Dual Booting Ubuntu and gentoo - noob question

[WindRabbit]

I'm not sure if this should be in the Ubuntu or Gentoo forum, but anyway...

I have an installation of Ubuntu on an 80 gigabyte SATA hard drive. I have a second SATA hard drive, which is completely unformatted. How can I install Gentoo on the second hard drive? My menu.lst file in /boot/grub is:

# menu.lst - See: grub(, info grub, update-grub(
# grub-install(, grub-floppy(,
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/sda1 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-686
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-686 root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-686
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-686 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-686 root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-686
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

[Javasnob]

When you enter the Gentoo install environment (I'll tell you not to use 2006.0; it's really error-prone from what I hear), it will likely recognize your drives as /dev/sda and /dev/sdb. Just follow the instructions in the Gentoo Handbook and use /dev/sdb for what you need. If you're new to Linux, you may want to wait a while before installing Gentoo, though...

[jpalfree]

I'm not sure whether you mean install or boot gentoo.

If you mean install gentoo then you just use their install cd and follow the instructions installing gentoo to /dev/hdb or /dev/sdb.

If you mean boot, then all you do is put something like this in your menu.lst

title Gentoo Linux
#hd1 is second hard drive, 0 is first partition. Edit to your settings.
root (hd1,0)
# current-kernel is the name of your gentoo kernel.
# root= is the location of the root filesystem
kernel /boot/current-kernel root=/dev/sda9
boot

[gruven]

Look around on the gentoo.com page, and you will find the alternative installation methods. You can install gentoo from your ubuntu installation without having to download and boot into anything.

It is relatively simple, and you will have access to the handbook and your familiar environment to search for things.

There is nothing wrong with 2006.0. The GUI installer is extremely buggy though, and it is included on the install cd. I always use the minimal anyway. I suggest installing gentoo manually, and not using the GUI. You will learn a lot more, and have a lot less problems.

[apoorv_khurasia]

I will agree with gruven on this point. 2006.0 is not at all buggy I am using it quite well. Its the installer which creates problems. Too install gentoo I used a clusterknoppix liveCD and mounted the iso to extract the stage3 tar ball out. I suggest doing the same thing while being on Ubuntu. That will save you a lot of trouble. You infact don't even need the iso, just grab a stage3 tar ball from somewhere example here.