Trying to dual boot and get USB keyboard to work

[gl5net]

First, thanks for the useful info I've already found here. I learned quite a bit which saved me several posts.

I've been running Ubuntu for a few months, and now I'd liketo try some other distros, and possibly one of the BSDs. I've installed a second hd in my system. I tried to load PCLinuxOS on the second hd, but I am unable to boot it.

Here's what's in my menu.lst from Ubuntu:

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=9158a788-e68e-4d92-98ef-22a576cf2b18 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic
quiet
savedefault

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=9158a788-e68e-4d92-98ef-22a576cf2b18 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2 root=UUID=fa10996c-0ba8-4de8-a4bd-6b464aa04c5f ro quiet vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2 (single-user mode)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2 root=UUID=fa10996c-0ba8-4de8-a4bd-6b464aa04c5f ro quiet vga=791 single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2

The two Debian entries are for PCLinuxOS (copied from its menu.lst). At first I tried to change the name, but when it wouldn't boot, Error 21: partition doesn't exist (Ithink that's what it said, didn't write it down), I changed it to match exactly what the original said. Either way, I get the same error.

About the usb keyboard, I've found that before Linux boots, the usb keyboard is useless. I had to pull out a PS/2 keyboard to be able to pick the boot options in grub. Is there any way to get the usb to work? I'm assuming the usb drivers aren't loaded yet.

Thanks,
George

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

Post the output of fdisk -l command and contents of /etc/fstab file of PCLinuxOS.

About the usb keyboard, I've found that before Linux boots, the usb keyboard is useless. I had to pull out a PS/2 keyboard to be able to pick the boot options in grub. Is there any way to get the usb to work? I'm assuming the usb drivers aren't loaded yet.

Toggle Legacy USB Support in BIOS.

[gl5net]

fdisk:

Disk /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 9541 76638051 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 9542 9729 1510110 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 9542 9729 1510078+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/hdb: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
16 heads, 63 sectors/track, 232581 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 1008 * 512 = 516096 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hdb1 * 1 50793 25599640+ 83 Linux
/dev/hdb2 50794 53840 1535688 5 Extended
/dev/hdb5 50794 53840 1535656+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris


fstab:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information
#
# <filesystem> <mountpoint> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb1, no label]
UUID=fa10996c-0ba8-4de8-a4bd-6b464aa04c5f / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro,noatime 0 1

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hda1, no label]
UUID=9158a788-e68e-4d92-98ef-22a576cf2b18 /media/hda1 ext3 auto,users,exec 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hda5, no label]
UUID=91c67f87-be07-4283-86ad-8075b88ae2c4 none swap sw 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb10, no label]
UUID=72132a42-6c0d-46c2-b20f-84255c5af5f6 none swap sw 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb2, no label]
UUID=e9a75d8a-0a0d-4193-a7bd-600240446c4c /media/hdb2 ext3 auto,users,exec 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb3, no label]
UUID=2e0118d7-ace8-488e-ae8d-37f3a3e5abc9 /media/hdb3 ext3 auto,users,exec 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb5, no label]
UUID=24b17e71-7952-424a-9da8-9057c5504fa3 /media/hdb5 ext3 auto,users,exec 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb6, no label]
UUID=f736bc5c-56dd-4c72-be01-2dcaf88b712f /media/hdb6 ext3 auto,users,exec 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb7, no label]
UUID=4175715c-83ab-4117-a57e-76722df88113 /media/hdb7 ext3 auto,users,exec 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb8, no label]
UUID=315e2c42-c7cc-4147-aeaa-abcb651e257b none swap sw 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/hdb9, no label]
UUID=81d64d60-d36d-4ffb-82a6-6d258c385c5a none swap sw 0 2

# added by rebuildfstab [PIONEER_DVD-RW_DVR-112D]
/dev/cdrom /media/cdrom udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0

# added by rebuildfstab [/dev/cdrom1, no label]
/dev/cdrom1 /media/cdrom1 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0

# added by rebuildfstab
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0

[devils casper]

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2 root=UUID=fa10996c-0ba8-4de8-a4bd-6b464aa04c5f ro quiet vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2

Edit menu.lst of Ubuntu and replace UUID with actual root partition.

title    Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2
root    (hd1,0)
kernel    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2 root=/dev/hdb1 ro  quiet vga=791 
initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22.3-rc1-slh-smp-2

[gl5net]

keyboard works now, and I can boot to the 2nd hd. found out that the PCLinuxOS install didn't actualy finish for some reason, and the sidux install I had was still there. trying to reformat hd to remove sidux now.

thanks!!

[devils casper]

Glad to help you. Do post back if you have any other query.

[gl5net]

I've been searching for information on how to partition my 2nd hd. Having seen a few different examples, I decided to go with:

hdb1 - linux swap 2GB
hdb2 - ext3 25GB (probably sidux)
hdb3 - ext3 25GB (probably Zenwalk)
hdb5 thru 7 - 3 ext3 ~17GB each (to play with other distros and/or OSes)

I might try some other filesystems, but I need to do some research on them first.

The most interesting idea I saw was to have a shared file for data (but not /home). For now, I'll keep it simple (fewer things for me to break).

Now I need to get some sleep. Tomorrow I start the installs.

Thanks again for the help!

[devils casper]

How much RAM do you have? If you have 1GB or more RAM then there is no need of 2GB SWAP partition. 512MB SWAP space is enough.