Windows – How to move grub so that it’s not on the MBR (so I can choose win7 / linux / osX from the refit menu)

grubmacosmulti-bootUbuntuwindows 7

I've got a triple boot system with OSX, Ubuntu and Windows 7. Currently when I boot I get the refit menu first which sees all the partitions nicely, and if I choose os X it works just dandy, but if I choose either linux or win7 it goes to the grub menu and I then have to choose again. Sure it works, but it's tedious.

Now I hear that if I don't want to go to the grub menu when I choose windows, I have to install grub to the boot sector of the linux partition instead of the MBR. I've found a few instructions for how to do this when setting up a system, but not when it's already installed.

Can I move grub without having to reinstall windows and Ubuntu? TIA.

Best Answer

You can install GRUB (the stage1 loader) in as many boot records you like (MBR and/or PBR). But to remove it from the MBR you have to overwrite it with something else. So you need to:

  1. Install GRUB somewhere else (where rEFIt can find it).
  2. Point rEFIt to the new GRUB location for loading Linux.
  3. Install some bootloader in MBR for loading Windows only.
Related Question