MESSAGE
DATE | 2004-12-30 |
FROM | From: "Inker, Evan"
|
SUBJECT | Subject: [hangout] Dual-booting multiple Linux distros
|
From owner-hangouts-destenys-at-mrbrklyn.com Thu Dec 30 08:49:58 2004 X-UIDL: -/3"!:SB!!C:%!!:(#"! Received: from www2.mrbrklyn.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mrbrklyn.com (8.12.11/8.11.2/SuSE Linux 8.11.1-0.5) with ESMTP id iBUDnw3S018076 for ; Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:49:58 -0500 Received: (from mdom-at-localhost) by www2.mrbrklyn.com (8.12.11/8.12.3/Submit) id iBUDnwsx018075 for hangouts-destenys; Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:49:58 -0500 X-Authentication-Warning: www2.mrbrklyn.com: mdom set sender to owner-hangouts-at-www2.mrbrklyn.com using -f Received: from mail58.messagelabs.com (mail58.messagelabs.com [193.109.255.35]) by mrbrklyn.com (8.12.11/8.11.2/SuSE Linux 8.11.1-0.5) with SMTP id iBUDnuFL018070 for ; Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:49:57 -0500 X-VirusChecked: Checked X-Env-Sender: EInker-at-gam.com X-Msg-Ref: server-6.tower-58.messagelabs.com!1104414650!43148136!1 X-StarScan-Version: 5.4.5; banners=-,-,- X-Originating-IP: [193.202.231.225] Received: (qmail 9197 invoked from network); 30 Dec 2004 13:50:50 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO w2gw-ldn02.gam.com) (193.202.231.225) by server-6.tower-58.messagelabs.com with SMTP; 30 Dec 2004 13:50:50 -0000 Received: from ntas-ldn15.gam.com (unverified) by w2gw-ldn02.gam.com (Content Technologies SMTPRS 4.3.12) with ESMTP id for ; Thu, 30 Dec 2004 13:50:50 +0000 Received: by ntas-ldn15.gam.com with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) id ; Thu, 30 Dec 2004 13:50:50 -0000 Message-ID: <386AEEE1B7BAC34CB4DDF394C2349278D6E944-at-w2cs-nyk02.gam.com> From: "Inker, Evan" To: hangout-at-nylxs.com Subject: [hangout] Dual-booting multiple Linux distros Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2004 13:49:05 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----_=_NextPart_001_01C4EE76.53A5E870" Sender: owner-hangouts-at-mrbrklyn.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: "Inker, Evan" List: New Yorker GNU Linux Scene Admin: To unsubscribe send unsubscribe name-at-domian.com in the body to hangout-request-at-www2.mrbrklyn.com X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.0.0 (2004-09-13) on www2.mrbrklyn.com X-Spam-Status: No, score=-2.3 required=4.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_00,HTML_20_30, HTML_MESSAGE,HTML_TAG_EXIST_TBODY autolearn=no version=3.0.0 X-Spam-Level: X-Keywords: X-UID: 38737 Status: RO Content-Length: 10841 Lines: 247
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Title Dual-booting multiple Linux distros Date 2004.12.28 3:00 Author Kevin Russo Topic http://os.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=04/12/21/1852209
All the Linux flavors I have tried have no problem dual-booting with Windows, but how do you boot multiple Linux flavors, like Fedora and Ubuntu? This is a great way to have your favorite distribution on the first drive (hda) and experiment with the hundreds of others on a second drive (hdb). I found many procedures by Googling, but most of them concentrated on booting two distros on the same hard drive. However, this is a very simple procedure.
I have found that if you try to dual-boot Linux with Linux, the second flavor that you install overwrites the existing boot loader and the first distro seems to vanish. To solve this problem, don't install the boot loader of the second distro. You should be able to find an option for this as you go through the install process.
I know what you're thinking -- if I don't install the boot loader, how will I boot the system?
Let's assume that the bootloader is on the first hard drive (hda) from your original distro. You need to copy certain files from the /boot directory of the hdb drive to the /boot directory of the hda drive. To do this, you must first mount the hdb drive while logged in as the root user. Since this is only a temporary mount point, I just use the floppy directory:
mount/dev/hdb1 /mnt/floppy
Some of the newer distros now use the /media directory for mount points, so if the above command doesn't work, try:
mount /dev/hdb1 /media/floppy
You should see an icon appear on the desktop that looks like a diskette. Enter that drive, and cd /mnt/floppy/boot or cd /media/floppy/boot.
There are three files you need to copy to the /boot directory of the first hard drive (hda). The first is System.map, which will look something like System.map-2.6.9-1.6_FC2 (which is the System.map for the 2.6.9.-1.6 kernel from Fedora Core 2). The other two files will have identical numeric suffixes, after prefixes of vmlinuz and initrd. Once you locate these three files, copy them to the /boot directory of the first hard drive (hda). When copying the initrd file, make sure to copy it exactly as you see it, including the .img extension that will be someplace in the name of the file.
Now cd /boot to change to the /boot directory of your first hard drive (hda). You should see the three new files added to the directory.
Now there's only one step left -- add a stanza to GRUB, the boot loader file. Change to the /boot/grub directory and open the file menu.lst in your favorite text editor. Scroll down a few lines and add the new stanza under the one for your existing distro, skipping a line between them. It should look something like this:
title "whatever you want to call your new distro" root (hd1,0) kernel /boot/vmlinuz"Your Kernel Number" ro root=LABEL=/ initrd /boot/initrd"Your Kernel Number".img
Note that this is a case-sensitive and space-sensitive document. That means that root=label is different from root=LABEL, and there is no space after the "=".
If you've done things right, you can now reboot your machine and you will see your new entry in the boot menu. Select it and you will boot into your new distro.
**************************************************************************** This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual or entity named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message which arise as a result of e-mail transmission. If verification is required please request a hard-copy version. This message is provided for informational purposes and should not be construed as an invitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or related financial instruments. GAM operates in many jurisdictions and is regulated or licensed in those jurisdictions as required. ****************************************************************************
------_=_NextPart_001_01C4EE76.53A5E870 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Message
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Title | | Dual-booting multiple Linux distros | Date | | 2004.12.28 3:00 | Author | | Kevin Russo | Topic | | href=3D"http://os.newsforge.com/search.pl?tid=3D2"> | = TABLE>http://os.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=3D04/12/21/1852209LL>=20
All the Linux flavors I have tried have no problem dual-booting with Win= dows,=20 but how do you boot multiple Linux flavors, like Fedora and Ubuntu? This is= a=20 great way to have your favorite distribution on the first drive (hda) and= experiment with the hundreds of others on a second drive (hdb). I found ma= ny=20 procedures by Googling, but most of them concentrated on booting two distro= s on=20 the same hard drive. However, this is a very simple procedure.
I have found that if you try to dual-boot Linux with Linux, the second f= lavor=20 that you install overwrites the existing boot loader and the first distro s= eems=20 to vanish. To solve this problem, don't install the boot loader of the seco= nd=20 distro. You should be able to find an option for this as you go through the= install process.
I know what you're thinking -- if I don't install the boot loader, how w= ill I=20 boot the system?
Let's assume that the bootloader is on the first hard drive (hda) from y= our=20 original distro. You need to copy certain files from the /boot directory of= the=20 hdb drive to the /boot directory of the hda drive. To do this, you must fir= st=20 mount the hdb drive while logged in as the root user. Since this is only a= temporary mount point, I just use the floppy directory:
mount/dev/hdb1 /mnt/floppy
Some of the newer distros now use the /media directory for mount points,= so=20 if the above command doesn't work, try:
mount /dev/hdb1 /media/floppy
You should see an icon appear on the desktop that looks like a diskette.= Enter that drive, and cd /mnt/floppy/boot or cd=20 /media/floppy/boot .
There are three files you need to copy to the /boot directory of the fir= st=20 hard drive (hda). The first is System.map, which will look something like= System.map-2.6.9-1.6_FC2 (which is the System.map for the 2.6.9.-1.6 kerne= l from=20 Fedora Core 2). The other two files will have identical numeric suffixes, a= fter=20 prefixes of vmlinuz and initrd. Once you locate these three files, copy the= m to=20 the /boot directory of the first hard drive (hda). When copying the initrd = file,=20 make sure to copy it exactly as you see it, including the .img extension th= at=20 will be someplace in the name of the file.
Now cd /boot to change to the /boot directory of your first= hard=20 drive (hda). You should see the three new files added to the directory.
Now there's only one step left -- add a stanza to GRUB, the boot loader = file.=20 Change to the /boot/grub directory and open the file menu.lst in your favor= ite=20 text editor. Scroll down a few lines and add the new stanza under the one f= or=20 your existing distro, skipping a line between them. It should look somethin= g=20 like this:
title "whatever you want to call your new distro"  = ;=20 root (hd1,0) kernel=20 /boot/vmlinuz"Your Kernel Number" ro root=3DLABEL=3D/ = =20 initrd /boot/initrd"Your Kernel Number".img=
Note that this is a case-sensitive and space-sensitive document. That me= ans=20 that root=3Dlabel is different from root=3DLABEL, and there is no space aft= er the=20 "=3D".
If you've done things right, you can now reboot your machine and you wil= l see=20 your new entry in the boot menu. Select it and you will boot into your new= distro.
***************************************************************************= *
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you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.
Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received
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message which arise as a result of e-mail transmission.
If verification is required please request a hard-copy version.
This message is provided for informational purposes and should not
be construed as an invitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or
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GAM operates in many jurisdictions and is
regulated or licensed in those jurisdictions as required.
***************************************************************************= *
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