Unix is so frustrating. OK, here's what I mean. I have almost two days of experience here, but every post I've seen so far says to copy 512 bytes. But what's really frustrating me is that in hours of searching the net all I'm finding is questions, and actually some nice suggestions, but nothing is ever completed.
I have no idea what GRUB is or why I should have to install it. Or even how to install it. What does sdb mean? What does hdb2 mean?
CentOS did not find Windows on my system, possibly because I'm installing CentOS on a different drive. I don't understand why I cannot use boot.ini on the first HDD (C: if I may call it that) to direct the hardware to go to the second HDD (E: if I may call it that) and boot from there.
But all I get is a blank screen. What can I do to solve the problem in this way, so that I can use boot.ini to present the OS options, select the one I want, and then boot to C: (XP) or E: (CentOS) as desired?
This is my boot.ini file and I have created boot.lnx and stuck it at C: - I don't understand why it doesn't work, unless perhaps the last line needs to start with
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\ ?
Code:
[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="XP" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="XP with no Crappy Crap" /safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="XP with Recovery Crap (Run batch set.txt!)" /cmdcons
C:\boot.lnx="CentOS 5.3 on External Sata Drive Connected via USB"
