Re: Linux OS only dual boot

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Date: Mon, 05 Apr 2004 09:47:25 -0600

On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 07:38:13 -0700, Richard Gagnon wrote:

> I am a newby to Linux and I have a computer which is only dedicated to
> Linux OS. There are many postings all over with people who have done
> dual boot with a MS os and Linux but none that I have found that do it
> this way. It must be common knowledge among Linux users so not even
>
> <snip>
>
I don't know what a Trios II Plus HD selector is, but assuming it is a
device to swap master/slave, I think you'd be better off not using it
and deciding on a permanent hard drive placement. This is because it
isn't necessary to resort to tricks when using the linux loader (Grub or
Lilo). These are able to boot linux by just using proper nomenclature.
The sooner you straighten this out, the less confusing it will be down the
road when you are testing multiple distro's.

So, assuming the 30G with lindows already has a swap partition, and that
you intend to only install your "trial" distributions on the 80G, then
you can do something like this:

0. 80G is set to be hdb
1. Backup mepis (if necessary).
2. Repartition hdb (if necessary). For easiest "testing" install each OS
in its own partition. You can easily share swap, which is specified
during the setup of each distro. Allocate about 4G to 12G for testing
modern distros. 80G space can be allocated to allow between about 7 and
20 distros.
        
To try more than 4 distributions, you could use a partitioning scheme like
this:
        /dev/hdb1 extended (link to hdb5)
        /dev/hdb5 type 83, reserved for slackware
        /dev/hdb6 type 83, reserved for mandrake
        /dev/hdb7 type 83, reserved for suse
        /dev/hdb8 type 83, reserved for fedora
        /dev/hdb9 type 83, reserved for debian
        etc.

As far as I know, there is no limit on the count of partitions in the
extended partition.

The loader is a key part of dual boot systems, and I recommend grub.
As a first step, try to install grub to boot Lindows, only. The next
step is to add a stanza to boot mepis. BTW, if it has been booted as
hda, you will have to modify its /etc/fstab to change to hdb. I am not
using lindows or mepis, and I don't know which loader they use, but
I'll try to help if you provide more specific information. The manual for
grub is online here:
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/index.html

-- 
Rise up in the cafeteria and stab them with your plastic forks.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0100436/quotes

• Previous message: imotgm: "Re: Linux OS only dual boot"
• In reply to: Richard Gagnon: "Linux OS only dual boot"
• Next in thread: Michael Heiming: "Re: Linux OS only dual boot"
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