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Dual-booting Linux Distros


Cannonfodder
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I don't know if lilo is all that bad at this. Basically, ndeb and I have the same solution: you have to make the vmlinuz and initrd.img files for the newly added linux distro available to your old lilo. I do it by copying the files to my Mandrake partion in /boot and ndeb does it by designating the path to these files through the mount point for the new linux distro partiton. I haven't been able to get ndeb's way to work on my box but I haven't really tried recently; just keep doing the same way because it's what I'm comfortable with and I know it works.

 

I guess the real issue here is lilo's inability to automatically pick up the other existing linux distros and create a working entry for each. I'd be curious to know whether grub can do this without editing some configuration files so post back your experience if you give grub a try.

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It's been my experience with Redhat and Mandrake, Grub did not pick up the Redhat information. I would assume that if one copied the procedure for new kernels by adding stanzas and then running little script at the the end would accomplish the same result. This is a shortcoming that needs to be remedied that would not only solve the dual boot issue but the asinine procedure for updating to a new or different kernel. Not being a programmer, just how difficult would it be for code to scan for new kernels and init files as part of the Add button on the kernel configuration menu? It would seem that this too eludes the budding Mandrakes at the Magician works and world wide corps of would be's, by spending too much time in the kitchen perhaps.

 

Counterspy

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Quite frankly, most dual-boot folks use 1 linux + 1 windows combos. Very few have 2 linux installs. Naturally, this aspect has been ignored. Also, does anybody know if the FreeBSD boot loader is any better than lilo/grub ?

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I have windows with powerquest 5 installed on it. The computer was built for me and this was installed. I intend to dual boot with Mandrake but have'nt screwed up the courage to try yet.

 

I have read in other sites abouit problems with pq and linux.

 

Should I just take this off or does the partition tool with Mandrake overwrite power quest?

 

So far I have just experimented with md on an old computer with a 2gb hard drive that seems to be knackered, although it does work after a fashion, I need to do thgis guys so your comments would be appreciated.

 

But please be gentle I really am a newbie.

 

I wo

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If you are talking about Powerquest Bootmagic, then get rid of it. These boot managers cause no end of problems and are hard to remove. If you are talking about Drive Image, make sure it will deal with Linux partitions, including journalling such as reiserfs or ext3. There is a partiton manager included on your Install disks called Partimage. After you have installed use the Install software option from Software Management in the Mandrake Control Center. Just putting Powerquest 5 is not helpful since they have several products with different version numbers.

 

Counterspy

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