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Fedora: (GRUB / LILO) How To Use 2 Distributions in Parallel

The document discusses how to set up two Linux distributions, Mandrake and Fedora Core 3, to be used in parallel on the same computer. LILO is installed on the MBR to boot Mandrake, and GRUB is installed on a separate partition to boot Fedora without interfering with Mandrake. Configuration files are provided that allow booting either distribution and accessing files from the other after mounting their partitions. This allows convenient testing and use of both distributions simultaneously on one machine.

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50 views3 pages

Fedora: (GRUB / LILO) How To Use 2 Distributions in Parallel

The document discusses how to set up two Linux distributions, Mandrake and Fedora Core 3, to be used in parallel on the same computer. LILO is installed on the MBR to boot Mandrake, and GRUB is installed on a separate partition to boot Fedora without interfering with Mandrake. Configuration files are provided that allow booting either distribution and accessing files from the other after mounting their partitions. This allows convenient testing and use of both distributions simultaneously on one machine.

Uploaded by

TemanX
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fedora: [GRUB / LILO]how to use 2 distributions in parallel

[GRUB / LILO]how to use 2 distributions in parallel

Source: http://linux.derkeiler.com/Mailing−Lists/Fedora/2005−02/0411.html

From: Daniel Moyne (dmoyne_at_tiscali.fr)


Date: 02/02/05

To: For users of Fedora Core releases <fedora−[email protected]>


Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 09:47:38 +0100

Here is some information on my present setup making possible to use either


Mandrake (my current distribution) and Fedora Core 3 (FC3 my second
distribution presently being on test) ; this I would imagine might be of use
for people that want to install a Mandrake distribution for test in parallel
to their FC3 distribution.

Both distributions are installed on separate partitions :

a) for Mandrake I have LILO on MBR (hda1) ; here is my LILO configuration :

Beginning of file−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
# File generated by DrakX/drakboot
# WARNING: do not forget to run lilo after modifying this file
default="2.6.8.1−udev"
boot="/dev/hda"
map=/boot/map
vga="791"
prompt
nowarn
timeout="100"
message=/boot/message
menu−scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw

image="/boot/vmlinuz"
label="linux"
root="/dev/hda1"
initrd="/boot/initrd.img"
append="devfs=mount acpi=ht"
read−only

image=/boot/vmlinuz−2.6.3−4mdk
label="2.6.3−devfs"
root=/dev/hda1
append="devfs=mount acpi=ht"
read−only

image=/boot/vmlinuz−2.4.25−2mdk

[GRUB / LILO]how to use 2 distributions in parallel 1


Fedora: [GRUB / LILO]how to use 2 distributions in parallel
label="2.4.25−devfs"
root=/dev/hda1
initrd=/boot/initrd−2.4.25−2mdk.img
append="devfs=mount acpi=ht"
read−only

image=/boot/vmlinuz−2.6.8.1−12mdk
label="2.6.8.1−udev"
root=/dev/hda1
initrd=/boot/initrd−2.6.8.1−12mdk.img
append="acpi=ht"
read−only

other=/dev/hdb1
label=grub
End of file−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

− with this configuration when booting from MBR through LILO I can access FC3
world with GRUB using the last entry with label=grub.

b) for FC3 its own bootloader installed on hdb1 therefore not on MBR therefore
still allowing use of Mandrake distribution ; here is my GRUB configuration
file :

Beginning of file−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
default=0
timeout=10
i18n (hd1,0)/boot/grub/messages
splashimage=(hd1,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
color black/cyan yellow/cyan

title Fedora Core (2.6.9−1.667)


root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz−2.6.9−1.667 ro root=LABEL=/ vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd−2.6.9−1.667.img

title Fedora Core (2.6.10−1.741)


root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz−2.6.10−1.741_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd−2.6.10−1.741_FC3.img

title LILO
rootnoverify (hd0)
chainloader +1
End of file−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

− with this configuration when booting from MBR through LILO I can access
GRUB ; when in GRUB Ican go back to LILO (and then to GRUB.... for fun all
days long !).

[GRUB / LILO]how to use 2 distributions in parallel 2


Fedora: [GRUB / LILO]how to use 2 distributions in parallel
− with proper modification of "fstab" file in each world I can access
partitions and therefore files of the other world ; for example Paul told me
how to configure GRUB through a message collected with KMail−Mandrake as I am
handling my mail for practical reasons with Mandrake : in root mode I
directly configured my "grub.conf" of GRUB−FC3 before rebooting and check for
effect ; this would also help in fixing files when you are no more able to
boot from a distribution by doing it from the other distribution (it happened
to me with Mandrake that my root password was no more accepted ; I fixed it
with my Mandrake CD but now I would use FC3 !).

− rebooting from Mandrake is more powerfull with some logging managers as you
can directly select you LILO entry, for example "grub" entry, to reboot
through selection.

− KDE in Mandrake includes a LILO module in KDE Desktop Configuration Center


that allows direct modification of LILO setup in root mode ; this does not
exist for GRUB with FC3 ; it icludes more : an "info" module where you can
visualize all your system features including SCSI, USB, IRQ's etc... ; this
does nor exist with KDE as proposed by FC3.

− when I boot with kernel 2.6.8 entry in LILO I have apic mode as I have to
include "noapic" in "append" section to be without ; with kernel 2.6.9 and
2.6.10 apparently I have "noapic" option on as far as I could check ; how to
force use of apic ?

I want to thank Paul, Thomas and Jeff in particular from that list that
somehow helped me to put all this together.

That is all folks !

−−
Daniel Moyne (Nulix)−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
Distribution : Mandrake 10.2 test \\|// Fedora Core 3 on test
kernel 2.6.8 / −−− \ kernel 2.6.9 and 2.6.10
KDE 3.3 (' o−o ') KDE 3.3
−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−oOO−(_)−OOo−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
−−
fedora−list mailing list
fedora−[email protected]
To unsubscribe: http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora−list

[GRUB / LILO]how to use 2 distributions in parallel 3

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