multiboot installation

hmazuji · 06-17-2018, 12:26 PM

why does it have to be this difficult ? no no ! that's not my question.

i just built a ryzen 7 1700 with gtx 1050ti and 16 gb on a asrock m.b.

it boots into the asrock fatal1ty uefi screen, and all the options are there for me, including these beforehand:

press f2 or del to run uefi setup
press f6 for instant flash
press f11 for boot menu
press tab to switch screen

if i press f11, i can get to this menu:

please select boot device:
nvme: wdc wds256g1xoc-00enx0
ahci: wdc wd4004fzwx-00g8g80
uefi: built-in efi shell
ahci: hl-dt-st cd-rw/dvd-rom gcc-
enter setup boot default

if i select uefi shell brings me to a command prompt preceded by:
blk0 ...
blk1 ...
blk2 ... (low level path to a storage location, i will try to add a screenshot)
shell>
- and i have no idea what to tell it to do. the "install linux" command is met with "'install' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file"
shell>

i have tried to boot from dvd from know working boot disks; i can boot from every one of these dvd's from other computers, but here, i get nothing:
debian 9.4.0
opensuse
knoppix 8.1
win 7
manjaro xfce
linux mint

i have considered purchasing the install usbs from distrowatch, and will if this is the solution to multibooting

i have a clean system. why can't i boot ? why can't i install ? these are the things i need to know. i have been wanting to install knoppix because i like it, and the running from cdrom is killing me both spiritually and morally. on another system, knoppix couldn't deal with the fact that it couldn't have control of the entire hdd, but here it can have it all, and it won't boot. i like opensuse. i like mint. i want to make a multiboot system, but it seems like what i want to do and what 'is' are two mutually exclusive systems

i read on another post that i should install windows first. the problem with the literature that i'm reading is that it is dated. 2013 is old. and another problem is that there is no definitive walkthrough, only some acolytes posting links to ambiguous generalities. a project is needed to clean up all these technical support posts and centralize and categorize them. such a waste. i already know these questions have been answered somewhere, but i can't find them through the detritus and the dross

i need expert advice from someone who knows, and wants to talk about details. how do i build a multiboot system ? i realize virtual machines is an option, but i would rather not vm here on this build

i am hesitant to install win 10 if it will prevent me from multibooting. my instinct tells me to install win 10 onto the ssd, and install linuxes onto the hdd. both clean drives. what do i do ?

RockDoctor · 06-17-2018, 07:27 PM

I've got Windows 10 on the 120 GB SSD (sda) that came with my system, and my Linuxes on a GPT-formatted hard drive (sdb). Grub is installed on the hard drive, and I've set the UEFI to boot first from the hard drive. The grub menu presents an option to boot Windows 10 on the SSD, so all is as well as can be expected.

yancek · 06-18-2018, 06:05 AM

Quote:

the "install linux" command is met with "'install' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file"

Are you entering that command when you are in the BIOS? That will never work. If you are using a DVD, you need to check through the various options from F11, the second "ahci" entry you show is the only one which has a reference to DVD.

Does this machine have anything on it, any OS at all?
Are you planning to do GPT/UEFI installs? If so, make sure you install both UEFI/GPT?
If you don't install windows first, you will need to select the windows "Custom" install option so you have some control to select the partition on which you wish to install it.

If you install UEFI/GPT most Linux systems will default to installing Grub boot files to the EFI partition if there already is one which there would be if you installed windows EFI first. It won't overwrite windows. If you want them separate, you would have to create first an EFI partition on the hard drive.

I think part of your problem is the Asrock option menu for the BIOS. Did you get a manual with the machine or go to their site to get some explanation of what the various options do? Never used one myself so the options look a little weird to me.

hmazuji · 06-18-2018, 07:59 AM

like, 'duh'
i have an important update:
the dvd player i pilfered from an old fried computer with a bad capacitor on the m.b. was fried.
i should have known from listening to it, but, i am not at that stage of my development.
let me update this post after i get something started. i will post an update, but still would like some tips on multibooting. thanks

hmazuji · 06-18-2018, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

Are you entering that command when you are in the BIOS? That will never work.

allow me to reply one point at a time; piecewise;
i apologize for the bad joke. you must have a lot of patience for wanting to correct that

ok, i swapped out the dvd drive with a known good one. this is making a big difference in my progress, as i do not have ten distros on usb, but i do have ten distros on dvd

in addition to my favorite: macrium with boot to win ce

let me make some progress, and then update and reply to the rest of your points and these replies. thanks.

oh, oh! i would like to clarify the answer to your question: the booting options (listed in op) list the shell. when you boot to that, you get the

shell>
prompt

shell> help
lists all the shell commands, and

shell> ? help
lists all the help options

note: i put a space in between the prompt and command for clarification. if you ever need to boot to the asrock shell promp, do not put a space between your prompt and your command