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It is always recommended to install Ubuntu after you install Windows XP or any other Window operating systems. Because Windows is not smart enough to detect any Linux operating system on your computer and what it does is to rewrite the boot menu with Windows as the only operating system. But sometimes in life, we face situations where we might have to do the opposite way around, install XP after Ubuntu as a dual boot. This can be easily done. Here I will show you the easiest way.

From Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala, Ubuntu has been using a new type of boot loader, it’s called GRUB2, which is a modification of GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader). What Windows does when it installs itself is to delete GRUB2 from the system. Ubuntu provides several ways to reinstall GRUB2. They also provide a GUI to do that. All you need is a Live CD (or USB) and an internet connection. Here I will tell you how through these easy steps.

  1. Boot your computer with the Live CD: Use the Live CD(or USB) to start a live Ubuntu session on your computer. It is recommended to match the version of the Ubuntu Live CD with the one installed on your computer.
  2. Download and install Boot-repair: Go to Application>Accessories>Terminal (or type CTRL + ALT + T), open a Terminal window and type the following commands:
    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair
  3. Run Boot-repair: If you use Gnome (default in Ubuntu 10.10 and previous versions): launch Boot-repair from System-> Application-> Boot-Repair menu, if you use Unity (default in Ubuntu 11.04): search “boot” in the dash.

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Follow the prompts and click “OK”.

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Click “Apply”.

When the installation finishes, restart your computer normally.

Remarks: If you want to repair a 64bits system, you need to use a 64bits system. Same for 32bits system.

For more ways to reinstall GRUB2 and for more details, read the Community Ubuntu Documentation page on GRUB2.

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