Easy to use/install (was Re: [Novalug] Community contribution)

DonJr djr1952@hotpop.com
Thu Jan 24 12:28:49 EST 2008


On Thu, 2008-01-24 at 07:29 -0800, Beartooth wrote:

>  	I don't recall for sure, and this is CentOS's week on 
> that machine; what's more, it has just updated a kernel -- 
> meaning the triple boot may or may not keep working, and I may or 
> may not be able to salvage it ...


Well here is how I set up my multi-boot systems.

If XP is going to be on the system it gets primary partition 1 since it
don't like nowhere else.

Then in primary partition 2 (If XP is on the system otherwise it's 1)
I set up the following in about a 500 meg partition
  ( do note everything will fit in less then 200 meg )

  Grub - with it's loader installed into the MBR
  RIP -  basicily a copy of the CD minus some trash
  SysRescueCD   - also basicly a copy of the CD only it's kernel and
            none hardcoded files are in /sysrescuecd/
  {some other personal system rescue type files}

And (hd0,1)/boot/grub/menu.lst  has the following:

# menu.lst generated by DonJr
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after
# making changes to this file.
#boot=/dev/sda
default=saved
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title	Chain load sda5 boot sector for Xubuntu or whatever
  root (hd0,4)
  savedefault
  chainloader +1

title	Chain load MicroSoft XP {if it's still functioning}
  root (hd0,0)
  savedefault
  chainloader +1

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

title	RIP version 2.9 with net (totally in memory)
  root (hd0,1)
  kernel /boot/kernel vga=normal nokeymap root=/dev/ram0 rw
  initrd /boot/rootfs.cgz

title	System Rescue 3.0 with part on disk
  root (hd0,1)
  kernel /sysresccd/rescuecd root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc video=ofonly vga=0 setkmap=us looptype=squashfs subdir=/sysresccd loop=/sysresccd/sysrcd.dat dokeymap cdroot=/dev/sda2 splash=silent
  initrd /sysresccd/rescuecd.igz

title	CD-rom boot
  rootnoverify (hd1)
  chainloader +1

########## end of file #########

Note that "kernel" line for "System Rescue" is ONE long line with the
next line starting with "initrd /"
Other then adjusting "cdroot=/dev/sda2" to the correct partition it's
easily move to a different partition system.

You can get "R)ecovery (I)s (P)ossible" at:
 <http://www.tux.org/pub/people/kent-robotti/looplinux/rip/>
And System Rescue CD at:
 <http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page>

On my portable(tablet) where the above file resides the next partition
is the EXTENDED Partition that covers the rest of the drive.

What works out to on that system to /dev/sda5
Is where currently Xubutu is installed and a swap partition along with a
home partition.

Xubuntu on /dev/sda5 (hd0,4) has a:
  /boot/grub/menu.lst file that currently looks like the following:
{minus most of the comments that are in the real version of the file)

default		saved
timeout		5
#hiddenmenu
#color cyan/blue white/blue
## password ['--md5'] passwd  I don't need no password

# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
# kopt=root=/dev/sda5 ro
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,4)
##  ie /dev/sda5 in this case

## Note where this copy of Grub's Boot Record was installed.
## In the Boot Record of partition /dev/sda5

# alternative=true
# lockalternative=false
# defoptions=quiet splash nohz=off
###  I've been expermenting with VirtualBox
###  and it seems to likes the "nohz=off" option

# 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
## What is this Xen thing anyway?

# altoptions=(recovery mode) noresume single
# howmany=all
# memtest86=false
###  If I need to do a memtest I boot it off the network pxe system

# updatedefaultentry=false
# savedefault=true
## ## End Default Options ##

title	Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root	(hd0,4)
kernel	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=/dev/sda5 ro quiet splash nohz=off
initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
savedefault

title	Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic noresume
root	(hd0,4)
kernel	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=/dev/sda5 ro noresume quiet splash nohz=off
initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
savedefault

title	Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
root	(hd0,4)
kernel	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=/dev/sda5 ro noresume single
initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic

### 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

# A way back to the RealBoot partition
# on /dev/sda2
title		Real Boot again
root		(hd0,1)
chainloader	+1

########  EOF ######

And yes (x)Ubuntu or whatever is installed in (hd0,4) {or /dev/sda5} can
install new kernels and otherwise update it's local Grub and not effect
the other partitions and or boot areas in any way.

In fact those who know Ubuntu kernel version numbers should notice that
this ones been updated at least once and I just decided to Uninstall the
older kernel.

--  
  DonJr





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