Dual boot, but with two Linuxes

Fri Jan 26 19:20:01 UTC 2007

On (26/01/07 09:11), Brian Fahrlander wrote:
> Trevor Nye wrote:
> > May I suggest from the amount of queries on this forum. 
> > 
> > It would be good to post your process here for all to see.
> > 
> > I would be interested for one.
> 
>     Better yet...perhaps an entry on the wiki?  :)
> 
>     It's pretty clever, btw, leaving off grub on each install...

menu.lst attached

Info:

My main system /boot partition is on hda10, hence groot=(hd0,9) - I'm
also using LVM for the main system which makes it a little more complex
(hence the partition entries root=/dev/mapper/alpha-root) - just use
conventional /dev/hdaX etc. for a non- LVM setup.

grub is installed either from the original install or (because I screwed
it up at some point because I like to break things) using:

# grub-install /dev/hda

Once you've got the main system installed (according to your preference)
add additional systems manually after:

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the
# Debian
# ones.
title           Other operating systems:

Alternatively, using grub-install /dev/hda will create these entries
automatically for you for all systems it finds (incl. windows)  I'm not
sure whether it locates systems on additional disks but you can add them
manually afterwards.  

My understanding of grub was greatly enhanced by reference to:
http://www.linuxselfhelp.com/gnu/grub/html_chapter/grub_1.html which has
changed since I downloaded it but seems to contain relevant info.  

Grub in Debian Howto V1.0 published by linuxorbit.com but seems to have
disappeared.  (I have a hard copy).

It is quite useful to learn how to boot your system manually from grub
using a rescue disk such as Debian From Scratch:
http://people.debian.org/~jgoerzen/dfs/html/

Have fun :)

Regards

Clive

-- 
www.clivemenzies.co.uk ...
...strategies for business

-------------- next part --------------
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default		0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout		5

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root		(hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader	+1
#
# title		Linux
# root		(hd0,1)
# kernel	/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/mapper/alpha-root ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,9)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##      lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(single-user) single
# altoptions=(single-user mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-3-amd64
root		(hd0,9)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.18-3-amd64 root=/dev/mapper/alpha-root ro 
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.18-3-amd64
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-3-amd64 (single-user mode)
root		(hd0,9)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.18-3-amd64 root=/dev/mapper/alpha-root ro single
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.18-3-amd64
savedefault

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title		Other operating systems:
root

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hda14.
title		 sid (reserve system) kernel 2.6.18-1-amd64k8 (on /dev/hda14)
root		(hd0,13)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-1-amd64 root=/dev/hda14 ro 
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-1-amd64
savedefault
boot

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hda14.
title		 sid (reserve system) kernel 2.6.18-1-amd64k8 (recovery mode) (on /dev/hda14)
root		(hd0,13)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-1-amd64 root=/dev/hda14 ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-1-amd64
savedefault
boot

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hda9.
title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-15-amd64-k8 Default (on /dev/hda9)
root		(hd0,8)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda9 ro quiet splash 
initrd		/boot/initrd.img
savedefault
boot

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hda9.
title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-15-amd64-k8 Default (recovery mode) (on /dev/hda9)
root		(hd0,8)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda9 ro single 
initrd		/boot/initrd.img
savedefault
boot

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hda9.
title		Ubuntu, memtest86+ (on /dev/hda9)
root		(hd0,8)
kernel		/boot/memtest86+.bin  
savedefault
boot

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hda13.
title		etch (test system) kernel (on /dev/hda13)
root		(hd0,12)
kernel		/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda13 ro  
initrd		/initrd.img
savedefault
boot

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda2
title		Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
root		(hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1