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I've installed 1 130GB Vista partition, 13 10GB Linux partitions and 1 8GB swap partition on my desktop machine.
After the last install (on hd0,1) I copied the info from the menu.lst/grub.conf file from each partition into 1 file and replaced the menu.lst file in the last installation (sda2) with that large file (removing duplicate entries).
Now, when I boot I get a list of boot options for all 14 partitons (includes Vista). However, I can only access 5 of them. The others return a grub error 2 message: Bad File or Directory Type.
As a note, "Super Grub" boots them all but takes some trial and error to get the specific correct entry. I'd like a simple menu (could live with some drop downs from main menu).
Following is a copy of the menu.lst file on sda2:
################# menu.lst start ############################
default=0
timeout=30
splashimage=(hd0,10)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title sda1 Vista Business
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
boot
title sda13 Puppy Linux
root (hd0,12)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda13
savedefault
boot
title sda14 gOS
root (hd0,13)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=08d22a64-b464-437c-bb91-738e7b91b9d8 ro quiet splash loglevel=0
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic quiet
boot
############# menu.lst end ##########################
As I stated, "Super Grub" boots all - but with some "gyrations" on several entries.
My purpose is to use the machine as a demo to induce fellow workers to swithc to Linux.
Hence, would like a more simple menuing system on startup.
For info: the partitions that will boot are sda1,2,5,11,and 12. sda2 was the last partion installed. sda4 is swap.
New to Linux, but I do have a question that may help.
How many of these partitions are primary partitions (excluding the Linux Swap Partition)?
From what I am learning at the local college where I'm taking IT courses, you can only have a maximum of four primary partitions on a drive. Is there more than one hard disk involved (which would allow for more than four primary partitions)? This may explain why you can only boot to five of them. Can anybody else out there confirm what I am saying? Thanks.
partitions 1- windows, 2- pclos and 3- mandriva are primary.
the others are secondary.
gparted will format up to 15 total partitons.
As I stated, "Super Grub" finds and loads them all.
There is only 1 hard drive
Last edited by fh.nixer; 04-06-2010 at 07:13 PM.
Reason: clarification
Here's what I have going with multiple Linux distributions.
Have you considered running Sun VirtualBox (or VMWare) and running these other distributions in a virtual form. Currently, I have Sun VirtualBox on my Windows 7 main system (dual bootable with Sabayon Linux (Gnome)) and I have five separate distributions that can be booted into at any time I need them. The five distributions I currently have loaded are Ubuntu 9.10, Linux Mint 8 (Gnome), Linux Mint 8 (KDE), Sabayon Linux 5 (KDE), and Fedora Core 11. I have had four of these systems running in their own virtual machines at once (running these like this is only limited by the amount of RAM on my system - currently 4GB). I don't know if this is an option, but it gets around the problems with multiple boots (and takes up a whole lot less of disk space). What do you think? Thanks for filling me in on GParted; I was not aware of that capability.
Have you considered running Sun VirtualBox (or VMWare) and running these other distributions in a virtual form. Currently, I have Sun VirtualBox on my Windows 7 main system (dual bootable with Sabayon Linux (Gnome)) and I have five separate distributions that can be booted into at any time I need them. The five distributions I currently have loaded are Ubuntu 9.10, Linux Mint 8 (Gnome), Linux Mint 8 (KDE), Sabayon Linux 5 (KDE), and Fedora Core 11. I have had four of these systems running in their own virtual machines at once (running these like this is only limited by the amount of RAM on my system - currently 4GB). I don't know if this is an option, but it gets around the problems with multiple boots (and takes up a whole lot less of disk space). What do you think? Thanks for filling me in on GParted; I was not aware of that capability.
I use both Sun and Vmware for testing. However, there my demo is to
show install on bare metal coexisting with the "high priced spead".
What was on sda2 previously? You installed PCLinux there as your last installation and installed its Grub to the master boot record?
You state you have 13 Linux partitions plus vista but your menu.lst you posted shows only a total of 13? Type?
Which ones don't boot? Maybe it would be easier to list the one which DO boot as there are only five?
You're too sharpe-eyed :-) There are, indeed, only 12 Linux distos. The distro on sda2 boots as, I believe, because it was in the config file that grub created and installed on that partition (along w/Vista). The other 11 entries were hand installed by me. Only 3 of those 11 will install from the grub menu on the hard drive. However, the cd utility "Super Grub" loads them all and, even, displays the menu.lst file data that I created.
To chainload a Linux it should be; root (hd0,7) and not; rootnoverify since that is only needed for windows mostly. What I do with multiple boot of many Linux is to install grub on each root partition, so that you can chainload to each one's own grub boot menu. Your Linux distros versions appear to be not the newer releases, so yours is grub 1, not 2.
To chainload a Linux it should be; root (hd0,7) and not; rootnoverify since that is only needed for windows mostly. What I do with multiple boot of many Linux is to install grub on each root partition, so that you can chainload to each one's own grub boot menu. Your Linux distros versions appear to be not the newer releases, so yours is grub 1, not 2.
Would you, pls, be more specific. Indeed, all my grub versions are .97.
What I believe you're saying is that instead of installing grub in the
mbr for each installation, the 1st install should be in the mbr and
all remaining installs should have grub installed in /boot of the new
install partition. For example, 1st install is Ubuntu in /dev/sda2. For this, grub should be installed in the mbr. A new install of kbuntu in /dev/sda3 should have grub installed into /dev/sda3/boot. Then menu.lst in /dev/sda/boot/grub should contain the specific details (root, kernel, initrd, etc) for Ubuntu (hd0,1). The next entry should look like this:
root (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
If your Linux installs were to just root "/" and not a separate partition for /boot, then you install grub to each Linux root, so with out the boot folder like this for your sda3; /dev/sda3. And to boot by chainload this will be the entry in your main grub menu file;
title Kubuntu
root (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
boot
The savedefault in your Puppy Linux is only needed for which one you want to always boot by default, such as your windows.
You can install grub to any of your Linux root partitions from either a grub prompt at the grub boot menu screen, or in a terminal as root user. So as root just type this; grub, hit enter, root (hd0,2), hit enter, and then setup (hd0,2), enter, and then quit to exit. Where grub is sourcing the files from is the "root", and where it is installing to is the "setup".
Last edited by james2b; 04-07-2010 at 03:22 PM.
Reason: edit
If your Linux installs were to just root "/" and not a separate partition for /boot, then you install grub to each Linux root, so with out the boot folder like this for your sda3; /dev/sda3. And to boot by chainload this will be the entry in your main grub menu file;
title Kubuntu
root (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
boot
The savedefault in your Puppy Linux is only needed for which one you want to always boot by default, such as your windows.
You can install grub to any of your Linux root partitions from either a grub prompt at the grub boot menu screen, or in a terminal as root user. So as root just type this; grub, hit enter, root (hd0,2), hit enter, and then setup (hd0,2), enter, and then quit to exit. Where grub is sourcing the files from is the "root", and where it is installing to is the "setup".
Thanks. I will give it a try on my laptop.
Your help is appreciated.
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grub error 2 on multiboot machine
Here's what I have going with multiple Linux distributions.
