How to use the Windows Boot Loader to boot stage2 of grub2

[Tom Davies]

Hi :)
 
Windows is not renowned for co-operating with other operating systems and 
trying 
to merge the boot process is unlikely to work.
 
Using a proper boot-loader such as GRUB2 (or GRUB or LILO) automatically gives 
a 
menu allowing people to boot into whichever opertaing systems are found on the 
machine and the list can be fairly easily edited by editing a simple text-file. 
 
After the boot-loader has been told which OS to boot it then starts that OSes 
normal boot-process including getting all the appropriate drivers for that 
particular OS.  Trying to get a Windows boot-loader to see any other operating 
systems is unlikely to work.
 
My advice is to use the Grub2 as the boot-loader for the whole system and then 
perhaps set the default to be booting into Windows by putting Windows at the 
top 
of the list.  Most linux users are quite used to scenarios where Windows is the 
default and most Windows users get confused if they have to read a screen or 
press any buttons or anything.
 
The other way of doing this is to use just the Windows boot-loader in its 
entirety but then it is difficult to get it to admit that there might be other 
OSes.  It sounds as though you are usign Windows tools to back-up or image the 
hard-drives and this is also unlikeyl to work for the same reason.  MicroSoft 
cannot handle competition.  On the other hand linux is very experienced with 
having competition and excells at providing server type services such as proper 
full back-ups covering ALL systems on a drive.
 
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)