How to Dual boot Ubuntu 10.04 and Fedora 13?

[whathaveugot]

Hey folks,

I've installed Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and now I also want to install Fedora 13 as a dual boot with U10.04. I googled on this topic and found one post in fedora forum where some guy has suggested adding the following to Ubuntu's /boot/grub/menu.lst:

title Fedora
root (hdx,x) <insert the correct drive and partition numbers here - count up from zero>
rootnoverify (hdx,x) <same info as above>
chainloader +1

But, unfortunately when I fired up this command [vi /boot/grub/menu.lst] on terminal, it opened a new file by the name "menu.lst" rahter than opening uo an existing file for editing. The reason was that there was no 'menu.lst' file in /boot/grub !! Is there any other file I gotta add this lines to?

Can anyone help me on this matter, plz?? FYI...This is the first time I'm tryin a dual boot with 2 Linux OSs!!! ;):p

I'm also confused about that root(hdx,x) part as to how do I know which numbers to put in there!! I guess for the first x I need to put 0 !!??

Cheers.

[alexshr]

In Ubuntu 10.04, this entry goes inside /boot/grub/grub.cfg But that is automatically generated by the command "sudo update-grub".

What you can do is install Fedora in separate partition and let Grub do the rest of the job. Grub will automatically find the rest of the partitions in the system and will provide you option with dual boot. That should solve your problem. Remember to use the separate partitions for the Fedora and Ubuntu. Since Grub is also the default boot loader for Fedora (got it from internet, don't know myself), the system that was installed later will replace the MBR so now the system will boot from the Fedora's bootloader i.e. GRUB.

[oldfred]

I think Fedora still uses grub legacy and it wants a separate /boot partition and puts the rest of the system in LVM. I would continue to use Ubuntu's grub. If you install Fedora you have to manually add the Ubuntu entry to its grub file. Ubuntu's osprober should find it with just
sudo update-grub

I would consider installing Fedora's boot loader to the Fedora boot partition. Then if Ubuntu's osprober does not find it you could chainload to it (windows is chainloaded to the rest of windows boot loader in its partition). Grub2 does not recommend installing to a partition but grub legacy does not complain.

Entries are often called X,Y as we do not know drive (X) for those with more than one drive, nor partition (y) as you can have many partitions. Note the grub legacy starts count at 0 for partitions, and grub2 starts at 1. Both start counting drives from 0.


grub grub2
sda1 hd0,0 hd0,1
sda2 hd0,1 hd0,2

sdb1 hd1,0 hd1,1

[whathaveugot]

Thanks @alexshr and @oldfred....I tried installing Fedora 13 on a separate partition by choosing the option "Use free space" while creating the partition tables.

Everything went fine and good, and, after successful installation it went for reboot. After reboot, the setup completed the last few steps and I thought that was it...I got the two working together!! But when I rebooted again to check the bootloader options, Fedora 13 started up straight away, without displaying booting options for U10.04!!!??

Now there's no way I can edit the 'grub.cfg' file or fire up the "sudo update-grub" command cause I can't enter Ubuntu. :( I tried booting with Ubuntu LiveOS but commands like gparted, update-grub and mount wont simply work without 'root' access!

What really went wrong and how can I fix this...if u folks please may tell!!?

Cheers.

[kansasnoob]

Please post the output of the Boot Info Script as described here:

http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

You can run it using the Live CD.

[oldfred]

I guess I was not explicit enough about installing Fedora's boot loader to the partition not the MBR if you still want Ubuntu. Which ever system you install last normally installs its boot loader in the MBR unless you specify otherwise.

You can also run the boot info script from Fedora if you are booted into it. Just pay attention to where it downloads it to know where to run it from.

[whathaveugot]

Please post the output of the Boot Info Script as described here:

http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

You can run it using the Live CD.

@kansasnoob...here is the output of the script:


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in
partition #5 for /grub.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
Boot files/dirs: /etc/fstab

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /grub/grub.cfg /grub/core.img

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda7: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda8: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda9: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Grub
Boot sector info: Grub 0.97 is installed in the boot sector of sda3 and
looks at sector 156871218 on boot drive #1 for the
stage2 file. A stage2 file is at this location on
/dev/sda. Stage2 looks on partition #3 for
/grub/grub.conf.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /grub/menu.lst /grub/grub.conf

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: LVM2_member
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 39,063,551 39,061,504 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 39,065,598 156,329,983 117,264,386 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 39,065,600 78,125,055 39,059,456 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 78,127,104 82,124,799 3,997,696 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 82,126,848 101,656,575 19,529,728 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 101,658,624 121,188,351 19,529,728 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 121,190,400 156,329,983 35,139,584 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 156,329,984 157,353,983 1,024,000 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 157,353,984 312,580,095 155,226,112 8e Linux LVM


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 d19a11de-3fe4-4265-9d9d-bede90be47a6 ext4
/dev/sda2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda3 6e09d32f-a999-4a3f-9cb4-f2f4f47eb1de ext4
/dev/sda4 P4e3u3-PT2l-ItMu-XiBN-mHXV-0vzL-wh4oNo LVM2_member
/dev/sda5 473d8f45-c56f-41c8-a5de-2c11b7bf2346 ext4
/dev/sda6 1bfeff34-ec4a-4200-87c4-51ab60032c24 swap
/dev/sda7 f963e618-7cc9-44ab-8f87-6237be8ebeae ext4
/dev/sda8 9b9170da-270a-4523-84ca-1e14daa134eb ext4
/dev/sda9 04850fe5-f63b-4068-8672-0c9cc05dbd79 ext4
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
error: /dev/sdb: No medium found

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda1 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sda5 /boot ext4 (rw)
/dev/sda7 /home ext4 (rw)
/dev/sda8 /usr ext4 (rw)
/dev/sda9 /var ext4 (rw)


=============================== sda1/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=d19a11de-3fe4-4265-9d9d-bede90be47a6 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /boot was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=473d8f45-c56f-41c8-a5de-2c11b7bf2346 /boot ext4 defaults 0 2
# /home was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=f963e618-7cc9-44ab-8f87-6237be8ebeae /home ext4 defaults 0 2
# /usr was on /dev/sda8 during installation
UUID=9b9170da-270a-4523-84ca-1e14daa134eb /usr ext4 defaults 0 2
# /var was on /dev/sda9 during installation
UUID=04850fe5-f63b-4068-8672-0c9cc05dbd79 /var ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=1bfeff34-ec4a-4200-87c4-51ab60032c24 none swap sw 0 0

=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


.1GB: initrd.img
.1GB: vmlinuz

============================= sda5/grub/grub.cfg: =============================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then
saved_entry=${chosen}
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,8)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9b9170da-270a-4523-84ca-1e14daa134eb
if loadfont /share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 473d8f45-c56f-41c8-a5de-2c11b7bf2346
set locale_dir=($root)/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 473d8f45-c56f-41c8-a5de-2c11b7bf2346
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=d19a11de-3fe4-4265-9d9d-bede90be47a6 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 473d8f45-c56f-41c8-a5de-2c11b7bf2346
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=d19a11de-3fe4-4265-9d9d-bede90be47a6 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 473d8f45-c56f-41c8-a5de-2c11b7bf2346
linux16 /memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 473d8f45-c56f-41c8-a5de-2c11b7bf2346
linux16 /memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ ${timeout} != -1 ]; then
if keystatus; then
if keystatus --shift; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=0
fi
else
if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
set timeout=0
fi
fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

##FEDORA DUAL BOOT SUPPORT
title Fedora
root(hd0,3)
##grub2 entry is: hd0,4
rootnoverify(hd0,3)
chainloader +1

=================== sda5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


28.8GB: grub/core.img
28.8GB: grub/grub.cfg
20.1GB: initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
20.1GB: vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic

============================= sda3/grub/grub.conf: =============================

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,2)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_aj-lv_root
# initrd /initrd-[generic-]version.img
#boot=/dev/sda3
default=0
timeout=0
splashimage=(hd0,2)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.33.3-85.fc13.i686)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.33.3-85.fc13.i686 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_aj-lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_aj/lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_aj/lv_swap rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYBOARDTYPE=pc KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.33.3-85.fc13.i686.img

=================== sda3: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


80.3GB: grub/grub.conf
80.3GB: grub/menu.lst
80.3GB: grub/stage2
80.0GB: initramfs-2.6.33.3-85.fc13.i686.img
80.0GB: vmlinuz-2.6.33.3-85.fc13.i686
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sda2

00000000 f1 60 ba f1 b5 98 9a c4 d2 65 ff 1b 8f ce 7e 06 |.`.......e....~.|
00000010 b0 8f ef 5b f5 0d d4 8d 8e a6 8f cf 48 fe 88 e1 |...[........H...|
00000020 6a 5f e8 f6 82 6a 7c 36 ec 98 f1 43 e1 e6 7d 9c |j_...j|6...C..}.|
00000030 e5 5b 5e 99 f7 f9 ef df ae ea a0 2f c3 6e 0e 61 |.[^......../.n.a|
00000040 e4 3e 3e c0 1f 3f 3b e5 c3 9e af 69 ad f9 fa d0 |.>>..?;....i....|
00000050 7c bc f7 e1 b0 7c 78 8b f1 d5 a7 38 f8 7e 5a da ||....|x....8.~Z.|
00000060 2e 11 70 b7 3e 90 dd f7 8f 19 a3 96 91 4c 0b 0d |..p.>........L..|
00000070 a7 2b 75 a2 18 cc 4d 81 36 c1 27 35 97 ed a6 64 |.+u...M.6.'5...d|
00000080 b5 36 44 05 b7 62 8c 68 6f fd 7f bd 3c f2 82 f9 |.6D..b.ho...<...|
00000090 12 f4 68 5c 56 7f 29 15 8c f7 9b 0c dc 43 1a 18 |..h\V.)......C..|
000000a0 f2 f1 a7 47 8c 5a b2 f2 4f df 1d fb ee 9c d0 d3 |...G.Z..O.......|
000000b0 cf 50 ec d1 41 9c b0 27 61 ba 3d e2 72 dc 55 ae |.P..A..'a.=.r.U.|
000000c0 36 f6 9d 45 13 4e 44 06 01 20 1e 17 98 41 f8 68 |6..E.ND.. ...A.h|
000000d0 1c c0 a5 27 71 e1 e9 73 f0 95 ee d3 88 30 e6 28 |...'q..s.....0.(|
000000e0 75 f6 b5 bd 68 0d 02 5a a5 83 d3 00 b3 25 cf e6 |u...h..Z.....%..|
000000f0 3f 10 bb 77 06 f0 50 f9 f8 19 3a 96 82 4a 4f eb |?..w..P...:..JO.|
00000100 ff 38 a9 06 73 e3 b7 d1 af 21 55 3e 3b 19 d9 b0 |.8..s....!U>;...|
00000110 f5 1d 9d 5a e5 05 3e 7a 73 fa bb b7 28 03 e5 a0 |...Z..>zs...(...|
00000120 fc bc 4f b7 fe f2 8d 3f 8d 7e 3c 62 f2 f8 6e 81 |..O....?.~<b..n.|
00000130 6e 55 d3 d9 8f e7 39 58 01 b0 2a 98 47 08 ec d8 |nU....9X..*.G...|
00000140 0c c7 6b 76 97 15 8d 51 fb fb 85 a3 25 6c a4 2c |..kv...Q....%l.,|
00000150 28 81 33 26 74 db 12 0a 32 ee 76 67 5a 13 fc 0f |(.3&t...2.vgZ...|
00000160 78 47 96 fd dd 5d 6f 57 7f f7 d5 f2 8f d3 9a 62 |xG...]oW.......b|
00000170 12 c8 10 30 f8 10 bb d3 de 46 33 79 ec 7c 74 97 |...0.....F3y.|t.|
00000180 fd 33 e0 af 07 df e5 ff ce ba fa 8f a1 b9 1d 0f |.3..............|
00000190 2a 47 0c 6d ab 30 e0 37 7e 9d 7b fc ce df 7f 3f |*G.m.0.7~.{....?|
000001a0 fb e5 9f 2c f5 7f f8 18 0d 9e 52 d8 b2 99 d6 af |...,......R.....|
000001b0 91 23 17 ae c7 84 c1 b4 1e 1a 91 1a d0 ef 00 fe |.#..............|
000001c0 ff ff 83 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 00 54 02 00 fe |............T...|
000001d0 ff ff 05 fe ff ff 02 00 54 02 00 08 3d 00 00 00 |........T...=...|
000001e0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa |..............U.|
00000200


=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============

sdb


just in case....i've also attached the RESULTS.TXT file.

Regards.

[whathaveugot]

I guess I was not explicit enough about installing Fedora's boot loader to the partition not the MBR if you still want Ubuntu. Which ever system you install last normally installs its boot loader in the MBR unless you specify otherwise.

You can also run the boot info script from Fedora if you are booted into it. Just pay attention to where it downloads it to know where to run it from.


@oldfred.....i worked on your tip and installed Fedora's boot loader to the partition and not the MBR and on the other hand, I edit the grub.cfg file in Ubuntu and added the required entries...but still only Ubuntu is booting up and no other booting options are displayed!

You can refer to the output of the boot info script, that i've posted above. Hope that gives you a sneek peek on what problem i'm in!!!

Regards.

[kansasnoob]

Errrm, this is worrisome. The Fedora partition shows:


sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Grub
Boot sector info: Grub 0.97 is installed in the boot sector of sda3 and
looks at sector 156871218 on boot drive #1 for the
stage2 file. A stage2 file is at this location on
/dev/sda. Stage2 looks on partition #3 for
/grub/grub.conf.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /grub/menu.lst /grub/grub.conf


You notice that the Operating System space is blank?

And Boot files/directories shows no fstab?

I wonder if some of the goodies are hidden in sda4:


sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: LVM2_member
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

If you can mount Fedora's root filesystem can you locate it's /etc/fstab?

Even where the Boot Info Script shows the "sda3: Location of files loaded by Grub" some things appear to be missing:


80.3GB: grub/grub.conf
80.3GB: grub/menu.lst
80.3GB: grub/stage2
80.0GB: initramfs-2.6.33.3-85.fc13.i686.img
80.0GB: vmlinuz-2.6.33.3-85.fc13.i686

For compasrison here's one from an old Fedora 12 install of mine:


19.4GB: boot/grub/grub.conf
19.4GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
17.4GB: boot/grub/stage2
19.4GB: boot/initramfs-2.6.31.12-174.2.22.fc12.i686.img
17.8GB: boot/initramfs-2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686.img
19.4GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31.12-174.2.22.fc12.i686
17.3GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31.5-127.fc12.i686

Maybe Fedora and Ubuntu are sharing /boot?

These complex partitioning arrangements tend to blow my mind :o

I've never been a fan of using so many separate partitions, especially a separate /boot. Thus, this is just over my head.

[whathaveugot]

@kansasnoob.....truly I aint such an advanced user so I really don't know how to make both the OSs use same mount points. But I got what you are pointing to...the difference between your installation output and mine is that, mine misses the 'boot/' part, isn't it??

And, about mounting Fedora's root filesystem and locating it's /etc/fstab...Fedora in my machine wont boot at all...Ubuntu is booting straight away!!

Hope i'm right and please if you get the problem then It would be great if you could guide me on this partitioning scheme!! :) I myself am confused on this!

Thanks heaps!!

[oldfred]

I think Fedora now installs a separate boot partition. Not sure what file structure it has but I do not think the script parses the LVM partition to see all the details.

If you add a chainload entry will it work (partition number per grub2 in grub2 menu)?
Copy to and edit :
gksudo gedit /etc/grub.d/40_custom
sudo update-grub


menuentry Fedora on sda3 Chainboot" {
set root=(hd0,3)
chainloader +1
}

[whathaveugot]

@oldfred....i'll give that one a go and give you a follow up soon.

Regards.

[whathaveugot]

Wanna inform this to all of ya that I found this article on dual boot, compiled by a guy called Dale Taylor from Intel Software Network [http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/build-an-ubuntu-fedora-dual-boot-system/] ....

this guide uses Ubuntu 8.0.4 and Fedora (probably ver 9, though i aint sure) to create a Linux dual boot. Hence, I was just wondering whether this would work for me!!

Your suggestions would be highly appreciated. :)

Cheers.

[oldfred]

Your link has two extra /1 at the end.

It is using Fedora's grub with is still grub legacy.

I prefer grub2 but if using a different grub to boot Ubuntu you should boot thru the linked files in root to always get the most recent kernal.

This is a grub2 version, I do not have a grub legacy version:

Boot most up2date kernel on sda7
menuentry "Lounge on sda7" {
set root=(hd0,7)
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda7 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img
}

But I think you just have to remove the {} and change set root= to root adn change partition to line less to convert to old grub style.

[whathaveugot]

Your link has two extra /1 at the end.

It is using Fedora's grub with is still grub legacy.

I prefer grub2 but if using a different grub to boot Ubuntu you should boot thru the linked files in root to always get the most recent kernal.

This is a grub2 version, I do not have a grub legacy version:

Boot most up2date kernel on sda7
menuentry "Lounge on sda7" {
set root=(hd0,7)
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda7 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img
}

But I think you just have to remove the {} and change set root= to root adn change partition to line less to convert to old grub style.

What do you mean by 'two extra/1'....is that about the /dev/sda1 that appears twice in the whole text?? And, all this grub and grub2 stuff you've mentioned....do I need to add this entry into Fedora grub config or Ubuntu's??? Would you mind describing a bit more elaboratively? :p

By the way, I tried the way suggested by Dale (from Intel, remember?) and I succeeded in getting a boot option displaying both Fedora and Ubuntu!!! but still when I try to enter Ubuntu I get this error message:
Error 17: cannot mount selected partitions

Do you know a way around this problem??? This thread [ http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=260625 ] has some tips but I cant find anything near "setup" in any of the grub configs!!! I ain't sure about the other options!!!

I'm this close to having this dual boot save this error!!! Please help! :)

Regards.

[whathaveugot]

I think Fedora now installs a separate boot partition. Not sure what file structure it has but I do not think the script parses the LVM partition to see all the details.

If you add a chainload entry will it work (partition number per grub2 in grub2 menu)?
Copy to and edit :
gksudo gedit /etc/grub.d/40_custom
sudo update-grub


menuentry Fedora on sda3 Chainboot" {
set root=(hd0,3)
chainloader +1
}

oh! and I did tried this out too but it didnt worked...then I went for Dale's idea!

Cheers.

[oldfred]

It is your http: link, when I click on it, it does not work but if I delete /1's at the end then I do get to the link you want. Click on it in your post and you will see the problem.

Ubuntu modified its verison of grub 0.97 in Ubuntu 9.04 to work with ext4 partitions. Since grub 0.97 is not maintained it was an Ubuntu only change. So grub legacy from Fedora cannot boot ext4 partitions.

I think you have to install Fedora's grub to its boot partition. And reinstall Ubuntu's grub2 to the MBR and chainboot from grub2 to grub legacy in Fedora's boot partition to make it work.

[whathaveugot]

It is your http: link, when I click on it, it does not work but if I delete /1's at the end then I do get to the link you want. Click on it in your post and you will see the problem.

Ubuntu modified its verison of grub 0.97 in Ubuntu 9.04 to work with ext4 partitions. Since grub 0.97 is not maintained it was an Ubuntu only change. So grub legacy from Fedora cannot boot ext4 partitions.

I think you have to install Fedora's grub to its boot partition. And reinstall Ubuntu's grub2 to the MBR and chainboot from grub2 to grub legacy in Fedora's boot partition to make it work.

Oh! I see :P sorry about that!!! I got your point and I'll surely try that. But about that chainbooting from grub2 to grub legacy....do I use something like this code?



menuentry Fedora on sda3 Chainboot {
set root=(hd0,3)
chainloader +1
}


I bet there would be some change in this code?? Could you please tell me that??

Regards.

[oldfred]

If Fedora's boot loader is in the PBR, or boot sector of the boot partition which is sda3, the simple chainload example should work. It just tells grub to jump to that boot sector to continue booting. That is exactly what is done to chainload to windows since windows boot loader is in the windows boot sector. (The part of windows in the MBR is just to find what is the active partition or partition with the windows code in the boot sector.)

[whathaveugot]

I got it...i'll try it and let you know waht happens??

Regards.

[georgemc]

I some what followed this thread and others to get my triple boot to work.


So this is what I started with:


ASUS Laptop A2500 using grub2 (yes its an old one)
sda1 = w2000 (came with the Lap Top)
sda5 = U10.04LTS
sda6 = swap
sda7 = Home (Ubuntu's home dirs)


I did have issues booting Fedora 13 from the CD and I cant get the USB boot to work, probably requires some more research (i.e. playing around with) on my part. I did find the “PLOP Boot manager” and with the combination of the “PLOP Boot manager” CD and F13 on a USB stick I was able to boot into the live Fedora 13 system. I followed a Fedora forums thread (see below for the link) to make the F13 USB stick. Couldn't get the Ubuntu “Startup Disk Creator” to work. Need to research this more.


Natively F13 installs with a boot partition and a LVM setup for the rest. This I did NOT get to work and “grub-update” did not find these partitions. What I did make work was loading F13 on a normal partition and loading the F13 boot loader to that partition.


I didn't take any screen shots so you will just have to look at the F13 install options to set that up. I used custom partitions and made sure that the boot loader will install on the F13 partition in my case that would be sda8.


After F13 and the F13 boot loader were installed I booted up into Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and ran “sudo grub-update” and made sure it found the OS's or partitions for a) w2000, b) U10.04LTS, and c) F13. I ended up with this configuration:


sda1 = w2000
sda5 = U10.04LTS
sda6 = swap
sda7 = Home (Ubuntu's home dirs)
sda8 = F13 with F13 boot loader


For some odd reason I had to boot twice into U10.04LTS and run the “grub-update”. Not sure what happened.


And “swap is swap”, since this is dual/triple booting no need for multiple swap partitions. So I just made sure that F13 found the sda6 swap partition and used it.


Anyway I did boot into F13 and was able to run all updates and now I have a triple booting laptop.


One last note: both implementations U10.04LTS and F13 use the Gnome desktop manager.


A big Thank You goes out to all the people who posted on this and the Fedora website.


George




Reference and Credits:
PLOP Boot manager
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/boot-from-usb-without-bios-support-via-plop-cd/
Ubuntu post subject: How to Dual boot Ubuntu 10.04 and Fedora 13?
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1529004
Fedora post subject: HowTo Install Fedora 10/11/12 DVD from a 4GB USB stick
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=205596