Is there a howto or documentation somewhere that describes dual booting two
versions of linux with grub

faeychild uttered these pearls of wisdom:
> Is there a howto or documentation somewhere that describes dual booting two
> versions of linux with grub


Info grub in a terminal should do it.

Regards
Fabian

On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:06:58 +1000, faeychild wrote:
> Is there a howto or documentation somewhere that describes dual booting two
> versions of linux with grub

Never hurts to do a
locate grub | grep doc
and read the documentation.
You need to understand how to number partitions.

if locate not installed, depending on mandriva release; install
urpmi mlocate
or urpmi slocate

Then build the database
/etc/cron.weekly/slocate.cron
or /etc/cron.daily/mlocate.cron
There after cron/batch keeps database up to date.

It can be as easy as duplicating a stanza and changing the partition number.

I find it easy do the new install, mount the other install, cut from
from the other install's /boot/grub/menu.lst and past into the current
install's /boot/grub/menu.lst. If install uses links like Mandriva,
use them. If like ubuntu/kubuntu and does not hard code the release level.

Example snippets from mine follow:

title /2007_1
kernel (hd0,10)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda11 splash=0 vga=790
initrd (hd0,10)/boot/initrd.img

title "2008 beta2"
kernel (hd0,13)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda14 resume=/dev/sda6 splash=0 vga=788
initrd (hd0,13)/boot/initrd.img

title /hotbu
root (hd0,12)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda13 splash=0
initrd /boot/initrd.img

title /fc7
root (hd0,11)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7 ro root=LABEL=fc7 rhgb splash=0
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7.img

title /kubuntu
kernel (hd0,8)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=/dev/sda9 splash=0 vga=790
initrd (hd0,8)/boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic

title /2007_0
kernel (hd0,9)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda10 splash=0 vga=790
initrd (hd0,9)/boot/initrd.img

On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:06:58 +1000, faeychild wrote:

> Is there a howto or documentation somewhere that describes dual booting two
> versions of linux with grub

With most modern distros, the last one installed will be able to detect
the other(s) and set up the dual (multi) boot automagically.

"Bit Twister" <BitTwister> wrote in message
news:ster
[..]
> title /kubuntu
> kernel (hd0,8)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=/dev/sda9 splash=0
> vga=790
> initrd (hd0,8)/boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic
>
> title /2007_0
> kernel (hd0,9)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda10 splash=0 vga=790
> initrd (hd0,9)/boot/initrd.img
>Is there any particular reason why you don't install a bootloader on the
root partition of an install and chainload to there? I have run into
hardcoded paths especially with Ubuntu and Fedora and they are a pain in the
rear.
Having the bootloader of each individual install on it's own root partition
helps you by condensing the grub entry on your main bootloader to a simple
root (hdx,y)
chainloader +1
That way a kernel upgrade on the target os does not mean a bootloader edit.

On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:50:29 -0500, Gireesh Bhat wrote:

> Is there any particular reason why you don't install a bootloader on the
> root partition of an install and chainload to there?

Not realy. Too easy just to cut/paste from menu.lst.

> I have run into hardcoded paths especially with Ubuntu and Fedora
> and they are a pain in the rear.
> Having the bootloader of each individual install on it's own root partition
> helps you by condensing the grub entry on your main bootloader to a simple
> root (hdx,y)
> chainloader +1
> That way a kernel upgrade on the target os does not mean a bootloader edit.


If they get to bothering me, I'll just create a softlink like Mandriva.

On 2007-08-28, faeychild <phobos> wrote:
> Is there a howto or documentation somewhere that describes dual booting two
> versions of linux with grub

Have you considered using an independent boot manager in the
MBR (and first/hidden track) with a _separate_ bootloader
(Grub or other) for each distribution? That's what I have
done recently, and there are some significant advantages.
Mainly, with one Grub chaining to the other, if the
partition that contains the first Grub gets hosed, you can't
boot anything. With the independent boot manager (Smart
Boot Manager or other), you can completely erase
_everything_ from either installed distro and the other one
will still be bootable with no difficulties.

The HowTo for SBM is trivial: 1) when installing (or
afterward) install each distro's boot manager in that
distro's own boot sector (rather than in MBR). 2) Install
SBM in the MBR and first/hidden track. I was a bit leery of
messing up the system, but it was trivially easy and worked
perfectly.

HTH

Bit Twister wrote:

[..]
> kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7 ro root=LABEL=fc7 rhgb splash=0
> initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7.img
>
> title /kubuntu
> kernel (hd0,8)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=/dev/sda9 splash=0
> vga=790 initrd (hd0,8)/boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic
>
> title /2007_0
> kernel (hd0,9)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda10 splash=0 vga=790
> initrd (hd0,9)/boot/initrd.img


I had a trial install of 2007 spring and noticed locate and kaffeine were
missing, so was wallet kat and lisa which I wont miss.

I've been having a mode line battle with a flat screen and I have gone back
to familiar ground (2006). I would like to dual boot both.

Grub is an info document. The last time I read it I got a bit lost in the
sub chapter hierarchy. wasn't sure what I had read or hadn't or in what
order.
I've saved your post for subsequent study