Quick question: Adding operating systems to Grub.

Fenster · 08-21-2004, 11:30 AM

Code:

title Fedora Core (2.6.7-1.494.2.2)
	root (hd0,0)
	kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.7-1.494.2.2 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
	initrd /initrd-2.6.7-1.494.2.2.img
title Windows XP Professional
	rootnoverify (hd0,2)
	chainloader +1

That is my grub.conf as it stands now. I fitted a second hard drive (mostly for swap space) and installed Suse 9.1 on it. How do I go about adding Suse to my current grub.conf?

Would this suffice:

Code:

title Suse 9.1
      rootnoverify (hd1, 0)

Or am I doing it completely wrong, newb and all that I am?

class_struggle · 08-21-2004, 11:38 AM

to grub.conf (also menu.lst) you need to add the kernel you're booting and where it is.
"root" or "rootnoverify" tell grub in which filesys to look, but it's not enough, "kernel" specifies the actual kernel image file to be booted. YO also need to add an option for the kernel itself (i think) like "root=/dev/hd??.

If I were you I'd practice a little with grub, by typing "c", and so enter interatcive mode. TYpe "help" and experiment with some of the commands.
Interactive mode additionally requires you to type "boot" after you identify the kernel (not necessary with grub.conf.

atom · 08-21-2004, 12:11 PM

boot into fedora (or any other linux for that matter) and become root

type in the following (it's written so you can copy/paste)

/sbin/fdisk -l #this is an L, not a pipe

this should bring up a list of your harddrives and partitions.

Identify the partition which your debian kernel resides on and boot it with standard parameters..

from grub conf:

Code:

title debian gnu-linux
      root (hd1,0) #you put the partition you found here
      kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.7.-something  root=LABEL=/ options #insert kernel image name here
      initrd  /initrd-2.6.7.-something #insert the appropriate thing here

as you can see linuxes have very alike inserts into grub.conf

Fenster · 08-21-2004, 12:48 PM

Code:

Disk /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
 
   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1               1          13      104391   83  Linux
/dev/hda2   *          14        2296    18338197+  83  Linux
/dev/hda3            2551        8453    47415847+  17  Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda4            2297        2550     2040255    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5            2297        2550     2040223+  82  Linux swap
 
Partition table entries are not in disk order
 
Disk /dev/hdb: 82.3 GB, 82348277760 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 10011 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
 
   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hdb1               1         131     1052226   82  Linux swap
/dev/hdb2             132       10010    79353067+  83  Linux

So, so far this is correct, lest I be misaken:

Code:

title Suse 9.1 Personal
	root (hd1,1)
	kernel /vmlinuz-<?> ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
	initrd /initrd-<?>

What are vmlinuz and initrd and how do I determine how they apply to Ssue?

And I'm sorry for doing it like this, but its better to solving it in a way that leaves me understanding what I'm doing rather than just copying a solution off the web that teaaches me nothing.

AdamCo · 08-21-2004, 02:21 PM

sorry, read wrong.

class_struggle · 08-21-2004, 05:42 PM

yes, vmlinuz is a typical kernel image name. It's usually in the /boot directory of your linux filesystem.

GRUB also supports tab autocompletion, so once you press c and go into interactive mode, you:

1. identify the root partition, looks like "root= (hd1,1)" in your case.

Grub will report how it feels about this filesystem.

2. type "kernel=/boot/" and press <tab> twice. Grub will give you the list of files in /boot. In many cases there is a symbolic link from vmlinuz to your real kernel image, though I know zero about SuSe, so you'll have to check it.

3. add the the appropriate option, could be "root=/dev/hdb2" in your case.

4. type "boot"

If you're lucky this should boot you straight in.

If not, I would seriously advise you to try booting in GRUB's interactive mode first. After you're successful that way, you can go ahead and set up grub.conf properly.