Re: GRUB advice needed.

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 14:00:39 -0700, Douglas Mayne wrote:

> On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 20:14:02 +0000, Charles Sullivan wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 12:04:07 -0700, Douglas Mayne wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 17:45:07 +0000, Charles Sullivan wrote:
>>>
>>>> In the past I've partitioned my Linux i86 HDD like this:
>>>> hda1 boot
>>>> hda2 extended
>>>> hda5 home (1)
>>>> hda6 swap
>>>> hda7 root (1)
>>>> hda8 home (2)
>>>> hda9 root (2)
>>>>
>>>> and moved back and forth between (1) and (2) when installing
>>>> new releases in the same general family of Linuxes - e.g.,
>>>> FC 1 -> FC 2 -> FC 3, etc.
>>>>
> <snip>
>>>
>>> Grub is a very flexible loader. After thinking about it just now, I
>>> see that there are even more ways it can be used. My explanation covers
>>> the basic case, though.
>>
>> Thanks for the detailed explanation Douglas, but I'm still a little
>> unclear. Suppose I want to install two Linux distros on a new HDD
>
> Do you mean, "new" as in "new" from the store? This drive is installed
> in addition to any drives in your system. Or do you mean, "new" as in
> "new format of the one existing disc"?
>
>> and not use a boot partition. Do I end up with something like this:
>> MBR -> grub stage1
>> hda1 extended
>> hda5 swap
>> hda6 home (1)
>> hda7 root (1)
>> /boot
>> kernel (1) and other boot files
>> /grub
>> grub stage 2 (1) files
>> hda8 home (2)
>> hda9 root (2)
>> /boot
>> kernel (2) and other boot files
>> /grub
>> grub stage 2 (2) files
>>
>> Do I still get the GRUB version selection menu (Fedora) when I reboot
>> the system, or would I have to (Ugh!) boot from a floppy or CD each
>> time? Or do the grub stage 2 files exist in only one of the root
>> partitions?
>>
>> And if hda6 and 7 are later reformatted (same partitions, just cleared)
>> and a new version of Linux installed, will GRUB still work or will I
>> wipe out something critical?
>>
>> Or should I forget the whole thing and continue to use a boot partition?
>> :-)
>>
> Note: comment inline.
>
> As I implied, grub is a very flexible loader, and it is rare when the
> fallback to floppy boot is required. The best course is just to plan in
> advance what you intend to do, including the boot loader. Grub will
> usually be able to accomodate your plan. Any time you spend learning
> about the loader will pay off later.
>
> Understanding what you're doing...
>
> If you totally wipe out your partition with the "upper" stage files, then
> you'll need to reinstall before Grub will work again. Note: my question
> (above) and your answer will dictate how to proceed. Maybe, you should
> make a grub floppy at this point so you will have a fallback position.
>
> Specific advice...
>
> One way to proceed is to keep your boot partition intact. When you
> install new linux distributions, elect to install the grub loader on
> _its_ root (linux) partition. That way, you can add a simple menu
> entry on the "master" list on your boot partition's menu.lst. The new
> entries on the "master" list would look something like this:
>
> title Slackware Linux
> rootnoverify (hd0,5)
> chainloader +1
>
> title OpenSuse Linux
> rootnoverify (hd0,6)
> chainloader +1
>
> This approach saves copying the kernel and detailed menu.lst entry
> necessary to load a specific distribution's kernel. You will have a
> layered menu (menu upon menu), but in my opinion that is the simpler
> choice.
>
> Just keep your plan straight in your mind (or on paper). You are
> more likely to have success that way.

By "new" I meant new-from-the-store. I should probably explain
that when my current "main" HDD gets a little age on it, I buy a
new (and usually larger) one. I physically install it as /dev/hda
and load Linux on it from scratch. I physically relocate the
old one to /dev/hdb or hdc and copy over whatever files I need
onto the new /dev/hda. Eventually the old one is removed and
stored - if I ever need it I can just plug it in again as /dev/hda
and boot it up.

OK, I think I'm now getting the picture: I keep a boot partition
but the only things on it are the grub files - the kernel
and such goes into the /boot directory on the root partition for
that particular Linux version and a grub stage 2 loader goes
in the PBR of the same root partition. Is that correct?

Regards,
Charles Sullivan


.

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