Triple Boot XP - Ubuntu Hardy - ???? (Oensuse 11)

[kevrox]

Hi all gurus and self taught Linux users....http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ima...ons/icon12.gif
I have enjoyed the benefits of using Linux for a few months now cutting my teeth on the Ubuntu Hardy version.http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ima...ons/icon14.gif Xp is only used for about 2% of my pc usage now.. But I have been bitten by the Linux distro tryout bug. I an looking for a simple walk through of the process of adding a 3rd OS to my pc. There are many pages of good advice out there but not specific enough for a fairly new user... The grub loader for Ububtu works a treat and can be easily edited so that bit is ok but it is the scary option of the "New" OS like say OpenSuse 11 being added. If anyone out there has this combo on therir Pc I would be interested on what you did to make it all work together...
So in summary I have
XP & Ubuntu Hardy running all from the Hardy Grub menu... then I want to add the new OS to this menu. The new OS will have its own hard drive so there will be no confusion and wipe out of the other OS's I have.
Thanking anyone in advance for your comments, pointer web links and help. Just remember you were once new to this as wellhttp://www.linuxforums.org/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

The new OS will have its own hard drive so there will be no confusion and wipe out of the other OS's I have.

Are you planning to install OpenSUSE in another Harddisk or new partition in same Harddisk having Ubuntu and XP?

[kevrox]

Hi devils casper
I was thinking of putting it on a different HDD to the other 2 ( XP and Ubuntu) but if it makes it easier to have all 3 on the same HDD with different partitions I could do that as well.
My main HDD is a 500gb dev/sdb with
sdb1 is 102GB for XP ( NTFS type), it has the flag boot marked.
dev/sdb3 with 182 GB for Personal data (NTFS type)
dev/sdb4 is extended with dev/sdb5 with Ububtu (ext3 type) & dev/sdb6 (linux-swap) all included in the dev/sdb4 partition
There is no dev/sdb2 ???
My second HDD is a 120GB dev/sda
dev/sda1 is 56GB (ext3 type) it has the flag boot marked nothing is in this one yet.
dev/sda2 (extended) has the flag lba with a dev/sda5 for personal backups with 55GB (NTFS type) and a small unallocated 7 gb

Few that took a while to find and transfer to this page....
hope that is what you were after

oh and by the way I have had answers from the launchpad site as well.. link https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/41264
but I was not sure of those answers that is why I came here.

[devils casper]

You can install as many distros as you like in single Harddisk.
If you want to use Ubuntu's grub only then install GRUB of OpenSUSE in boot sector of / partition. You have to add chainloading code in Ubuntu's menu.lst file.

My main HDD is a 500gb dev/sdb with
sdb1 is 102GB for XP ( NTFS type), it has the flag boot marked.
dev/sdb3 with 182 GB for Personal data (NTFS type)
dev/sdb4 is extended with dev/sdb5 with Ububtu (ext3 type) & dev/sdb6 (linux-swap) all included in the dev/sdb4 partition
There is no dev/sdb2 ???

Post the output of sudo fdisk -l command.

[kevrox]

thanks for you help so far
here is the output
Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120060444672 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14596 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc5a7c5a7

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 7298 58621153+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 7299 14595 58613152+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 7299 14595 58613121 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xcddccddc

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 13304 106864348+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb3 37035 60801 190908427+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb4 13305 37034 190611225 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 13305 36066 182835733+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 36067 37034 7775428+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

[devils casper]

500GB disk has two Primary Partitions only and /dev/sdb2 is reserved for third Primary Partition.

You can shrink /dev/sdb3, merge free space in Extended Partition, /dev/sdb4 and create new Logical Partition ( /dev/sdb7 ) for OpenSUSE. There is no need to create new SWAP partition because you can share SWAP partition in both distros. OpenSUSE installer wil detect it during installation.

[kevrox]

that I can do thanks... but I am still a bit worried as to the Grub booting stuff.
Will Opensuse 11 place itself as a booting option in the Ubuntu Grub menu along with XP by itself or will I have to modify the menu?... if I have to modify the grub menu... I need help with what to copy from where to where? and in the Opensuse installation ... there must be an option not to modify the boot sequence in my grub....
AS you can tell before I plunge myself into new ground I like to do as much research as possible and call upon those who have already invented the wheel thanks again devils caspe for your help

[devils casper]

You have to edit menu.lst file of Ubuntu.
Add this code in menu.lst file :

title OpenSUSE
rootnoverify (hdx,y)
chainloader +1

Replace x with Disk letter ( a or b ) and y with root partition number of OpenSUSE.

[kevrox]

Hi devils Casper
this is a copy of my Grub menu as it stands

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-20-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-20-generic root=UUID=acea277d-66cd-49be-8fc4-ce06d17bf1ae ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-20-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-20-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-20-generic root=UUID=acea277d-66cd-49be-8fc4-ce06d17bf1ae ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-20-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=acea277d-66cd-49be-8fc4-ce06d17bf1ae ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=acea277d-66cd-49be-8fc4-ce06d17bf1ae ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, memtest86+
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sdb1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
root (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1


So do I insert the new code Here

[I]## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-20-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-20-generic root=UUID=acea277d-66cd-49be-8fc4-ce06d17bf1ae ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-20-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-20-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-20-generic root=UUID=acea277d-66cd-49be-8fc4-ce06d17bf1ae ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-20-generic

title OpenSUSE
rootnoverify (hdb,7)
chainloader +1

this is the new hard drive layout
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14596 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc5a7c5a7

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 7298 58621153+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 7299 14595 58613152+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 7299 14595 58613121 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xcddccddc

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 13304 106864348+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb3 48015 60801 102711577+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb4 13305 48014 278808075 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 13305 31151 143355996 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 31152 32171 8193118+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb7 32172 48014 127258866 83 Linux

I think I an almost ready to install opensuse 1 now....

If you want to use Ubuntu's grub only then install GRUB of OpenSUSE in boot sector of / partition. You have to add chainloading code in Ubuntu's menu.lst file.

At what point does Opensuse ask this question... about installing Opensuse grub in boot sector of partition? and what do I tick.....
this how to shows the installation pages The Perfect Desktop - OpenSUSE 11 (GNOME) | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials
but is not clear ... thanks for taking me under your wing and help so far...

[MetalheadGautham]

^^While installing, OpenSuSE asks you if you want to install grub in mbr or boot partition in the PARTITIONING section. The link you have there skips this part.

But I strongly recommend that you don't do what you are about to do. It makes little sense to keep two newbie distros at the same time. Instead, since you already use ubuntu, I advice you to install debian, the big daddy of ubuntu, in the second HDD and try to master it so that you can advance to the intermediate stage of Linux.