Multiple distributions on on computer

johnfootmember · 05-26-2017, 04:00 PM

Hi, I'm a nubie so please, be kind and if you reply, try and use language I can understand, lol.
I have an old but upgraded MacBook, with a 1 terabyte SSHD hard drive hybrid, and 8 GB of ram, if this helps any. I have erased the hard drive and installed Kali.
I would like to have three distributions installed permanently on this computer, Kali, Mint Cinnamon and KXStudio. I have current editions on DVD.
I know nothing about partitioning
If someone could, and keep in mind, I'm a newbie who is new to Linux, and new to code and commands, so please dumbed down English if you reply, technical and code still confuses me, if someone could give me step by step, plain English instructions how to do this properly (and if any commands are required, specifics on when and where with commands I could copy and paste), it would be so greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
johnfootmember

kakistocrat · 05-28-2017, 09:45 AM

Welcome. Linux Mint Cinnamon is a good first choice. My first idea would be to go with it alone and add to it the packages from kxstudio and Kali a la carte.

kxstudio has Ubuntu- and Debian-compatible repositories which should be fully compatible with Linux Mint Cinnamon. So you can add the packages to Mint from kxstudio.

Alternately, with kxstudio being the unkown (to me) here, another option is to install kxstudio first, erasing the hard disk completely. Then when that is done install Mint along side it. Mint, if you follow the menu choices carefully, should allow you to install along side an existing distro. That should be the default choice at the top of the list on the third installation screen to install along side an existing distro.

I'd say forget Kali Linux as a distro for the time being for two reasons. First, it's not for beginners and it will thus be a miserable experience. Second, all the tools available in Kali are available in Mint. They are there in the repositories. You can add them one at a time to Mint and when you learn and master them in a familiar environment, you can proceed to the next tool on the list. When you know them all, and if you are still interested, you can make a bootable USB stick with Kali and carry that around.

hazel · 05-28-2017, 10:40 AM

I have three distros on my main machine. To make them work together nicely, I use the following rules:
1) Each distro occupies one partition. There is also a swap partition and a partition for documents. I have a home directory on each system partition to contain program configuration files appropriate to that distro, but all document files (except the most temporary ones) go in the documents partition.

2) In each distro, the documents partition is automatically mounted on /home/data. In a one-distro setup, a "home partition" is usually mounted on /home/your_name (otherwise known as $HOME or ~), and this contains both documents and configuration files, but in a multi-distro setup, it's often more convenient to have a simple home directory (not a mount-point) on the root partition and use it only for config files.

3) I always ensure that my user id number (UID) and group id (GID) is the same in all my distros, so that all files created in the documents partition belong to me, whichever distro I'm booted into.

DVOM · 05-28-2017, 01:57 PM

I've got 5 distros on my machine. So 5 partitions for OSs, (varies between 12GB and 20GB) one swap partition, (about 2GB) one data partition (about 780GB) and one partition to store clonezilla images of my OSs. (about 66GB)

I think "normal" people are going to want much larger OS partitions.

The tool I recommend for partitioning, installing grub, clonezilla and a lot of other things is Parted Magic. Free copies of older Parted Magic can be found at MajorGeeks and other places. Then burn it to a CD or USB.

I'd also recommend going to youtube and watching a couple of gparted tutorials.

jamison20000e · 05-28-2017, 04:16 PM

Hi.

Some Links in my signature may help, have fun

Quote:

... try and use language I can understand, lol. ...

...GNU\Linux is a fun language to learn, try them all (like anyone could.) If you are gonna use Kali as a operating system tho please post all private and sensitive data here:

isometric · 05-28-2017, 10:55 PM

Typically a linux distribution needs 3 partitions:

1 for folder '/'
2 for the folder '/ home'
3 swap (optional recommended), that can be used by all sistems.

But you can install '/' and '/ home' on a single partition.

So, because there are several systems, you can create a primary[1] partition for the system and you can use it as a whole, / or with an extended[2] partition for / home, the case is that the primary[1] partition is necessary to write the boot information(GRUB) of all Systems.

The other systems can be installed on extended[2] partitions, those that you need.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_p...mary_partition
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_p...nded_partition

hazel · 05-29-2017, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isometric

the case is that the primary[1] partition is necessary to write the boot information(GRUB) of all Systems.

The other systems can be installed on extended[2] partitions, those that you need.

Actually I don't think that's true. Windows has to boot from a primary partition but Linux is a lot less fussy.

For a traditional dos mbr disk, the first stage of GRUB lives in the mbr and the second stage in a gap between the mbr and the first partition. The GRUB modules and the configuration file are loaded from a Linux partition which GRUB regards as its "root" but I don't think that it has to be a primary.

ondoho · 05-29-2017, 01:47 AM

learning partitioning - just a web search away.

fwiw, i recommend a separate data partition (for large files such as media, and personal stuff needed across all distros).

you need

Code:

1 partition per distro ---- 3
1 swap partition       ---- 1
1 data partition       ---- 1
=============================
                            5

but you can only have 4 primary partitions on any 1 hard drive, so you will need to set up an extended partition with (many more) logical partitions inside (hope i'm getting the terms right).
that is perfectly possible and no problem whatsoever, but good to know & understand.

isometric · 05-29-2017, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazel

Actually I don't think that's true. Windows has to boot from a primary partition but Linux is a lot less fussy.

For a traditional dos mbr disk, the first stage of GRUB lives in the mbr and the second stage in a gap between the mbr and the first partition. The GRUB modules and the configuration file are loaded from a Linux partition which GRUB regards as its "root" but I don't think that it has to be a primary.

I like to have at least one partition with bootable flag and a nice grub, I think it has less than one can avoid future compatibility problems, if you want to change something.

jamison20000e · 05-29-2017, 02:30 AM

If GRUB has a distro with rescue can always root in.
.
.

yancek · 05-29-2017, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Windows has to boot from a primary partition but Linux is a lot less fussy.

Absolutely true. Windows needs a primary active partition for it's boot files to install. It doesn't need it's system files on a primary and doesn't need to be installed on the first primary partition either as I've seen mentioned in other posts and on other forums. Pretty much any Linux can be installed and booted from a logical partition and I've never known of any that needed a boot flag but it certainly isn't a problem to have that.