Dual booting LE 2005 @ 2006 beta3 on same drive

[wilcal]

I need a little coaching here on how to set up two completely different Mandriva versions on an empty HD such that I can, using Mandriva install GUI, Mandriva Lilo, boot either LE 2005 or 2006 beta3 as two completely seperate OS's just like they were on seperate HD's.

 

I can successfully install either OS on the drive and even resize /home down so there is plenty of space for another version of Mandriva. I can even get to the point were I have sda1, ect for the first version (LE 2005) and sda7 ect for beta3 but when i get done setting up Lilo and reboot beta3 it insists on using /linux 2.6.11 and not 2.6.12. Probably I just don't understand how to set up sdb using the Mandriva install GUI.

 

Thanks for any hints

[arctic]

What you need is at least two separate /root partitions (one for each distro) and one /home and one swap partition. Furthermore you need only ONE bootloader (lilo or grub, whichever you prefer). Once you have intalled the first system, go ahead and install the second system but skip the installation of the bootloader this time. Instead, alter your already existing bootloader, using this howto: http://www.mandrakeusers.org/index.php?showtopic=5082

 

If you need more help, just shout. :)

 

Good luck.

[wilcal]

What you need is at least two separate /root partitions (one for each distro) and one /home and one swap partition.....

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Can I create two seperate and discreet /root(1) /root(2), /swap(1) /swap(2), /home(1) /home(2)? I am using Lilo and the GUI partition tool in Mandriva to program boot.

 

What I am trying to do is evaluate LE 2005 vs 2006 beta x without using seperate HDs.

That I can already do.

 

Thanks for the help

[arctic]

You will only need one swap partition as the systems will automatically see and share it. And yes, you can create two separate /home partitions. But there is no point in doing that. instead I recommend to use one /home partition that serves as data storage for both user A (Mdv 2005) and user B (Mdv 2006).

 

PS: You should edit the bootloader by editing the /etc/lilo.conf file by hand as root in a terminal like kate, nano or gedit. If you need help with that, we can guide you through it.

[wilcal]

PS: You should edit the bootloader by editing the /etc/lilo.conf file by hand as root in a terminal like kate, nano or gedit. If you need help with that, we can guide you through it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Below is the lilo.conf file in the /etc directory of 2005

 

# File generated by DrakX/drakboot

# WARNING: do not forget to run lilo after modifying this file

 

default="LE_2005"

boot=/dev/sda

map=/boot/map

keytable=/boot/us.klt

prompt

nowarn

timeout=200

message=/boot/message

menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="LE_2005"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent"

vga=788

read-only

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="linux-nonfb"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5"

read-only

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="failsafe"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="failsafe acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5 devfs=nomount"

read-only

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-6mdksmp

label="LE_2006"

root=/dev/sda7

initrd=/boot/initrd-smp.img

read-only

 

 

I have set up the partitions as follows:

 

LE 2005

Mount Point: /

Device sda1

Mount Point: swap

Device sda5

Mount Point: /home

Device sda6

 

LE 2006

Mount Point: /

Device sda7

Mount Point: swap

Device sda8

Mount Point: /home

Device sda9

 

05 /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-6mdksmp

06 /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10mdksmp

 

As you can see from the above lilo.conf LE-2006 is pointing at the wrong

image. Drakeboot does not offer the 2.6.12 image for some reason. The

result of all of this is I can boot either OS but LE 2006 comes up without

the network running and lots of other strange problems. How do I change

the image target for 2006 in lilo.conf to target 12 instead of 11.

 

Thanks

 

Note LE 2006 beta 3 loads and runs fine on its own on the drive although there

is lots of stuff missing still.

[arctic]

Try with the following lilo configuration (changes are marked in red)

# File generated by DrakX/drakboot

# WARNING: do not forget to run lilo after modifying this file

 

default="LE_2005"

boot=/dev/sda

map=/boot/map

keytable=/boot/us.klt

prompt

nowarn

timeout=200

message=/boot/message

menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="LE_2005"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent"

vga=788

read-only

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="linux-nonfb"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5"

read-only

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="failsafe"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="failsafe acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5 devfs=nomount"

read-only

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10mdksmp

label="LE_2006"

root=/dev/sda7

initrd=/boot/initrd-smp.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda7 splash=silent"

vga=788

read-only

... but LE 2006 comes up without the network running and lots of other strange problems.

This may in part be caused by the fact that it is still a beta and thus very buggy.

 

I hope that file works. If not, report back. Good luck. :)

[wilcal]

I changed the lilo.conf to be the below then

ran /sbin/lilo. Then immediately got the response

no such file /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10mdksmp

 

So for some reason that I do not understand

the system cannot see sda7 as a seperate partition.

In fact this may be a wrinkle of 2006 beta.

Anyway tonight I will run

 

uname -a

 

when 2006 beta3 is running and actually

see if it's running the 11 or 12 kernal. I suspect

it's running the 11 kernal on the 12 apps.

 

FWIW the test computer uses a removable hard drive

system and one of those removable drives has a perfectly

running LE 2005 system on it. When I get frustrated

goofing around with this stuff I just plug in the

good system and watch a DVD or something. It's all

great fun.

 

Thanks for the hints.

 

# File generated by DrakX/drakboot

# WARNING: do not forget to run lilo after modifying this file

 

default="LE_2005"

boot=/dev/sda

map=/boot/map

keytable=/boot/us.klt

prompt

nowarn

timeout=200

message=/boot/message

menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="LE_2005"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent"

vga=788

read-only

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="linux-nonfb"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5"

read-only

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz

label="failsafe"

root=/dev/sda1

initrd=/boot/initrd.img

append="failsafe acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda5 devfs=nomount"

read-only

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10mdksmp

label="LE_2006"

root=/dev/sda7

initrd=/boot/initrd-smp.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda7 splash=silent"

vga=788

read-only

[arctic]

Then immediately got the response

no such file /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10mdksmp

Is there maybe a typo? Take a look at the vmlinuz file. Maybe it is only vmlinuz, maybe vmlinuz-2-6-12blablabla... Just in case.

[wilcal]

uname -a tells me that regardless if I tell lilo to

boot with 2005(sda1) or 2005(sda7) it still uses

Linux 2.6.11-6 the Kernal for LE 2005.

 

05 /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-6mdksmp (sda1)

06 /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10mdksmp (sda7)

 

even with the following code in lilo.conf:

 

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10mdksmp

label="LE_2006"

root=/dev/sda7

initrd=/boot/initrd-smp.img

append="acpi=ht resume=/dev/sda7 splash=silent"

vga=788

read-only

 

sda1 (/), sda5 (swap), sda6 (/home), sda7 (/), sda8 (swap), sda9 (/home)

 

which is in fact correct. I'm beginning to suspect

that there is something in 2006 beta3 that prevents

dual booting from working. Remember if I clean the

disk off completely (killdisk) and insall only

2005 beta3 it installs just fine and runs just fine

although there are large parts not in it yet (Gnome).

 

I tried all kinds of different ways to dual boot

install but no go. FWIW the visuals on beta3 are VERY

different then LE 2005 so if anyone has an extra

system, or in my case swappable hard drives, give

it a look.

 

Thanks again for the hints

[wilcal]

partial success

 

For some reason either I don't understand the

interaction between Lilo and how LE 2005/2006 interact

and/or how they create partitions. The point of this

exercise was the ability to create, on a single

drive lets say a Maxtor 120GB, discreet and independent

partitions not related to, interacting with, dependent

upon or even recognizing the existence of the other

partitions. I wanted the ability to create partitions,

install various Linux distros, erase the partition

completely, reuse erased partitions and create/re-size

new or existing partions. I suspect the tools available

within Mandriva 2005/2006 may not be capable of all of

that.

 

I dabbled with the Ranish Disk Partitioner some

months ago so I went back to that.

 

http://www.ranish.com/part/

 

More dabbling and I was successful in installing

the Ranish Disk Partitioner as MBR. It's pretty

easy to just set up a number of independent

unrelated Linux partitions with this utility.

The boot screen from Lilos pretty graphics to

the Ranish "hd1>" thing is pretty stark but after

a few installs it became pretty obvious that

Ranish created the environment I was looking for.

I have no use for M$ OS's so that's not even

being considered.

 

Additionally, I was able to use:

 

http://www.killdisk.com

 

on any one of the partitions created by Ranish to

independently wipe clean to all "0"s any of

the partitions created by Ranish without disturbing

the other partitions or the MBR.

 

So now a 120GB Maxtor drive can become effectively

up to 30 discrete and separately bootable drives

just like they were 30 different hard disks.

[ukez]

whats 2006 like? what kernel is it using?...just curious! :unsure:

[wilcal]

whats 2006 like? what kernel is it using?...just curious! :unsure:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

2006 beta 3 has a very different KDE facia then 2005. I get the feel that

it's a little quicker too. It's all kinda like the 3nd trimester. The baby

ain't born yet but it's get'n close and look'n good.

 

A comment. Mandriva has done an outstanding job to make the install

pretty easy to use. I would say that for the novice user comparing

Win XP SP2 vs 2005 LE and 2006 beta, Mandy is much easier to

install, use and navigate around in.

 

As always if you are trying to dual/triple or more boot a single

HD then things get pretty tricky.

 

Kernel is 2.6.12-10mdk

 

Could the real market challange to Redmond WA come from

Paris, France? Could be.

[wilcal]

Ref: http://www.ranish.com/part/

 

I spent some considerable time last evening going

through the installation process of part243.exe.

I was finally able to document as best I could on

the process of creating what is called the Boot

Manager Partition. Below is the process I followed.

Do note that I was not interested in any other

OS other then Linux. The intent was to create

10 discrete and independent partitions on a 120GB

Drive. Read this process several times end to end

before doing it for yourself. Your computer may

react differently then mine. Here's my process:

 

1) Create a bootable floppy using Windows XP

2) Copy to that disk all the files found on part243.zip

3) Remove XP drive and replace with a completely zero'd

out 120GB SATA Maxtor drive. Use www.killdisk.com to

zero the drive. I use removable rack mounted drives

in the computer under test.

4) Warm boot the system, primary boot device floppy,

secondary boot CD-ROM, third is the HD.

5) Execute part243.exe ( A: part243 (cr) )

(cr) = return

6) When part is running move highlighted section to

the Master Boot Record (MBR) then (cr)

7) The highlighted section will move to the MBR frame

first line MBR Executable Code change to Boot Manager

using the space bar

8) Down arrow to Boot Interface Type. Space Bar to

Text 25x80

9) Down arrow to Checking for Virus: Space bar to no

10) Boot Prompt Time: clear and fill in 10 seconds

11) Default Boot Choice: left at not set

12) (cr) back to Master Boot Record. A line will appear

instructing "ins(ert) to create Boot Manager Partition"

13) key insert

14) down arrow though file system type to Boot Manager

(cr) to select. The Boot Manager partition will now

be placed in the table on the screen. Move to the Boot

Manager line and modify the Starting Cyl Head Sect number

such that you define a Partition all the way at the

end of the disk. There will be quite an amount of

trial and error with error messages until you get a

satisfactory partition size. Especially finding a

combination that is fully at the end of the disk with

no unused space after it. Also you will likely find

that the Boot Partition size is hard to keep below the

many megabytes size. The smallest workable size I

was able to create was 7MB on a 120GB drive.

15)After finishing creating the Boot Partition Part will

ask if you want to save, I selected later.

16) Then positioning the highlighted section between

the Master Boot Record and the Boot Manager Partitions

I keyed insert and created a single Linux partition

of 20GB. Then created a second of 10GB.

17) At this point you can designate both of these

partitions as "Primary" and the 20GB as 1 and bootable.

Number them 1 and 2. I fiddled with the locations of

these partitions such that the 20GB partition was at

the far end of the disk and the 10GB partition just

in front of it. The reason for this is below.

18) It is at this point I keyed F2 to install the

Ranish Partition in the MBR and the Boot Manager

Partition.

19) Leaving the bootable floppy in the drive I then

keyed esc and forced the system back to the A: prompt.

20) Remove the floppy and warm boot the system.

21) The system rebooted and displayed the Boot Manager

text box in the upper right side of the terminal.

Three partitions were offered for Boot one of which

was the Boot Manager. There are disappearing dots

indicating that within 10 seconds the active primary

will boot in 10 seconds. If you let things time out

at this point, and nothing is installed in the

primary partition, what you get on the screen is

unpredictable gibberish.

 

22) During the count down process if you key "0",

the number key zero, you will be taken directly

to part243 that is now installed in the Boot Mananger

partition. At that point you can create additional

partitions up to 30. I created 10. 9 10GB and one

20GB. Remember there is the one additional partition,

the Boot Manager partition. The numbering system

is a little confusing so trail and error is the

best teacher. Keep pencil and paper close at hand.

 

23) Installing OS's. I have found that filling in

partitions from the furthest out partition in

works best. The single 20GB last partition is where

I installed Mandriva LE 2005. That is the working

partition for this 120GB drive. In there are the

ISO's (image files) for all the other Linux OS's

that I keep stored in the other partitions on this

drive. The 9th partition contains Mandriva 2006 Beta 3.

The 8th Ubuntu and so on and so forth.

 

24) Installation of an OS can be tricky. Some

of them are very smart ( Mandriva 2005/2006 )

some of them want to walk all over your MBR and first

sectors of your drive. Or insist on installing

into the first partition. Let'm do it.

 

25) The postions and sizes of the partitions on this

drive (120Gb) will never change. So booting from

floppy again to the A: prompt I keyed the following

 

A: part243 -p > part120.txt

 

that created a text file part120.txt on the floppy

that tells me the beginning and ending and file

system for all the partitions on this drive. And

this is my printable table for restoring things

back after a misbehaving OS stomps all over the

MBR and first sectors of the drive. Because the

needed drive partitions are loaded from the end

first OS load is not likely to effect them.

 

26) As you edit the partitions using Part243 you

will find that you can only make active 4 at a

time 1 -> 4. You can have 30 partitions but only

4 at once active and only one auto bootable. This is

a good thing as some OS's get really confused when

they see multiple drives (partitions). I found myself

designation only one active partition at a time.

The number 1 was assigned to one of the partitions

and that partition designated bootable even before

I installed an OS's to it. That made things a

lot simpler during the install process. Mandriva

2005/2006 flat out thought that the other 100GB of

drive space was "unused". And that is exactly what

I wanted it to think. Don't touch whatever you do.

 

(end procedure)

 

I am sure I will find more interesting things to

do with the Ranish Partition Manager. If you are

only intending on having no more the 4 bootable

partitions then you need only install the MBR

from floppy. No Boot Manager Partition need be

created. But, if you want to change something

you will have to boot from floppy again. Not all

that of a problem but in my case I would have

an associated floppy with a specific set of

removable drives. No big deal.

 

On boot the Boot Manager Text Box will appear

in the upper right hand quandrant of your

computer screen. If you have designated a

auto boot partition at the end of the time

out that partition will boot. If you key

either the up or down arrow the timeout

will cease and you can up down arrow through

the various partitions, active or not, and a

(cr) will select and boot that partition.

Remember keep that paper and pencil close

as lots of partitions and OS's can get

pretty confusing and fun to play with.

 

I hate having to use Windows XP to create

a bootable floppy but there are alternatives

at http://www.bootdisk.com/