Multi-linux install
Forum: HD Install
Topic: Multi-linux install
started by: Thanatos
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 11 2005,13:47
I have DamnSmall installed on "root=/dev/hda10" & Win98Se on hda1. I also have Ubuntu on "root=/dev/hda8". How can I end root after the DamnSmall, so that I can start a new one for Ubuntu? I read somewhere about 'end root', but when I tried that in lilo, it came up as an error. I want to be able to be able to choose between all three OS's. How do I set up Lilo.conf to do that. I want Win98SE first, dsl second & but last. Any help from a linux guru is appreciated. Even though I'm getting pretty good in it. I'm still a newbie. Thanks for your time & trouble. 
Posted by mpie on Jan. 11 2005,14:17
the easiest way would be to edit ubuntu's grub to add dsl to ittitle DSL
root (hd0,9)
/boot/vmlinuz
/boot/initrd
check the correct file names for your version of dsl and add the above to /boot/grub/menu.lst
works every time
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 11 2005,14:21
I don't work with Grub. Every time I try to set it for Win98 first & rename the titles of the OS's, everything goes to hell. I want to use Lilo to do it. I will keep your idea in mind though. Thanks.
Posted by mpie on Jan. 11 2005,14:33
will work fineTitle Windows98
root(hd0,0)
chainloader +1
if this is how it reads grub should boot windows
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 11 2005,23:52
How can I add Ubuntu on hda8 to Lilo. I do not work with grub. Every time I try? It fries my computer. I need a setup for Lilo.
Posted by green on Jan. 12 2005,01:36
searching the forums will give you some guidance:< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....ltiboot >
< http://www.rt.com/man/lilo.5.html >
...that took about 1 minute to do. I'm not being a smart a$$, just suggesting that searching the forums is a really good way to find things out.
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 12 2005,02:18
OK, I'll give that another go. Seems like everything I find leads to Grub. Hell, Lilo is simple plain english, Grub is mainly code. I don't know enough about linux to do the grub thing yet. I think I had the setup earlier. I just have to put the numbers & letters after Vmlinuz on the Ubuntu line & boot. Thanks for the help & for not suggesting grub.
Posted by green on Jan. 12 2005,05:09
I prefer Lilo as well..... 
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 12 2005,12:48
Any idea how to set up the second linux in it? I can give the directions to /dev/hd8 vmlinuzk, boot folder with numbers & all. I've tried everything. When It says it takes an adds Ubuntu & I choose it to boot, I end up in dsl. There is somehow, somewhere that I read to end /dev/ root from first of lilo & make new /dev/boot, but I can't find it. Any one who knows? Help please. Thank you.
Posted by tjm4fun on Jan. 12 2005,21:20
ok, I am assuming you already have lilo installed, it just isn't booting what you need. you need to creat a proper lilo.conf file. here is an example of a working multi linux config file:prompt
timeout=6000
default=Slackware10
vga=791
boot=/dev/hda
lba32
#bitmap = /boot/yoper_boot.bmp
#bmp-colors = 1,,0,2,,0
#bmp-table = 120p,173p,1,15,17
#bmp-timer = 254p,432p,1,0,0
other=/dev/hda1
label=Windows2K
image = /boot/slack
root = /dev/hda7
label = Slackware10
read-only
image=/mnt/dsl/boot/linux24
label=DSL
root=/dev/hda8
read-only
image=/mnt/yoper/boot/yos
label=YOS
read-only
root=/dev/hda9
append = "splash=silent "
initrd=/mnt/yoper/boot/initrd-2.6.8.1-3.img
Now this file was edited and created in my slackware partition. note that the slackware entry does not reference any mounted devices.
Now here is the gotcha with lilo:
on the os you run it from, llilo must be able to see all the referenced os's. So I have mount points created and fstab setup to see all my os partitions.
in your case, you would being doing lilo in dsl, so your lilo config would look something like this:
NOTE! you must create a /mnt/ubu folder and mount ubuntu there, or this will not work. (mount /dev/hda8 /mnt/ubu -o t=auto ro,auto,users) should be ok. if you already have the ubuntu assigned to a mount point, then correct the line to match your mount point.
Also you need to determine the kernel image file ubuntu uses and put that in the first stanza, where I put the commented note.
When done, open a root console, and type lilo. you should see 3 "added" lines for the 3 os's and no errors. next boot should show you the 3 options with a 60 minute timeout.
prompt
timeout=6000
default=DSL
vga=791
boot=/dev/hda
lba32
#bitmap =
#bmp-colors = 1,,0,2,,0
#bmp-table = 120p,173p,1,15,17
#bmp-timer = 254p,432p,1,0,0
other=/dev/hda1
label=Windows98
image=/boot/linux24
label=DSL
root=/dev/hda10
read-only
image=/mnt/ubu/ubuntu # change this to the linux kernel it boots
label=Ubuntu
read-only
root=/dev/hda8
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 13 2005,03:28
I can't get it to do it. Even playing around with 'fstab' & 'mstab' it won't read right. "image=/mnt/ubu" keeps coming up no directory. I even tried manually putting that in there. Still no go. Ubuntu on hda8 is damn near impossible to access. Man, they go security on that program that the Denver Mint would envy. I'll keep plugging with your idea. It seems the closest I've seen to what I'll need. Thanks & wish me luck. Maybe say a prayer to the linux gods, to give me a break. Thanks again.
Posted by tjm4fun on Jan. 13 2005,07:44
Hmm ok. I don;t know if you did this, and I kinda leave stuff out, so:open a root console.
do a cd /
do a ls -al
see if you have a /mnt folder
if not, mkdir mnt
if you do, cd /mnt
ls -al
verify there is a ubu directory
if not, mkdir ubu
Try the mount command and see if it works. if it does, cd ubu
(you should still be in the mnt directory)
do a ls -al
cd boot
ls-al
I'm not at all familiar with ubuntu, does it use initrd during boot?
if so there is usually an initrd .img file in the boot folder. you will need to add a line similar to the one in my first example in the yoper section.
Also I may have been off in that mount command. there are 2 ways now that I think of it that you can do it in dsl.
use that mount applet in the panel, scroll the drives til it shows hda8, and click on it, to mount it. then see where it is mounted.
your /etc/fstab file should show you where dsl puts it's mount points,
I don;t remember offhand. use that moutn point in the lilo.conf
or try this mount command (the one in the last post may not have been right.
mount -t auto -o auto,ro,users /dev/hda8 /mnt/ubu
note: if you know the file system used in ubuntu, put it after the -t in place of the auto.
One thing I just thought of, I think stock dsl does not support reiser file systems, and I'll bet ubuntu is using reiserfs3. I think there is a reiserfs
module you can get for dsl, apt-get or an extension. it's been awhile since I got dsl setup on this machine, and about 5 distro's I've tried since then.
if it is resierfs, and you can;t find the extension, do the lilo bit from ubuntu. I'm pretty sure that it is installed there. copy over the lilo.conf
file, remove the /mn/ubu mount points from the ubuntu stanzas,
and add the mount point in for dsl. then create a /mnt/dsl directory
Adjust the mount command and mount /hda10, go to the directory and verify you can see it. the run the lilo command.
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 13 2005,12:59
Here is a copy of the lilo.conf, from the one time I got Ubuntu to load Lilo instead of grub. It's kinda long, but maybe it will give you an idea.| Quote |
| # /etc/lilo.conf - See: `lilo(8)' and `lilo.conf(5)', # --------------- `install-mbr(8)', `/usr/share/doc/lilo/', # and `/usr/share/doc/mbr/'. # +---------------------------------------------------------------+ # | !! Reminder !! | # | | # | Don't forget to run `lilo' after you make changes to this | # | conffile, `/boot/bootmess.txt' (if you have created it), or | # | install a new kernel. The computer will most likely fail to | # | boot if a kernel-image post-install script or you don't | # | remember to run `lilo'. | # | | # +---------------------------------------------------------------+ # Specifies the boot device. This is where Lilo installs its boot # block. It can be either a partition, or the raw device, in which # case it installs in the MBR, and will overwrite the current MBR. # boot=/dev/hda # Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/') # root=/dev/hda8 # Enable map compaction: # Tries to merge read requests for adjacent sectors into a single # read request. This drastically reduces load time and keeps the # map smaller. Using `compact' is especially recommended when # booting from a floppy disk. It is disabled here by default # because it doesn't always work. # # compact # Installs the specified file as the new boot sector # You have the choice between: text, bmp, and menu # Look in lilo.conf(5) manpage for details # install=menu # Specifies the location of the map file # map=/boot/map # You can set a password here, and uncomment the `restricted' lines # in the image definitions below to make it so that a password must # be typed to boot anything but a default configuration. If a # command line is given, other than one specified by an `append' # statement in `lilo.conf', the password will be required, but a # standard default boot will not require one. # # This will, for instance, prevent anyone with access to the # console from booting with something like `Linux init=/bin/sh', # and thus becoming `root' without proper authorization. # # Note that if you really need this type of security, you will # likely also want to use `install-mbr' to reconfigure the MBR # program, as well as set up your BIOS to disallow booting from # removable disk or CD-ROM, then put a password on getting into the # BIOS configuration as well. Please RTFM `install-mbr(8)'. # # password=tatercounter2000 # Specifies the number of deciseconds (0.1 seconds) LILO should # wait before booting the first image. # #delay=20 # You can put a customized boot message up if you like. If you use # `prompt', and this computer may need to reboot unattended, you # must specify a `timeout', or it will sit there forever waiting # for a keypress. `single-key' goes with the `alias' lines in the # `image' configurations below. eg: You can press `1' to boot # `Linux', `2' to boot `LinuxOLD', if you uncomment the `alias'. # # message=/boot/bootmess.txt prompt delay=10 # timeout=100 # Specifies the VGA text mode at boot time. (normal, extended, ask, <mode>) # # vga=ask # vga=9 # vga=normal # Kernel command line options that apply to all installed images go # here. See: The `boot-prompt-HOWTO' and `kernel-parameters.txt' in # the Linux kernel `Documentation' directory. # # append="" # If you used a serial console to install Ubuntu, this option should be # enabled by default. # serial= # # Boot up 98 by default. # default=98 other=/dev/hda1 label=98 # restricted # alias=2 image=/vmlinuz label=but read-only # restricted # alias=1 initrd=/initrd.img image=/vmlinuz.old label=butOLD read-only optional # restricted # alias=2 initrd=/initrd.img.old # If you have another OS on this machine to boot, you can uncomment the # following lines, changing the device name on the `other' line to # where your other OS' partition is. # # other=/dev/hda4 # label=HURD # restricted # alias=3 |
It runs: "vmlinuz-2.6.8.1-3-386" & "initrd.img-2.6.8.1-3-386" in the /boot/ folder. In just /dev/hda8/, you have cdrom, intrid.img, vmlinuz. No numbers. Maybe that will help. I don't know why DamnSmall won't read Ubuntu & Ubuntu won't read DamnSmall. Hell, I guess they don't get along good together. Thanks for the help so far. Sooner or later I'll make it work or blow it up.
Posted by cbagger01 on Jan. 13 2005,17:54
DSL works fine with reiserFS version 3 data partitions.I use it to access them all the time.
However, DSL does not have the reiserFS toolkit, so you cannot create and format new reseiserFS partitions or repair an existing one, although you can read and write to one without any trouble.
I don't know about reiserFS version 4 because I don't use it.
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 14 2005,03:57
It finally worked. I used what you said. Made a few small adjustments & got into Ubuntu. It's slow a hell loading, but I'll worry with that later. Here is a copy of my lilo.conf now.| Quote |
| prompt timeout=15 default=98 vga=791 boot=/dev/hda lba32 #bitmap= #bmp-colors=1,,0,2,,0 #bmp-table=120p,173p,1,15,17 #bmp-timer=254p,432p,1,0,0 other=/dev/hda1 label="98" image=/boot/vmlinuz label=dsl root=/dev/hda10 image=/mnt/ubu/vmlinuz-2.6.8.1-3-386 label=but root=/dev/hda8 append="splash=silent" initrd=/mnt/ubu/initrd.img-2.6.8.1-3-386 # If you have another OS on this machine to boot, you can uncomment the # following lines, changing the device name on the `other' line to # where your other OS' partition is. # # other=/dev/hda4 # label=HURD # restricted # alias=3 other=/dev/hda5 label="Windows(hda5)" other=/dev/hda6 label="Windows(hda6)" other=/dev/hda7 label="Windows(hda7)" other=/dev/hdb1 label="Windows(hdb1)" |
I think I may have the hang of it now. I still have two drives around 1.5G each, waiting for other linuxes. Thanks a million. Putting it into words a DOS man can understand helps. I'm begining to understand linux talk finally. Well, About bedtime. That kitchen of Momma's still has about a week & a half's work. Need my ugly sleep. Stay cool.
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 15 2005,03:48
I had to re-iinstall Ubuntu. For some reason without Grub, it wouldn't completely load the desktop. I loaded it in "expert" this time to keep it from doing a boot loader. It still tried to take over. I just stuck in the DSL-Live CD and did 'mkliloboot', hda. Got back my modified menu & everything works OK for now. I gave the thing 3.5G & did install with the dsl internet hookup & it told me it ran out of room. I'm going to have to ask them just how damn big this thing is. Slowly, but surely I'm getting it going my way. I will not let it beat me now. I've learned the tricks. Later. 
Posted by tjm4fun on Jan. 15 2005,05:33
Just asked a bud of mine, he installed ubuntu in vmware. was about 1.5gig install from cd, but had no devel tools, so hehad to aptget them to build a proper kernel and get rid of that initrd crap. now it's 1.8 gig.
if you did a ftp install,and loaded everything you will have more, and updates and such will require ALOT of extra room to d/l the pakcages, unpack them then install, so you could run out of space with 3.5 gig.
try allocating 5 gig if you have hte disk space, or do smaller updates.
But on the bright side, you're now a lilo guru.
Just remember it has to be able to see what it's adding and you;re all set.
Posted by Thanatos on Jan. 15 2005,21:14
I might add one of the other blank linux drives to that drive. I will require a restart from ground up, but just a couple small changes in the lilo.conf I have now would set it up perfect. I'll just make sure & save it before I redo anything. Got a program that will allow me to read & copy linux to windows & my G: drive is close to 80G. I can store anything on it. I'll up it tommorrow. No kitchen work on Sundays at Momma's. Gives me one day to relax & play with the comp. Catch you later.