WIll this GRUB config work with adding a new HDD and OS?... If not what will?
 

Hi,
I am currently in the proccess of downloading Kubuntu and am planning on installing it on a new HDD I just purchased but have not installed yet. (Still waitin' on the download to finish.)

I currently have Winblowz XP and Fedora 8 installed on my HDD and my menu.lst file looks like this The desired effect is to install Kubuntu (and later others) on my new HDD and have them all be selectable from GRUB which is installed on hd0.

Is it possible to do something like this...

I've thought about disconnecting my current HDD from my system, puting the new drive in, installing Kubuntu, and seeing what it comes up with for grub settings, then just pasting those into the existing menu.lst on hd0 (changing the Kubuntu stuff to hd1 of course). But, Kubuntu isn't even going to install GRUB without any other operating systems on the new HDD will it? Will I still get a menu.lst file?

Help me out guys, I'd like to get this set up, the other posts don't really seem to cover it very well, unless you want to swap your hard drive out any time you want to boot something different. blah.

Let me know,
E

lets explain your current working system.

xp is on first partition (hd0,0)

fedora /boot is a separate partition (hd0,2)

fedora / is on a lvm...I assume that is what you really wanted at the time?

2) we are assuming new hdd is an internal ide?

3) kubuntu should have an option for grub...if it does just select
to root partition

meaning to (hd1,0)

where you have put kubuntu /boot as a separate partition or /

read my signature if you are struggling but I think you have done well so far...

4) edit your fedora any time to add a new chainloader

title Kubuntu
root (hd1,0)
chainloader +1

5) kubuntu can install without any other system...not sure you mislead you there....its an operating system so cos its wants to install.

6) because you will have 2 drives you have 2 mbrs so if your bios allows bios boot order detection from drive 0 to drive1 you could choose to have kubuntu in mbr of drive 1 and edit its menu to chainload xp and fed....but if the bios boot order changes you edit the hd numbers

well lets see how far you get with my signature and above eh?

aus9,
Thanks for your reply. Good info here.

The LVM is not currenty my first choice, it was default and I didn't know any better! Probably wouldn't do it again.

Yes, sorry, the new HDD is internal.

Just have a few clarifying questions...

I'm not really sure how chainloaders work or even what the basic concept of them is. Can you explain?

So, would puting that quote in my current menu.lst boot Kubuntu from hd1,0?

Are you saying that I could boot from hd1 and use grub there to boot the desired os? How is this different than just booting hd0 and doing the same thing and directing it to hd1 if needed?

I haven't yet installed it yet. The download has about another 35 min.
I'd like to try all of this when it's done.
Thanks for your help!
E

I actually had a thought last night to just clone my current disk to my new one. Leaving me with 3 160gb sections, (instead of 2 previously) 1 for each os. Perfect. I'll just use my now old 320gb for extra storage between them all. Haven't decided how to partition it yet.

The clone went fine using easeus's free tool. It took about 2.5 hours to clone 290gb of data with an nForce chipset. I'm running from it now.

Thanks for your previous help. I may still refer to it if I decide to get even crazier and install yet another os!

E