How to Multi-boot (Maintain more then 2 OS)

[unutbu]

xavier0912, try this:

Boot Ubuntu, open a terminal and type

sudo grub
grub> root (hd1,1)
grub> setup (hd0)

This will install GRUB on the MBR of sda, and direct it to boot sdb2 (the boot partition).

While still at the grub> prompt, next type

grub> root (hd1,5)
grub> setup (hd1,5)

This installs GRUB on the sdb6 partition (your Jaunty installation).
You need this so that when you use the "chainloader +1" command, GRUB on the MBR will hand-off to GRUB on sdb6 to boot Jaunty. For each additional Linux distro that you install, you'll need to install GRUB (using the "root (hdX,Y)" and "setup (hdX,Y)" commands) on that partition too.

Now quit grub:

grub> exit

Next, at the terminal prompt, type

sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
gksu gedit /mnt/boot/grub/menu.lst

This should open the menu.lst on sdb2 (the boot partition).

Change

title Ubuntu
root (hd1,1)
chainloader +1

to

title Ubuntu
root (hd1,5)
chainloader +1

since you want to boot sdb6, not sdb2.

Save and exit gedit. Reboot. Let us know how it goes.

[xavier0912]

Hi unutbu,

Thanks already for the great explanation.
Leaving on a short holiday now so I'll try this next week. I'll post the results than ok ?

Thanks again,
Greetz
xavier

[nitstorm]

Just found this post now. But it's all with reference to the legacy GRUB... what do I do with GRUB2 ???? Got Karmic Koala.... Please do help...

[bodhi.zazen]

Just found this post now. But it's all with reference to the legacy GRUB... what do I do with GRUB2 ???? Got Karmic Koala.... Please do help...

Aye, this thread is a bit dated now.

In theory grub 2 should now do all this automatically. In practice grub 2 has problems , in my experience most often with a separate /boot partition.

You can either :

1. Install grub legacy.

2. Learn the new grub.

There are many informative threads on grub 2 :

Grub 2 Basics - Ubuntu Forums
Grub 2 - 5 Common Tasks - Ubuntu Forums
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1287602


https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2

Other then that, if you are having problems I suggest you start a new thread. You will need to describe your problem - what OS are you multibooting and what problem are you having ?

[nitstorm]

Gonna try multibooting this weekend, thanks for the help bodhi.zazen and i have started a new thread on the suggestion of oldfred, here is the link to my thread http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1446351 , any tips and suggestions for a newbie to multiboot would be more than welcome . Thanks. Cheers!

[meka4996]

Partition Table Design for Multi Boot Linux Distro, using Grub bootloader
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1300461

Moving from Dual Boot to Multi boot [Dedicated GRUB Partition]
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1169648

[TutAmongUs]

Bodhi: The guidance provided by you is too advanced. Could you or someone on this forum provide guidance as to how a newbie could install multiple operating systems? Here is my scenario:

I have two Sata drives. Vista is on first drive (sda 0,0) which has three partitions.

Ubuntu is on the second Sata drive with its Swap and other partitions.

Ubuntu installed the GRUB correctly (I do not know where). The GRUB menu list displays Ubuntu and Windows/longhorn and gives me the option to boot either.

Now, I want to install SUSE (and then Fedora) alongside Ubuntu on the second Sata drive. What do I do?

I want to leave Vista untouched on the first (0,0) mainly because I do not want anything to happen to it. Ideally, I would like to install Vista, Ubuntu, Suse and Fedora on the first drive. But I do not know how to chain install.

When I go through the SUSE installation CD, it insists on deleting the Vista partition(s). When I direct it to one of the empty partitions along side Vista on the first Sata, it gives me error that it cannot find the root (/) and the boot -- mounts,

When I try to install SUSE on the second Sata (which is currently occupied by Ubuntu), it insists on deleting Ubuntu's partitions.

If I understand the guidance above, what you are saying is that Suse, for example, cannot be installed along side Ubuntu using the usual SUSE install disc? The only way out is installing it manually?

Before I started to install Ubuntu on my second sata (160 gigs) I had created three partitions in the hope that I will install Ubuntu, Suse and Fedora.

I started with my favorite Ubuntu. However, I could not install Ubuntu on the 50 gig partition that I had created because it kept asking me for the root partition and there was nothing in the graphic install program that gave me any guidance as to how that can be done. Finally, I just did a "guided" install. The result was Ubuntu wiped out the other two partitions and now occupies all of my second drive.

Could you please, once again, try to provide guidance in understandable terms or direct me to relevant links?

Try examining this thread. It explains using a single drive, but it also works to "point at" other physical volumes as well. It only needs to be set up on one drive.http://www.zotacusa.com/forum/topic/...9012#entry9012

It allows drive ordering to be reconfigured, and drives to be hidden (when Windows installations are picky). You want to read on from the capitalized "SO" entry point.
If your drives already contain an OS, you may want to consider backing one up, so you can shove one of the volumes aside far enough for the 31MB space for the bootloader.

[amjjawad]

In theory grub 2 should now do all this automatically. In practice grub 2 has problems , in my experience most often with a separate /boot partition.

You can either :

1. Install grub legacy.

2. Learn the new grub.

There are many informative threads on grub 2 :

Grub 2 Basics - Ubuntu Forums
Grub 2 - 5 Common Tasks - Ubuntu Forums
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1287602


https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2

Other then that, if you are having problems I suggest you start a new thread. You will need to describe your problem - what OS are you multibooting and what problem are you having ?

Hello bodhi,

I don't have a problem but I'm so much obsessed of "Multi-booting". I've a crazy scenario and I spent two days with 3 hours of sleeping only to solve it. Of course I got some help from here and mainly from Fedora's forum.

Long story short, I made this and WHENEVER you got some time, please have a look and correct me if there's something wrong.

http://ubuntu-beginnersguide-unofficial.blogspot.com/

I was skimming your thread because I knew from the beginning it's about GRUB not GRUB2.
In 3 words only "sudo update-grub", I was able to boot from 3 OS's (Ubuntu, Fedora and XP).
I read somewhere that configuring GRUB is much easier than configuring GRUB2 but what happened with me lately is telling me (IMO) that GRUB2 is easier.
I've always wondered why Linux can't be sometimes "simple" as Windows but in the same time, I disagree with myself and say if it was easy as Windows, then one will never learn much about OS's. When I say easy I mean the installation, etc. I spent 10 years with Window, never had to know all these things. Now, I regret that I spent 10 years away from all this.

Please, take your time but don't forget to get back to me.
I didn't lose my mind yet to install 145 OS's I just want to learn more about this great world.

God bless Linux