Dual-boot Debian and Slackware possible like this?

nycace36 · 10-09-2007, 07:18 PM

Have already reviewed the LQ thread http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-crazy-588038/
and this question goes beyond just the single shared /home partition.

Am wondering how to dual-boot through a single GRUB in a /boot partition on hda1, a) Debian Etch and b) Slackware 12.0 using multiple shared partitions ??

Here is how I imagine things would be set up :

Code:

Partitioning scheme using EIDE disk0

/boot in hda1 with GRUB  ext3

<something other than Linux> in hda2 (maybe Windows 2K/XP... no rush to do this)

hda3 Extended

hda5 /<root for Debian> ext3

hda6 /<root for Slackware> ext3

Shared for both distros

hda7 swap swap
hda8 /tmp ext3
hda9 /var jfs or reiserfs
hda10 /usr jfs or reiserfs
hda11 /home jfs or reiserfs
hda12 /opt jfs or reiserfs

Installation order
A. Debian Etch
B. Slackware 12.0

Assuming that the /boot/grub/grub.lst is edited properly for both distros, that partitions hda7 - hda12 are not reformatted during the second Slack install, and that the /etc/fstab's for the two distro </<roots> are setup correctly for each distros' mount point locations, why would this NOT work????

Pau Gasol · 10-10-2007, 12:15 PM

I'm currently running Windows XP, Debian Etch and Slackware in the same Desktop, with Slack and debian sharing some partitions (/documents, /music and the like, don't want to mess with the /home)

Don't install Slackware last if you want GRUB, because Slackware installs LILO by default (it is possible to setup LILO to boot Debian, though...or you can grub-install from Debian later using chroot and a Linux live CD)

I would not use a shared /home, it would be a mess (if you choose to share /home, use different users)

/swap is alright to share and /tmp too, not sure about the others.