Chainloading other Linux

alaskazimm · 01-03-2006, 01:12 PM

I dual boot Gentoo and Win2k and want to try other Linux distros. So I installed Ubuntu to it's own hard drive (Win = hda, Gentoo = hdb, Ubuntu = hdd, cdrom = hdc) and when it got to the grub install portion, I installed it to hdd. Then to boot into Ubuntu, I added this entry to the Gentoo grub

Code:

title=Ubuntu Linux
rootnoverify (hd2,0)
chainloader +1

But when that is chosen, I get an error saying there is no executable file found and grub errors out. However, when I add this entry to Gentoo grub

Code:

title=Ubuntu Linux
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10-k7 root=/dev/hdd1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-10-k7

it works. Do I have the chainloader syntax wrong? Is it possible to chainload Ubuntu? If the Ubuntu kernel is upgraded via Synaptic, it automatically updates it's own grub. But then I still need to boot into Gentoo to update that grub to point to the right image, etc... Not difficult, just an added step.

pixellany · 01-03-2006, 04:57 PM

I'm still learning too---so take this with salt....

Chainloader sends the system to the boot sector of a partition---not to the mbr of the drive. When you installed grub, was it to the mbr or to the partition?

Also (I think) chainloader works from the same disk as where grub is. IF grub is on disk one, and you want to chain-load into partition 1 of diks, Im not sure how that works.

Take a look at THIS mind-blower: http://www.justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143973

Off-topic diversion: Faith is what you believe, and no more. None of us can claim to know the absolute truth--even if there is such a thing. I REALLY like another quote found here: "It is much more interesting to talk to those seeking the truth, than to those who think they have found it."

alaskazimm · 01-03-2006, 05:07 PM

I installed grub to the partition of /dev/hdd1 and not the member. I also modified the rootnoverify (hd2,0) to read root (hd2,0) per the thread you gave. 97? and I can hardly keep 3 straight. Anyway, it didn't work. I did have trouble installing grub and now i'm thinking it didn't take. I don't have anything important on Ubuntu so maybe I'll try a reinstall.

Off-topic reply: I do believe there is absolute truth as found in the Bible. The Bible is true, not because I believe it to be true, it is true whether or not I believe it. Also, faith is not merely what you believe. It is dependant on the object of your faith. Faith is worthless if what you believe is not true.

pixellany · 01-03-2006, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alaskazimm

I don't have anything important on Ubuntu so maybe I'll try a reinstall.

That is often the best way---seems crude, but it really is often the easiest solution.

Good luck

alaskazimm · 01-04-2006, 01:02 PM

Yep, reinstalled. Grub installed fine, and can now chainload Ubuntu. As you said, crude but effective.

WhatsHisName · 01-04-2006, 05:14 PM

As of post #1, you should have been able to write grub stage1 to the Ubuntu partition boot sector to fix the problem.

From Gentoo:

# grub
grub> root (hd2,0)
grub> setup (hd2,0)
grub> quit
#

If you used grub-install in your tests, then that may be why it failed. I find grub-install to be somewhat unreliable, as compared to configuring grub natively.

Barring any hardware/BIOS issues, it should have booted fine with chainloader as written. I have only run into one case where chainloading to another disk didn’t work and I think that was a BIOS issue.