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
