Slackware 8.1 and GRUB

StevenPUlrick · 02-15-2003, 07:22 AM

Hello, Everyone

In my quest for illumination on this matter, I have discovered that I can boot Slackware 8.1 using the GRUB boot-loader. I even discovered the following article http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=4622 that describes how to install GRUB. The article even explains how to configure GRUB to boot Slackware. Please forgive me if the answer is staring me in the face, but my "problem" is that I already have GRUB installed on my system, which is a dual-boot system with GRUB and Windows XP on the first hard drive (GRUB is on the MBR) and Red Hat 8 on the second hard drive. My question is, do I have to do anything to configure GRUB, which is already installed on my MBR, to add Slackware 8.1 to the menu where I choose which OS to boot? And if I do have to do something to get Slackware 8.1 in my GRUB menu, what is it that I have to do? I assume that any answer you give me will add an entry for Slackware to my /boot/grub/grub.conf file. If I haven't given you enough information, I will be glad to answer any questions that you may have for me

Thanks in advance for your help

Steven P. Ulrick

P.S.: Point of clarification: I do not have Slackware 8.1 installed on my system yet. The cd's should be arriving in a few days

Allen614 · 02-15-2003, 08:28 AM

You can use either Lilo or Grub and they'll work fine. MAKE A BOOT FLOPPY!!! when it prompts you. Make sure you have a good boot floppy for RedHat.

StevenPUlrick · 02-15-2003, 08:57 AM

First of all, thanks for your quick response

By way of clarification, I assume that you are saying that Slackware will automatically be detected by GRUB and added to /boot/grub/grub.conf, and that I should not have to do anything special to cause it to be added to the choices on the GRUB boot menu?

Thanks again, Steven P. Ulrick

Allen614 · 02-15-2003, 09:48 AM

No,Grub won't automatically add Slackware. You would have to add it to your Grub.conf. in RH. I prefer Lilo myself but if you prefer Grub that's OK. The partition naming system for Lilo is easier to me but I haven't used Grub in a while. When you install Slack you'll be given an option 1. Install Lilo to the MBR. 2. Install Lilo to your root directory or 3. Do not install. One will give you an option to mount any other partitions (your RH partition should be there). 2 or 3 will simply send you to the next screen.

A little "heads up" on the Slack install. Do the "full install-no prompt". Then,when,X won't start,my mouse doesn't work or any of the other problems arises. (It will) Type "mc" at the prompt and GNU's Midnight Commander will save you hours of frustration. It's very user friendly.

UnTamed · 02-15-2003, 07:06 PM

If you already have grub handling your MBR, there's nothing to it really.
Your new distro won't even require a bootloader, i.e. don't install LILO during Slack's install, and if you can't [...don't remember], just install it on the bootable partition, not on the MBR.

Edit your /boot/grub/menu.lst [...or grub.conf???, never seen or used that one] to add the new entry using your actual linux entry as a guide.

If you already know on what partition your new distro will be you might as well modify it prior to installing, it will be ready for your first reboot.

Here's an example:

Code:

untamed@Pentium4 ~
>cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
color     blue/cyan  yellow/magenta

title  Arch-0.4
root   (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/discs/disc0/part7 ro hdc=ide-scsi

title Slack 9.0beta
root    (hd0,7)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda8 vga=794 ro hdc=ide-scsi

title Win2k Pro
root  (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

As you can see it's quite bare and simple as I can use one linux to rescue the other [...ahhh! chroot

], I don't need failsafe-type entries. but it should be enough to give you an idea.

HTH...

scomodo · 02-15-2003, 09:04 PM

hi untamed,

could you explain me how do you install slack?
in particular where on hd?

how many partiton do you have for slack?

could i install it on extended partiton?

Many Tnx

scomodo

UnTamed · 02-15-2003, 10:39 PM

Hi scomodo,

>how many partiton do you have for slack?
Lots of ways to go about this but the most common setup has to be / , /home and swap.

>could i install it on extended partiton?
Sure, I only keep one primary per drive.

Use the search, this has been discussed a lot, you'll get different people's opinions.

scomodo · 02-15-2003, 10:58 PM

Hi Untamed,

i ask you this info because i have installed slack on my pc.
I have win xp, rh and i would try slack
I have just all primary partition busy( xp, 2 partiton for lrh and the extended).
So i have created a partition under the extended..and i use the rh swap partiton slack too.
I have grub and when i lunch slack it say that he couldn't find initrd image..so i ask to you your config!

Do you think that i made errors with partition or do you have idea where i mistype configuration?

I made full install slack..i use cd installation and no lilo install.

Tnx
Scomodo

Allen614 · 02-15-2003, 11:10 PM

Here's my partitioning for XP,Debian,Slackware,and a CLI Slack for testing and learning purposes.

/dev/hdb5 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/hdb6 / ext3 defaults 1 1
/dev/hdb7 /bakkup ext3 defaults 1 0
/dev/hdb1 /debian ext3 defaults 1 0
/dev/hda1 /win_c vfat defaults 1 0
/dev/hda5 /win_d vfat defaults 1 0
/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom iso9660 noauto,owner,ro 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto noauto,owner 0 0
none /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
none /proc proc defaults 0 0

It's possible to share one" /home" partition with more than one distro. I just haven't set it up yet and the swap is shared between all three Linux systems. Simple is good.

UnTamed · 02-16-2003, 07:31 AM

No initrd?
Double check to see if your /etc/fstab and /boot/grub/menu.lst match, don't forget that GRUB is 0 based, so (hd0,4) is hda5.
If all else seems in order and it still fails, boot with your install cd to rescue, or chroot from R-H, and install LILO on the boot partition
#/sbin/lilo -b /dev/hda5 [...or wherever you installed Slack].

...but I just installed Arch on my old box and didn't install the boot loader and grub boots it just fine.

Here's Slack's fstab:

Code:

/dev/hda12       swap             swap        defaults         0   0
/dev/hda8        /                reiserfs    defaults         1   1
/dev/hda10       /mnt/games-linux reiserfs    defaults         1   2
/dev/hda11       /mnt/storage     reiserfs    defaults         1   2
/dev/hda7        /mnt/arch-0.4    reiserfs    defaults         1   2
/dev/hda9        /home            reiserfs    defaults         1   2
/dev/hda1        /mnt/win2k       vfat        defaults         1   0
/dev/hda5        /mnt/msgames     vfat        defaults         1   0
/dev/hda6        /mnt/share       vfat        defaults         1   0
/dev/cdrom       /mnt/cdrom       iso9660     noauto,owner,ro  0   0
/dev/fd0         /mnt/floppy      auto        noauto,owner     0   0
none             /dev/pts         devpts      gid=5,mode=620   0   0
none             /proc            proc        defaults         0   0

...and Arch's

Code:

/dev/cdroms/cdrom0     /mnt/dvd  auto       ro,user,noauto,unhide  0      0
/dev/floppy/0          /mnt/fl   vfat      user,noauto,unhide     0      0
none                   /proc     proc      defaults               0      0
none                   /dev/shm  tmpfs     defaults               0      0
tmpfs                  /tmp      tmpfs     size=2G,nr_inodes=10k  0      0

/dev/discs/disc0/part12 swap            swap            defaults        0       0
/dev/discs/disc0/part7  /               reiserfs        defaults        1       1
/dev/discs/disc0/part9  /home           reiserfs        defaults        1       1
/dev/discs/disc0/part10 /mnt/games-linux reiserfs       defaults        1       2
/dev/discs/disc0/part1  /mnt/win2k      vfat            users,umask=022 1       0
/dev/discs/disc0/part11 /mnt/storage    reiserfs        defaults        1       2
/dev/discs/disc1/part5  /mnt/hdb5       reiserfs        defaults        1       2  
/dev/discs/disc0/part8  /mnt/Slack      reiserfs        defaults        1       2  
/dev/discs/disc0/part5  /mnt/msgames    vfat            users,umask=022 1       0
/dev/discs/disc0/part6  /mnt/share      vfat            users,umask=022 1       0

scomodo · 02-16-2003, 12:02 PM

Many tnx to all

now slackware is working...tnx!

Scomodo