Dual boot knoppix winxp issue

[hnugz]

I have Winxp installed on one hard drive and I just installed knoppix 3.7 on my second drive.  I've never had this problem before.  Whenever my pc reboots, it goes straight to windows.  I checked the install for knoppix and one of the options is to install lilo to the mbr, which I did.  I don't get a boot screen or anything.  Is there a way to check this?  How can I tell what is listed in the mbr or how do I fix this?  Thanks.

[piratePenguin]

Windows is probably on the master drive, and Knoppix on the slave drive.
When the PC is turned on, it boots from the MBR of the master drive. On some PCs, you can change this by swapping them in the BIOS, I think.
You need to install lilo onto the MBR of the windows drive, with a proper config.
In knoppix (from the bootcd), check that there is a decent /etc/lilo.conf file, then run:
'lilo /dev/hda' (assuming the Windows drive is primary master. It would be /dev/hdc if it was secondary master)
I think that should work...

[hnugz]

Ok I tried running "lilo.real -M /dev/mba mbr" but I get an error saying Permission denied.  If I try running that command as root I get the error Read-only file system.  I am doing this from the cd, is that the problem?

[piratePenguin]

I don't think it should be a problem.

In your BIOS can you (logically, I think is the right word) swap the master/slave boot device? It can only be done in some BIOSes but it's worth a try I suppose.
If it can't, you *could* swap the drives manually. Then lilo would be loaded by default, and you could set it up to boot Windows/Knoppix.

[Aloone_Jonez]

When your computer first starts you'll see a message saying push (a certain key like F1, Delete, F5) to enter set up. Do this and it'll take you to a special program called the BIOS set up, some where they'll be a menu to change the boot order change it to the Knoppix drive, reboot and it should boot into Knoppix.

Have a look at the manual for your mother board or the vendor website if you get stuck.

I've never tried to install Knoppix before and I'd like to at some stage, how did you do it?

[hnugz]

even after changing the boot order in the bios it still wouldn't load.  I finally reinstalled and as far as I can tell the only change I made was to make the boot disk instead of skip it.  I know get the boot loader.  Now im getting all kinds of weird stuff happening, like it starting in command prompt mode (it wont even go to the gui with startx, i get an error) and my whole system will freeze after like 20 minutes.  ::sigh::

all I did to install is get the live cd, boot it up, ctrl+alt+f1, and then sudo knoppix-installer.  that will get it going.  I dont have these problems on my laptop.

[Orethrius]

Try init 4 from root login instead of startx.  If this works, it might just be privs.  WMD should have some idea how to fix this.