Debian and Tiny Core dual boot

hifi100 · 01-10-2017, 03:10 PM

Hi,

I have installed Debian and Tiny core. I want to add a menu entry in Debian's grub for Tiny Core linux.

I tried running update-grub2 but it didnt detect Tiny Core....

Code:

# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 111.8 GiB, 120034123776 bytes, 234441648 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x63ce231e

Device     Boot     Start       End   Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sda1  *         2048  48828219  48826172 23.3G 83 Linux
/dev/sda2        48828416 213960703 165132288 78.8G 83 Linux
/dev/sda3       213960704 234440703  20480000  9.8G 83 Linux

sda3 is my Tiny Core partition.

yancek · 01-10-2017, 05:15 PM

Did you install the bootloader for Tiny Core to it's partition? You can boot Debian and mount sda3 and check the /boot/grub/grub.cfg file and if Tiny Core is using Grub2, just copy it's entry to the Debian grub.cfg file to test boot it. If it boots, copy the entry to /etc/grub.d/40_custom and update grub again.

hifi100 · 01-10-2017, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

Did you install the bootloader for Tiny Core to it's partition? You can boot Debian and mount sda3 and check the /boot/grub/grub.cfg file and if Tiny Core is using Grub2, just copy it's entry to the Debian grub.cfg file to test boot it. If it boots, copy the entry to /etc/grub.d/40_custom and update grub again.

I did install Tiny Core's boootloader on /dev/sda but after reboot I got operating system not found. Then I booted with the Debian CD, entered into the the rescue mode and reinstalled grub.

Code:

$ su
Password: 
root@debian:/home/deb# mount /dev/sda3 /mnt/
root@debian:/home/deb# cd /mnt/
root@debian:/mnt# ls
lost+found  tce
root@debian:/mnt# cd tce
root@debian:/mnt/tce# ls
boot  mydata.tgz  optional
root@debian:/mnt/tce# cd boot
root@debian:/mnt/tce/boot# ls
core.gz  extlinux  vmlinuz
root@debian:/mnt/tce/boot#

This is my Tiny Core partition. Which file do I need to copy and what grub entry do I need to add to /etc/grub.d/40_custom ?

yancek · 01-11-2017, 07:26 AM

Quote:

I did install Tiny Core's boootloader on /dev/sda but after reboot I got operating system not found.

That means you installed the Tiny Core boot code over the Debian code in the MBR. Is this an older MBR system or UEFI? I think it would have been simpler to install the Tiny Core bootloader to it's partition (sda3) which would have enabled you to update grub from Debian. In your initial post, you indicate you ran 'update-grub2'. Does that mean you are able to boot the installed Debian? If so, why are you using the Debian CD? If you ran 'update-grub2' from the CD, that won't accomplish anything. If you have Debian Grub code in the MBR now, try putting the entry below in grub.cfg and rebooting. Do NOT update grub before rebooting. If it fails, delete the entry, if it works move it to 40_custom and run update-grub2.

Quote:

menuentry "Tiny Core" {
set root='hd0,msdos3'
linux /boot/vmlinuz append loglevel=3
initrd /boot/core.gz
}

If that fails, you will probably need to post more details and you can do that by googling and downloading and runn the 'bootinfoscript' or going to the site below and downloading and burning boot repair to a CD and rebooting the CD and selecting the option to 'Create BootInfo Summary' and not try any repairs. You can then post a link to the output here.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

jamison20000e · 01-11-2017, 07:40 AM

I've had to do the same with Fatdog64 and Debian...

hifi100 · 01-11-2017, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

That means you installed the Tiny Core boot code over the Debian code in the MBR. Is this an older MBR system or UEFI? I think it would have been simpler to install the Tiny Core bootloader to it's partition (sda3) which would have enabled you to update grub from Debian. In your initial post, you indicate you ran 'update-grub2'. Does that mean you are able to boot the installed Debian? If so, why are you using the Debian CD? If you ran 'update-grub2' from the CD, that won't accomplish anything. If you have Debian Grub code in the MBR now, try putting the entry below in grub.cfg and rebooting. Do NOT update grub before rebooting. If it fails, delete the entry, if it works move it to 40_custom and run update-grub2.

If that fails, you will probably need to post more details and you can do that by googling and downloading and runn the 'bootinfoscript' or going to the site below and downloading and burning boot repair to a CD and rebooting the CD and selecting the option to 'Create BootInfo Summary' and not try any repairs. You can then post a link to the output here.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

This is a mbr system. After I installed from the tiny core iso I was left with a non booting system so I used the Debian disk and used its rescue menu to reinstall grub. Yes I can boot Debian.

Code:

menuentry "Tiny Core" {
set root='hd0,msdos3'
linux /boot/vmlinuz append loglevel=3
initrd /boot/core.gz
}

Tried adding this to /boot/grub/grub.cfg but I get

Code:

error: 'file/boot/vmlinuz not found
error: you need to load the kernel first

The boot repair cd is 613 MB it will take some time on my slow connection. I am downloading it now. I will write back after I create a live usb.

Thanks a lot for your reply.

jamison20000e · 01-11-2017, 07:53 AM

Search about /etc/grub.d/40_custom

colorpurple21859 · 01-11-2017, 08:34 AM

linux /tce/boot/vmlinuz append loglevel=3

hifi100 · 01-11-2017, 08:50 AM

Here is my boot info http://paste.ubuntu.com/23782040/

hifi100 · 01-11-2017, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colorpurple21859

linux /tce/boot/vmlinuz append loglevel=3

The PC hanged completely due to kernel panic.

beachboy2 · 01-11-2017, 09:15 AM

hifi100,

If you feel nervous before clicking on "Recommended Repair", then backup all your personal data before proceeding.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

Recommended Repair has always worked fine for me in the past.

As it states in the above link:

Warning: the default settings are the ones used by the "Recommended Repair". Changing them may worsen your problem.

BW-userx · 01-11-2017, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifi100

The PC hanged completely due to kernel panic.

go into your /boot directory for your tiny and see what kernel files you have to use. it maybe named something other than vmlinuz.

Code:

make bzImage

then

cp bzImage vmlinuz

Tiny Core Linux how to make vmlinuz

colorpurple21859 · 01-11-2017, 09:27 AM

also
linux /tce/boot/vmlinuz append loglevel=3
initrd /tce/boot/core.gz

hifi100 · 01-11-2017, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colorpurple21859

also
linux /tce/boot/vmlinuz append loglevel=3
initrd /tce/boot/core.gz

Code:

menuentry "Tiny Core" {
set root='hd0,msdos3'
linux /tce/boot/vmlinuz append loglevel=3
initrd /tce/boot/core.gz
}

^^ I am getting CLI. X wont start. startx says command not found

Recommended repair did nothing.

BW-userx · 01-11-2017, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifi100

Code:

menuentry "Tiny Core" {
set root='hd0,msdos3'
linux /tce/boot/vmlinuz append loglevel=3
initrd /tce/boot/core.gz
}

^^ I am getting CLI. X wont start. startx says command not found

Recommended repair did nothing.

you must be missing xinit that has startx in it. In other words, xinit is not installed on whatever system you got that error message in.