multiple distros

[oneleded]

i am still some new to linux or even ubuntu. i want to install mulitable dristo's, on the 2nd HD, that is only linux. now i have lubuntu 18.04 LTS. i am prepared to wipe the drive, an will restore my firefox book marks at a later date. plus have lubuntu 18.04 lts, too reinstall. is there a sticky here or instruction for this. the internet search has been so vague when i search. i miss web crawler searching v/s popular= ranking

[cmcanulty]

An easy way would be to install virtual box and download any systems you want to install and put them all in virtual box.

[Dennis N]

i want to install mulitable dristo's, on the 2nd HD

Easy to do:
1) make an ext4 formatted partition on the 2nd disk to be used for the new OS to be installed there.
2) boot the installer, and use the 'something else' option at the Installation Type screen. This leads you to the partitioning screen.
3) select the partition from the display, click 'change', and fill in details in the popup box. You want to choose / as the mount point.
4) Where to install boot loader (at bottom of screen): with ubuntu's installer, grub will always install to sda if this is UEFI, but on a bios system, you could opt to install grub on the 2nd disk (sdb) if you want.
Proceed with the installation.

[oldfred]

UEFI or BIOS system?
And is first drive have an installed system? And then is it UEFI or BIOS.
Almost all hardware in last 5 years is UEFI.

If UEFI, often better to temporarily disconnect first drive. Grub only wants to install to ESP - efi system partition on sda, or first drive if newer NVMe type SSD.
If only Linux installs, you can use gpt whether UEFI or BIOS, but need a bios_grub for BIOS or ESP for UEFI.
So best to partition in advance and use Something Else.

If just testing another install the virtual install may be easier.

But if multiple booting, do you want to share data like Filefox profile in all installs? Then smaller / (root) partitions and one larger data partition (not /home) to be mounted in all of them may be better.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DiskSpace

suggested partitions for just Ubuntu on 3TB drive.
http://askubuntu.com/questions/33643...rtition-scheme
Another advanced suggestion from TheFu with Multiple / (root) - Post #5 similar to what I actually do
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2170308
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2021534
UEFI/gpt partitioning in Advance:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/74309...-pc-for-ubuntu
Older /boot & swap not now required.
http://askubuntu.com/questions/33643...rtition-scheme
http://askubuntu.com/questions/46139...rtition-ssdhdd

[yancek]

What's on the internal drive? Is it windows? If so, which release? Is it UEFI/GPT on the internal? Are you going to use GPT or Legacy on the external drive? Are you familiar with Linux naming conventions for drives/partitions (sda, sda1, sdb, sdb1, etc.). You need to know this so you don't overwrite the internal drive.

If you are using Legacy on the external, you can choose to install Grub to the MBR of the second disk for each install or you can select to install Grub to the partition on which you are installing the OS. Obviously, one of them will need Grub code in the MBR. The default for all is to install to the MBR so make sure you check the device for bootloader installataion during each system install. You will likely need to use the BIIOS to boot these systems. Depends upon what you have on the internal drive.

If you are going to use UEFI/GPT, I believe that as stated above, the default will install your Grub boot code on the EFI partition on the internal drive. You should be able to create an EFI partition on the external drive to use. Never done that myself but it seems that if you are trying out or testing systems, using Legacy on the external would be simpler.

[ajgreeny]

It would be very useful to have some more info before telling you in detail what to do, so please show us the output of

sudo parted -l

in terminal.
Please use Code-Tags for terminal output. See my signature below for a How-to

However, it is very possible without too much hassle to have several distros on one machine or hard disk; some time ago on a previous computer using legacy BIOS with a single HDD I had 5 different distros installed, all of which worked without a problem.

If you decide to go ahead with this we can also give you info about how to make use of all your data files currently in your Lubuntu home, without sharing the home, which can be problematical.

[oneleded]

What's on the internal drive? Is it windows? If so, which release? Is it UEFI/GPT on the internal? Are you going to use GPT or Legacy on the external drive? Are you familiar with Linux naming conventions for drives/partitions (sda, sda1, sdb, sdb1, etc.). You need to know this so you don't overwrite the internal drive.

If you are using Legacy on the external, you can choose to install Grub to the MBR of the second disk for each install or you can select to install Grub to the partition on which you are installing the OS. Obviously, one of them will need Grub code in the MBR. The default for all is to install to the MBR so make sure you check the device for bootloader installataion during each system install. You will likely need to use the BIIOS to boot these systems. Depends upon what you have on the internal drive.

If you are going to use UEFI/GPT, I believe that as stated above, the default will install your Grub boot code on the EFI partition on the internal drive. You should be able to create an EFI partition on the external drive to use. Never done that myself but it seems that if you are trying out or testing systems, using Legacy on the external would be simpler.

i got windows on the 1st hard drive, bios, Legacy. the 2nd hard dive is lubuntu 18.04 LTS. both drive's are internal. grub is installed an when it boots, if i do nothing, it goes to 2nd HD. if i want the 1st windows drive, i gotta push 4 times on the choice while booting. i'm kinda sick of windows, an i got the obsolete XP on the 1st HD.. i very seldom use it, if at all. thanks for the info.. the 2nd hard drive is independent, of windows.

It would be very useful to have some more info before telling you in detail what to do, so please show us the output of

sudo parted -l

in terminal.
Please use Code-Tags for terminal output. See my signature below for a How-to

However, it is very possible without too much hassle to have several distros on one machine or hard disk; some time ago on a previous computer using legacy BIOS with a single HDD I had 5 different distros installed, all of which worked without a problem.

If you decide to go ahead with this we can also give you info about how to make use of all your data files currently in your Lubuntu home, without sharing the home, which can be problematical.

i will have to practice the code tags, thanks for that. i got a ways to go. i want to do this on the 2nd HD dedicated to only linux. though this dell is old, it runs OK with lubuntu. it dont care much, for XP on the 1st HD. again,, much appreciation

[oneleded]

i will continue with this, the reason i havent bumped is because i still have to study some.. i do appreciate the help.

[oneleded]

[Disk /dev/sda: 120GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 120GB 120GB primary ntfs boot


Model: ATA ST3250310AS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 32.2GB 32.2GB primary ext4
2 32.2GB 247GB 215GB extended
5 32.2GB 247GB 215GB logical ext4
3 247GB 250GB 2687MB primary linux-swap(v1)


Error: /dev/sr1: unrecognised disk label
Model: Unknown (unknown)
Disk /dev/sr1: 2048B
Sector size (logical/physical): 2048B/2048B
Partition Table: unknown
Disk Flags:
[/code]

i hope i got this code right. it seems to me, even, to me that the linux drive is not set up the way its supposed to be. maybe i should save my bookmarks, and re-install lubuntu 1804 LTS, then go from there. the 2nd drive, just linux lubuntu, is 250GB.

[oneleded]

[Disk /dev/sda: 120GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 120GB 120GB primary ntfs boot


Model: ATA ST3250310AS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 32.2GB 32.2GB primary ext4
2 32.2GB 247GB 215GB extended
5 32.2GB 247GB 215GB logical ext4
3 247GB 250GB 2687MB primary linux-swap(v1)


Error: /dev/sr1: unrecognised disk label
Model: Unknown (unknown)
Disk /dev/sr1: 2048B
Sector size (logical/physical): 2048B/2048B
Partition Table: unknown
Disk Flags:
[/code]

i hope i got this code right. it seems to me, even, to me that the linux drive is not set up the way its supposed to be. maybe i should save my bookmarks, and re-install lubuntu 1804 LTS, then go from there. the 2nd drive, just linux lubuntu, is 250GB.

Error: /dev/sr1: unrecognised disk label ,, is on the 2nd linux drive i believe. there is a small section i see when using Gparted. it may be yellow. i cant seem to remove it. i dont know what it is.. it may have been a partitioning error on my part most likely.
merry holidays all