Configuring boot to recognize other Linux partitions

audiorevolution · 05-23-2005, 12:17 AM

I have Debian/sarge and Ubuntu 5.04 installed onto my harddrive (if you're asking why I'm running two Debian distros, it's because I am having massive difficulty configuring XF86 with my video card, so I need to be able to boot into another OS). My boot loader, Yaboot (PPC), is only configured to load Ubuntu, though, and doesn't give me the option for booting Debian.

This is my hda layout:

Code:

/dev/hda
        #                    type name                 length   base     ( size )  system
/dev/hda1     Apple_partition_map Apple                    63 @ 1        ( 31.5k)  Partition map
/dev/hda2         Apple_Bootstrap boot                   1954 @ 64       (977.0k)  NewWorld bootblock
/dev/hda3         Apple_UNIX_SVR2 debian             36718750 @ 2018     ( 17.5G)  Linux native
/dev/hda4         Apple_UNIX_SVR2 swap                2450758 @ 56154362 (  1.2G)  Linux swap
/dev/hda5         Apple_Bootstrap untitled               1954 @ 36720768 (977.0k)  NewWorld bootblock
/dev/hda6         Apple_UNIX_SVR2 ubuntu             18564454 @ 36722722 (  8.9G)  Linux native
/dev/hda7         Apple_UNIX_SVR2 swap                 867186 @ 55287176 (423.4M)  Linux swap

The Yaboot config file (/etc/yaboot.conf) is as such:

Code:

## yaboot.conf generated by the Ubuntu installer
##
## run: "man yaboot.conf" for details. Do not make changes until you have!!
## see also: /usr/share/doc/yaboot/examples for example configurations.
##
## For a dual-boot menu, add one or more of:
## bsd=/dev/hdaX, macos=/dev/hdaY, macosx=/dev/hdaZ

boot=/dev/hda5
device=/pci@f2000000/mac-io@17/ata-4@1f000/disk@0:
partition=6
root=/dev/hda6
timeout=100
install=/usr/lib/yaboot/yaboot
magicboot=/usr/lib/yaboot/ofboot
enablecdboot
Debian=/dev/hda3

image=/boot/vmlinux
        label=Linux
        read-only
        initrd=/boot/initrd.img
        append="quiet splash"

image=/boot/vmlinux.old
        label=old
        read-only
        initrd=/boot/initrd.img.old
        append="quiet splash"

# This entry automatically added by the Ubuntu installer for an existing
# Linux installation on /dev/hda3.
image=/pci@f2000000/mac-io@17/ata-4@1f000/disk@0:3,/boot/vmlinux
    label=hda3-Linux
    root=/pci@f2000000/mac-io@17/ata-4@1f000/disk@0:3
    append="root=/dev/hda3 ro"
    initrd=/pci@f2000000/mac-io@17/ata-4@1f000/disk@0:3,/boot/initrd.img
~

I might have found a solution to my XF86 problem, so I'm anxious to boot back into Debian, so any help is very appreciated.

Ynot Irucrem · 05-23-2005, 05:18 AM

first off, why are you using two swap partitions? two distros can use the same swap. just go into your /etc/fstab for the distro that is using the /dev/hda7 swap and change the entry that looks something like

Code:

/dev/hda7       none            swap    sw              0       0

to refer to /dev/hda4 (I'm assuming you want to use the bigger swap partition), then you can use that other swap space for something else.

secondly, it looks like the ubuntu installer has already set up an entry for debian in the boot loader.

Quote:

# This entry automatically added by the Ubuntu installer for an existing
# Linux installation on /dev/hda3.

maybe the boot loader is like the one in fedora, which just boots the default OS unless you press a key within 3 seconds, at which point it comes up with the boot menu.
I'm not familiar with yaboot, but "man yaboot" should turn up how you can turn this functionality off, if indeed this is whats happening.

if this isn't whats happening, what *exactly* happens when you boot?

also, this might help you: http://penguinppc.org/bootloaders/ya...t-howto.shtml/