multi booting with 2 hard-drives proving impossible!
 

Currently I have winXP on hda1 and mandriva2006FE on hda2 (swap hda3). I have a second hard-drive that I want to put another distro on but this is proving nigh on impossible.

In mandriva I have configured the lilo bootloader to include hdb (hdb1 swap, hdb2 Ubuntu). When choosing the image from /boot directory is displays error (cannot find image in /boot). I have confirmed this by swapping files, editing file names etc.

It looks like it can only see hda2: /boot/... not hdb2: /boot/... as the image to boot Ubuntu (hdb2).

Even tried to install the default GRUB bootloader to fd0 during Ubuntu install. This just falls flat on it's arse though when rebooting after install.

How do I get a bootloader working that has:
hda2: Mandriva2006
hda1: WinXP
hdb2: Ubuntu
..???

The last time I looked at the ubuntu installer it did not offer the option to install the bootloader to the root partition. Since I insist on editing grub from Suse the idea of installing ubuntu was abandoned.

Where (or how) did you install ubuntu's bootloader? If you can get a bootloader onto the root partition of ubuntu it should be just a matter of editing the bootloader configuration in Mandriva. The other option (WARNING: I have not tried this) would be to let ubuntu overwrite the mbr and later edit the bootloader from within ubuntu. The way ubuntu deals with the bootloader is a little frustrating. Before trying my suggestion, wait a bit. Maybe an ubuntu user will point out a tidier solution.

I have installed Ubuntu (hoary 5.10) and because I have 2 hard drives it gives me the option of installing GRUB to either hda (hd0),hda1 (hd0,0), hda2(hd0,1), hdb1(hd1,0), hdb2(hd1,1) and finally floppy (fd0).

Which one should I select? I have already tried fd0 and hdb1,1 (Ubuntu installed on hdb2). Now I thought I'd seek advice via LQ before I do anything disasterous..
Thanks in Advance.
dh2k

It's interesting that it offers hdb1(hd1,0). In grub-speak this would be the second drive, first partition. My understanding is the standard ubuntu install disk can't do this in any useful way. The fd0 option is probably for booting from a floppy which should be a viable option, not sure why that didn't work for you.

If you have a highspeed connection you might want to download the "alternative" install cd
http://mirror.cs.umn.edu/ubuntu-releases/6.06/
Among the features of this cd is the ability to install grub in a location other than the mbr. There should be a similar cd available for earlier versions also.

If you can get past this hurdle booting ubuntu should just be a matter of editing the bootloader through mandriva. A better option than overwriting the current mbr imho. It's to bad ubuntu deals with things this way. If any ubuntu user reading this know of an easier way please respond. I would be very happy to be proven wrong.

PS: I don't believe lilo (that's what mandriva uses?) will have a problem dealing with ubuntu's grub. BUT I can't guarantee this. On my system grub
works easily booting slackware (lilo)

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