How to Install a 3rd Distro
 

I want to install Ubuntu as my third OS and would appreciate help.
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My current setup:

hda1 -- Windows xp (ntfs)
hda2 -- Shared partition for Fedora 3 and win xp (fat32)
hdb -- cd rom
hdc1 -- Fedora boot partition
hdc2 -- Fedora (ext3)
hdc3 -- Linux swap
rest of hdc is unallocated (70 gigs) ***This is where the 3rd os will go***
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This is my current grub.conf:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd1,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hdb2
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core 3 (2.6.11-1.14_FC3)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.14_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.11-1.14_FC3.img
title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Questions:

Q1-Should I have Ubuntu install grub, if so then do I just add back in the Fedora and windows xp entries? Or should I just manually edit grub.conf to add Ubuntu and tell the Ubuntu installer to do nothing with grub?

Q2-Any other thoughts from people who have done this before?

Thanks everyone for help.

Mark

Don't let Ubuntu install grub, edit /boot/grub/menu.lst yourself. This entry boots Ubuntu Hoary Hedgehog for meBut for you, if you install it on /dev/hdc4 that would be After you've installed Ubuntu you can boot into Fedora and mount Ubuntu in an empty folder somewhere and check that the name of the kernel is correct.

I haven't use Ubuntu..
All you have to do is copy the Ubuntu kernel to the existing boot and
edit grub.conf manually..
Remeber to give correct name of the kernel, and relevent root partition of 70 gigs..

Thanks Guys. Mr. Andrew Benton--When you say "mount Ubuntu in an empty folder somewhere and check that the name of the kernel is correct". Can you tell me what those commands look like? Also, if I understand you correct:

. If I don't let Ubuntu install grub, I will be able to boot into Fedora just like before.
. Change grub.conf as you indicated but before doing so, mount Ubuntu in an empty folder to check the
kernel name.
. If the kernel name is the same as what you indicated, I'm good with your grub.conf entry and I should have a three OS boot system.
. If the kernel is different as the result of mounting in Fedora, then just change the kernel name to whatever the output is.

Last item, do I need to do anything with the /etc/fstab file? If you could please help with the mount commands, I am so thankful for your time and assitance.

Gratefully, Mark

Hey Mark,
I'll be more than happy to help you.

You can refer this thread for help. As Andrew suggested,

1. first install Ubuntu without grub.
2. Boot into fedora
3. become root and issue this command

# mkdir /mnt/ubuntu

this will make a folder ubuntu in /mnt directory.

then using mount command, mount your ubuntu partition

# mount -t file-system-type /dev/hdcX /mnt/ubuntu

X should be replaced by the partition number where ubuntu is installed...

After mounting
# cd /mnt/ubuntu/boot

there you would see kernel image and initrd image (i dont know if ubuntu uses initrd image)...note down those exact names

fire up your favorite text editor and edit /boot/grub/grub.conf file

follow the fedora entry in your grub.conf for guidelines...

Tux,

Tuxrules rules!
 

Thank you so much for help. I did not realize you too are from the Windy City. So far, I have been able to get my USB SB Audigy card running beautifully with help from a Chicago high school guy and now you from Chicago. Thanks for taking time sir! Now I'm gonna have a crack at this!

Also to confirm, I assume if the filesystem is ext3, I replace ext3 for the filesystem type in the mount command, right? Then the command would look like:

mount -t ext3 /dev/hdc4 /mnt/ubuntu ##Is this correct?

All the best,

Mark

Yes you are right about the file-system type. Good to see someone from Windy city too...

Totally Depressed
 

Tuxrules--

I installed it and when it came to the boot loader. The screen said something like we recognize Windows XP and Fedora 3, with the following kernel entries ...... Press ok and you will be able to boot into any of the OS's recognized. It sounded like I would be ok so I clicked OK and it loaded a new MBR. Stupid...stupid...stupid:

Well, grub has all three OS's and all the relevent Kernels --- windows xp boots no problem, Ubunto boots no problem. Fedora 3 gets up, progresses to "start networking", then:

"Cannot touch /var/lock/subsys/network read only filesystem"
"Starting system logger"
"/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit: line 927: /var/log/dmesg: read-only filesystem"

Am I in huge trouble? Why did I just not listen? Can you help me out of this one?
I feel like a complete idiot and of course most of my work is done in Fedora. Thanks again Tux.


Mark

post your grub.conf from ubuntu

DOH! Bummer! When I install Ubuntu it gets all heavy at that point, the screen flashes red and it says stuff about "fatal error" or somesuch (it doesn't like not installing grub on the MBR) but if you force the point it will live with it. So what to do? Boot into Ubuntu, run Grub and point it at your old menu.lst in fedoraThen boot into Fedora and mount Ubuntu somewhere. In my experience, if you don't specify the file system the kernel detects it automatically so it should be ok to

su
password
mount /dev/hdc4 /mnt/ubuntu

This is Ubuntu menu.lst
 

Thanks Tuxrules -- Any help you could offer -- Thank you. I was able to copy/paste the file in Ubuntu--the screen resolution is set at 640x480. It was brutal to even function and there was no other choices in the system settings. Now I'm typing in windows. I will do another post of the original grub.conf from Fedora before I installed. This is the menus.list from Ubuntu:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default optons below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specifiv kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/hdc5 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd1,4)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## nonaltoption boot targets option
## This option controls options to pass to only the
## primary kernel menu item.
## You can have ONLY one nonaltoptions line
# nonaltoptions=quiet splash

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.10-5-386
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10-5-386 root=/dev/hdc5 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.10-5-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.10-5-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10-5-386 root=/dev/hdc5 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.10-5-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel memtest86+
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
savedefault
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hdc2.
title Fedora Core 3 (2.6.11-1.14_FC3) (on /dev/hdc2)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.14_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.11-1.14_FC3.img
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hdc2.
title Fedora Core 3 (2.6.10-1.770_FC3) (on /dev/hdc2)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.10-1.770_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.10-1.770_FC3.img
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hdc2.
title Memtest86+ v1.50 (on /dev/hdc2)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /memtest86+-1.50
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/hdc2.
title Fedora Core 3 (2.6.10-1.766_FC3) (on /dev/hdc2)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.10-1.766_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.10-1.766_FC3.img
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

grub.conf from Fedora prior to Ubuntu
 

Hey Tuxrules--- I just want to repeat that the boot of Fedora begins and proceeds to the sys logger right after eth0 starts, then it blows up with the messy error msg from my prior post. Her is grub.conf from Fedora before I installed Ubuntu:

#
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu

title Fedora Core (2.6.11-1.14_FC3)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.14_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.11-1.14_FC3.img

title Fedora Core (2.6.10-1.770_FC3)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.10-1.770_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.10-1.770_FC3.img

title Memtest86+ v1.50
kernel /memtest86+-1.50

title Fedora Core (2.6.10-1.766_FC3)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.10-1.766_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.10-1.766_FC3.img

title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
Chainloader +1

One thing strange when I formatted the disk was hdc 1 (primary - 107 MB), hdc2 (primary - 86 GB), hdc3 (1.1 GB --Fedora swap). When Ubuntu formatted the unused rest of the hdc are Fedora primary, primary, swap--respectively it skipped hdc4 and started hdc 5 with logical 70 gb and hdc6 as Ubuntu swap. Don't know if that is important? Wow Tuxrules, I hope this isn't too crazy. I'm so sorry to ask you for this.

Thank you. Mark

Final Resolution
 

Hey Tuxrules and Andrew--

I wanted to post back to let you know what happened. Unbuntu did some ugly things to my Fedora root directory. Loading Fedora 3 crapped out as indicated in my former post. I'm not well versed enough in Linux to have fixed it. Since Ubuntu didn't configure my ati radeon card or my sound card, I decided to bag it and reinstall fedora 3 over ubuntu. I then mounted my fedora.old in the new fedora install and copied over all the necessary stuff to work with. I'm back in and all is running perfectly again. A tough lesson in installing a third OS. My lesson "don't let the 3rd distro install grub in the MBR" or just be grateful for what works. Thank you guys for the time you took to help me. I know my posts were probably ugly.

Thanking you--

Mark

Hi Jack
Good that everything worked out for you...I am sorry I was away for few days so couldn't check my posts. Well...when one starts to learn linux...there are bound to be few bad installation but they teach you a lot.

3 Distros Working
 

Tuxrules--Just wanted to do a quick post. I installed Suse Pro 9.3. I ended up copying all the files from my trashed Fedora install, installing Suse over the trashed Fedora install. Suse's installer actually recognized Windows and Fedora (similar to Ubuntu). I booted into Suse, copied all the kernel data from the my new Fedora install (/boot/grub/grub.conf). Rebooted and wow all three distros work. This is not for the faint heated. Suse is very well done. I have a few problems with my monitor refesh rate in browsers. I'm pretty sure it's xorg.conf (something in how I configured my monitor and video card). Oh well, more to do later. I wanted you to know I didn't give up. Learned much as well about these really important files, about disk partitioning, and mounting partitions. It's awesome stuff.

Thanks again Tuxrules--

Mark