Triple boot with XP/Linux Ubuntu on hdd ...
 

Hi Everyone, I so apologize if this has likely been covered, I read a couple Similar Threads but didn't see anything on external drive boots. (BTW, I super love the 'Click here to find similar threads'; this feature should be used in other forums, is my thought) I currently am using a laptop 100gb drive with XP and linux Ubuntu dual boot using GRUB. GRUB contains updates that make booting even more choice-worthy.

I'd like to install yet a 3rd OS but this time on an external USB drive. Assuming this 3rd OS can be triple booted, this would add yet another line to GRUB (I assume). Is there any program that would allow me only 3 lines of info to boot to? (ie XP or Linux Ubunto or Vista (new 3rd OS)? Or is there a way to re-write/reconfigure GRUB to only have 3 lines of info at boot?

Even better, currently my laptop system boots default Linux, w/alternate windows. sometimes I need to default boot windows; is there an way to 'change the default OS' easily?

TIA for any help anyone can give me here. I'm still rather new to linux but I like it very much! TIA........katy

I am not sure what are you asking ? you want to ask how to make grub of one disk to boot an os from another disk (i think its 99.9 % possibility that it is possible to do such a thing)
or anything else?

I have never booted off an external hdd. Ihave researched it and come to the conclusion that it is very difficult, and time consuming.

Editing your grub is fairly simple. If you are using Ubuntu, I highly recommend using the Ubuntu forums, they have a great community of helpers over there! To edit grub:
1. Open the terminal
2. type - sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
3. You will need to put your password in, and it will open up a text editor with your grub menu list
4. To set windows to default, you will need to find the line
5. Change that number to the number of your windows in the list.
Note: every entry is counted as a number, even the memtest and recoverymode.
6. Reboot and see where your default falls, you may have to edit it again and add another number until you figure it out.

Also if you have a kernel upgrade, you will have to edit your default # again as that will add another boot option to the menu.lst, and not compensate with the default number.

Hope that helps.
Shane

Thank you both for your replies!! Shane I will use your recipe for changing GRUB. It does look easy enough for me to do. Thanks Again!!

Katy,

No problem, glad I could finally be a help and not be asking questions on these forums!

Shane

Problem editting GRUB
 

Shane, could you help me further with this edit? I managed to do this:

1. Open the terminal
2. type - sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
3. You will need to put your password in, and it will open up a text editor with your grub menu list
but my menu.1st is an empty page. Is there is a way to help me easily, I would very much appreciate it. I could continue to post here if you prefer. Or if anyone else has a remedy to change GRUB boot order. If not is ok.

TIA...katy

Katy,

I don't know if you mistyped or not, but I noticed you have menu.1st, and it should be menu.lst That is a lower case "L" This may make it easier.

1. Open the terminal
2. type - cd /boot/grub
2.5 Actually you should back this file up by typing - sudo cp menu.lst menu.lst_backup
3. type - ls
4. This will show you all the files in your grub directory, you should see the menu.lst
5. now type - sudo gedit menu.lst (you can type the firt 2 letters of the word menu and hit tab, and it will complete the word for you.)
6. Then you should be able to set the default number as stated before.

Hope that helps.

Shane