Triple boot - Ubuntu Feisty (7.04) Dapper (6.06) and Windows XP (P4)

[Eric Dunbar]

On 24/03/07, ac <"aec$news"@candt.waitrose.com> wrote:
> Eric Dunbar wrote:
> > Hello all:
> >
> > I've "lost" my "main" Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper) install from the Grub boot
> > menu. I have two HDs, one for Windows XP and one for Ubuntu.
> >
> > My Ubuntu 6.06 was set up with a /boot partition. My Ubuntu 7.04 was
> > not (just /).
> >
> > When I set up my current configuration* I left 7.8 GB free on my
> > Ubuntu disk for experimental OSes. I've wanted to see what Ubuntu 7.04
> > would look like so I installed it into that free 7.8 GB partition.
> >
> > Unfortunately, I didn't realise that grub doesn't automagically handle
> > multiple Linux OSes gracefully (I come from the PPC world where yaboot
> > handles OSes differently). I've lost access to my Ubuntu 6.06
> > partition and would like to regain it _and_ retain easy access to
> > Ubuntu 7.04 as well, if at all possible.
> >
> > Can anyone suggest a Howto or link or wiki where I can go for further
> > assistance in setting grub up so that it can handle my two Linuxes
> > without excluding one (I haven't gotten anywhere yet with Google)? I'm
> > scouring the man pages for grub but haven't found out how to specify a
> > "chain loader" for a linux (I figure that's what I need to do).
> >
> > Thanks, Eric.
> >
> > *Two HDs:
> > sdb = 20 GB
> > /dev/sdb1 Windows XP
> >
> > sda = ~250 GB
> > /dev/sda2 19 GB Ubuntu 6.06
> > /dev/sda3 202 GB ext3 formatted "Virtual Machine" partition (contains
> > VMs for VMware)
> > /dev/sda6 7.8 GB free
> >
> > (plus, some other partitions like /dev/sda1 89 MB for /boot for Ubuntu
> > 6.06 and /dev/sda5 1.5 GB for /swap)
> >
>
> If I understand correctly, your original grub boot information is
> still basically in the (now unused) original /boot partition for
> dapper 6.06.
>
> So in theory, if you can copy it out and use the relevant items in
> your new grub file, (menu.1st) which I expect is in the /boot/grub  of
> 7.04 partition, then you will be hopefully on your way.
>
> It will be the top-most entry:
> the extract you want will be similar to:
> [extract]
> =======================
> title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-386
> root            (hd0,1)
> kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro quiet splash
> initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-28-386
> savedefault
> boot
> =======================
> and you will need to verify that where in my extract, (hd0,1) is
> stated, yours must refer to your sda2, but in grub speak
>
> which again might be something like (hd0,1) (??). The kernel line will
> also need to be relevant for your 6.06 stuff - root=/dev/sda2  (??).
>
> good luck
> --
> ac

Got it to work three different ways:
1. I used the "automagic" detect option from Supergrub and it loaded
the 6.06 LTS grub.

2. I took the settings for my 6.06 kernel in the 6.06 menu.lst using
the "edit" command, and then "e"dited an entry in the 7.04 grub to
successfully boot 6.06 from 7.04 grub.

3. I tried the copying trick (take entry from 6.06 menu.lst and paste
into 7.04 menu.lst) and it worked (same action basically as #2 and #1
;-).

Question for everyone:

Where does Ubuntu's installer (Feisty (7.04) and Dapper (6.06 LTS)
place the grub binary by default?

This is how I would like my system to work:

I would like to modify my setup so that I have a "primary" grub which
can be used to load either of the "secondary" grubs (6.06 and 7.04),
or, even to load the menu.lst files from the respective
/boot/grub/menu.lst files.

... and, now I also managed to test the nVidia driver I had installed
for Google Earth (driver vs. no driver makes a HUGE difference in
smoothness). In Ubuntu 6.06 LTS the driver works flawlessly, but, in
Ubuntu 7.04 Herd 1 it doesn't (yet... perhaps this is a glitch?)).

Thanks for your thoughts, Eric.