Sabayon good distro on Intel based machines. Lot works out-of-the-box. AMD lacks WiFi

digital8doug · 11-14-2008, 09:39 PM

Sound, Google Earth, Skype, Real Player 11, LightScribe, Enhanced windows experience (like Aero) works on install x86-64 3.5.1
Found this Gentoo based distro from linux.org reviews. Testing new GNU/Linux releases on Asus Gaming series laptops; G1S-B1 & G2K-A1.
The Intel equipment works w/o having to fuss w/ anything.
AMD's Atheros WiFi firmware still needs work, supposedly fixed w/ the new 2.6.27 kernel.
Have tried Mepis 8, Mandriva 2009, oSusE 11.1, Kubuntu 8.1, Fedora 10, CentOS, Mint 5, Slack 12.1, Knoppix 3.5 ! (Order=my distro preferences)

How do I properly setup to multi-boot all these distros? Keep getting error 13 as most GNU/Linux distro installers are only set-up for dual booting w/ M$ Windoz. Chainloader +1 does not appear to boot a GNU.

http://pixellany.com/boot.html explains MBR & GrUB well

BUT I am not adding other distros (& sda#s) correctly! [hd0,0=sda1]
http://lyonlabs.org/multi-boot-diagram.pdf

Not sure how to properly edit the correct file (/boot/grub/menu.lst ??) and its preferred location;
the MBR, or to a distro specific /boot partition [sda#],
or to 1st sector {boot} of the / partition {aka boot directory?*?}.

Sharing a common 1GB swap, hoping to share /home

jay73 · 11-14-2008, 09:47 PM

The easiest way of setting up a multiboot system (and keeping it all working even after kernel updates) is chainloading. Just let each new distro write its GRUB to its own boot directory. Then you edit the GRUB instance that groups them all by adding
title ............... //name of distro here
root (hdx,x) //replace as suited
chainloader +1
boot

Alberto Federman Neto · 12-04-2008, 03:09 AM

Sabayon is my favorite Linux Distro... it is fantastic!
To be Gentoo based, is for me a good, and not a bad caractheristic.
I like Gentoos!
I dont have Wirelesse Net conection, but in the Comp. of one Colleague, Their AMD Machine , Sabyon had recognized their wireless connection

lakedude · 12-04-2008, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alberto Federman Neto

Sabayon is muy favorite Linux Distro... it is fantastic!
To be Gentoo based, is for mea good, and not a bad caractheristic.
I like Gentoos!

Sabayon fan here too....

pixellany · 12-04-2008, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digital8doug

Not sure how to properly edit the correct file (/boot/grub/menu.lst ??) and its preferred location;
the MBR, or to a distro specific /boot partition [sda#],
or to 1st sector {boot} of the / partition {aka boot directory?*?}.

menu.lst does not go in any of those places....

The nomenclature can be a bit confusing...see if this helps:
(Specific to GRUB, but most of Windows is similar)

1. Whatever physical harddrive the BIOS attempts to boot from must have boot code in the MBR (defined as the first sector of the drive)

2. When GRUB is installed (to the MBR), it gets "hard-coded" to point to the partition which contains /boot/grub (where it will find menu.lst)

3. If you use chainloading, control is transferred to another copy of GRUB located in the partition boot sector (defined as the first sector of the partition.) This copy of GRUB normally gets hard-coded to point to the /boot/grub directory on that partition.

One thing I am fuzzy on: I think "chainloader +1" actually sends control to the stage2 code (in sector 2 of the target partition?)

For even more nuances and gory details, look up Saikee here at LQ and see the links in his sig.

Alberto Federman Neto · 12-09-2008, 11:01 AM

in common, regular configurations, if you do not use an third part boot loader, if you will use the Grub itself for booting, in double boot with windows or other Linux distro.
You will save the Grub in MBR, or your comp will be bootable only with a boot disk.
Save Grub in Linux partition , is only mau not have other system, ou will use GAG or other independent boot loader.