Grub installed by Scientific Linux does not boot Windows

Question

I installed SL6.1 on a laptop that has a Vista install as well. After I installed SL6.1 I figured that I would have a boot option but no. How can I reconfigure GRUB to recognize Windows too?

Answer 1

Can you run fdisk -l and tell us what you see?

Or you can edit your /boot/grub/grub.conf file manualy using this guide.

Try looking at the output of fdisk -l and determine the exact numbers to enter.

After you restart, if you boot straight into SL6 without being given a boot menu, go to grub.conf and delete (or comment out) the line that says hiddenmenu.

Here's a sample of what it could look like:

default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
#hiddenmenu
title Scientific Linux (2.6.32-220.13.1.el6.x86_64)
       root (hd0,0)
       kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.32-220.13.1.el6.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_benbo$
       initrd /initramfs-2.6.32-220.13.1.el6.x86_64.img
title Windows XP
       map (hd0) (hd2)
       map (hd2) (hd0)
       rootnoverify (hd2,0)
       makeactive
       chainloader +1

Answer 2

As Enkouyami pointed out, we need some more data to help you. Mostly because between 0.x and 1.x versions of GRUB there are way too many differences.

Does the Windows option show in your GRUB menu? Please paste the output of fdisk -l

Most probably your GRUB simply hasn't identified the Windows install.
If that is the case, you may want to install os-prober package, mount the drive containing your Windows installation and then update your GRUB.

We can provide more specifics if you provide us with more information about the issue.