adding multiple linux OS's to grub

highlandish · 02-22-2008, 11:16 PM

hi, i have 4 partitions created for 4 OS's, XP, w2003, SLES10.1 and finally backtrack3.

SLES (hda3 with hda5=swp and hda6 as "/") detected that i have 2 windows(hda1/hda2)and added them to the grub, but backtrack installed on hda4 ext2 cant be added to the grub.

i have no idea how to mount a drive or edit the grub to add backtrack3 to the OS choices during bootup

so far i am using the SLES10.1 grub

aus9 · 02-23-2008, 01:03 AM

I think you mean

hda1 primary c xp or 2k
hda2 primary c xp or 2k
hda3 extended
hda5 swap
hda6 /
hda4 backtrack??

so what bootloader did you set up for backtrack?

I guess its lilo? but grub can chainload to it as well as ms

if above is correct, change grub with root powers in sles

title BT
root (hd0,3)
chainloader +1

highlandish · 02-23-2008, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus9

I think you mean

hda1 primary c xp or 2k
hda2 primary c xp or 2k
hda3 extended
hda5 swap
hda6 /
hda4 backtrack??

so what bootloader did you set up for backtrack?

I guess its lilo? but grub can chainload to it as well as ms

if above is correct, change grub with root powers in sles

title BT
root (hd0,3)
chainloader +1

hi, your description of the partitions is correct, i created 2 ext partitions for 2 linux os's, then i installed backtrack3 on the last one (hda4) and SLES on the 3rd one. backtrack did create a lilo boot loader, but after i installed sles it did not detect the lilo nor will it acknowledge there is even a backtrack installed on another partition.

i assumed once i could mount hda4 then i could point the sles grub to the right backtrack files, but then i get fstab errors and i dont understand what to do.

aus9 · 02-23-2008, 07:39 AM

you are confusing mount....meaning make accessible....to a booted system with grub or lilo.

if you want to view or copy files you add lines to each system's fstab file for the relevant folder

eg if both are ext2 with su (root powers)

1) boot sles

Code:

mkdir /mnt/bt
edit Sles fstat to add one line
/dev/hda4 /mnt/bt ext2 users 0 0

2) boot bt....needs a grub entry in sles /boot/grub/menu.lst as above

Code:

mkdir /mnt/sles
edit BT fstat to add one line
/dev/hda6 /mnt/sles ext2 users 0 0

3) did you read my signature or not?

if grub is in mbr its the bootloader for sles....so you need to boot sles then using root powers to edits its bootloader grub file.

highlandish · 02-23-2008, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus9

3) did you read my signature or not?

if grub is in mbr its the bootloader for sles....so you need to boot sles then using root powers to edits its bootloader grub file.

hi, as the forum states, i am a complete newbie. i tried to look at the links in your sig but it was over my head. i am trying but please be a little patient with me.

i am a network engineer and can program cisco routers, but nix language is completely new to me. i have programmed sles as a server using the gui but outside of the gui i'm a noob.

i'll try out your last suggestion, it seems well explained. thank you.