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Multi-boot install and partitioning [solved]


menendez
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Hello,

 

I have a 2 hard disk system with WinXP on hda and Mandriva 2007.1 KDE on hdb.

I had some problems upgrading to 2008 and I want to take a new approach.

I would like to add Mandriva 2008 on hdb so that I can boot either 2007.1 and 2008.

I would also like to have a partition for keeping files that can be mounted/accessed by either 2007.1 and 2008

 

If I go into the Mandriva Control Center I get this info on the hdb partitions:

Mount point /

Device: hdb1

Type: Journalised FS: ext3

Size: 7.8GB (2%)

mounted

 

Mount point swap

Device: hdb5

Type: Linux swap

Size: 3.6GB (1%)

Mounted

 

Device: hdb6

Type: Journalized FS: ext3

Size: 267GB (95%)

 

Note that hdb6 is not mounted. This is noticeable from Konqueror too.

If in Konqueror I go to System -> Storage Media then I see

160G Media and 8.4G Media where the 1st is WinXP hda and the 2nd is hdb.

I wonder why the generic install of Mandriva didn't mount hdb6.

 

Anyways, I would appreciate any recommendations on how to proceed.

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I have never seen Mandriva do this in an install; Making a single / directory is fairly common. But, if there is no data being stored in hdb6, then creating an installation there is not a problem.

I do not think that sharing any directories works the way you might think. /usr must exist for each installation, and this where most of the additional program files reside. /home is a possibility, but different versions of a desktop can have a problem. For example, if KDE 3.5 is being used in both installs, it works fine. But, if a different version is used in each, then the personal file, /home/username/.kde might not work for one or the other. Shared swap is not a problem at all.

 

I would just make a whole install onto the available space. If you wish to try to use a common /home, then prior to installing, create a /home partition, transfer your data there (Hard drake will do all this automatically for you) and then identify that partition in the new install. Do not format your /home when the time comes. (The installer is smart and generally does not tic that partition for formatting.

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Here is what I've done.

I started Mandriva 2008 in LiveCD mode

Started Live Install

I resized the hd6 partition to shrink it by 12 GB

From the new free 12GB space I created a new partition for Mandriva 2008

It looks like it got called hd7

The bootloader install did not seem to recognize Mandriva 2007.1

I got to the part where it says to restart machine and remove the Live CD.

I did this.

I got the boot loader screen showing Mandriva 2008 and Windows XP (default)

I selected Mandriva 2008 and got to the screen with the progress bar.

The boot freezes.

I hit escape for the verbose mode and this is what I get:

 

setting default font [ok]

configuring kernel parameters [ok]

setting clock (local time) [ok]

starting udev: wait timeout. Will continue in the background [FAILED]

 

:wall:

 

What should I do now? I suppose my WinXP will boot but I suppose I can only get into linux via Live CD.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

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As I posted, doing partition changes is always better prior to installing, and not during installation.

When you reboot, and try start up again, what happens? Also, I would boot into windows just to check it out! ;)

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As I posted, doing partition changes is always better prior to installing, and not during installation.

When you reboot, and try start up again, what happens? Also, I would boot into windows just to check it out! ;)

 

Windows boots fine.

The Madriva boot freezes.

I hit escape for the verbose mode and this is what I get:

 

setting default font [ok]

configuring kernel parameters [ok]

setting clock (local time) [ok]

starting udev: wait timeout. Will continue in the background [FAILED]

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I was not sure if I was to hit esc at the screen where I have the option of selecting the OS to boot or at the screen after I had selected Mandriva 2008.

I did the first and hit OK at message window saying I am entering text only mode. Then hit esc but nothing happened so I selected Mandriva to boot.

This time it booted with no problem. I was able to finish the install (config wireless, root password, user account etc). When do I did a restart and tried the graphical boot loader again. It boots with no problem. It seems that I am alright now! :thanks: :thanks:

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