Install OpenSUSE 10.2 Grub to Floppy?

[groovy_one]

Hi everyone,

I have dabbled in Linux for a while, but I am still on the newbie experience level, so this may be a stupid question. If so, please forgive me.

I have a test system with three old hard drives in it. It already has Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, and Micro$oft WinXP all playing happily with each other. I haven't figured out how to make a chainloader work yet, but I have managed to edit my grub.conf file in Fedora so that I can boot XP, Ubuntu and Debian. The chainloader is another issue that I hope to eventually figure out, but, today, my question is about OpenSUSE 10.2. I have a spare hard drive, so I decided to add it to the system and take SUSE for a spin. Previously, I loaded Ubuntu and Debian with the option to install Grub to floppy so that it would not overwrite my setup, then, once I was satisfied with the install, I manually added the appropriate lines to the Fedora grub.conf file so that I could load Ubuntu and Debian from the Fedora bootloader. Everything works great with them, but SUSE doesn't seem to give the option to load Grub to a floppy. I unplugged all my other drives and loaded SUSE by itself, just to see how it installed, and it didn't seem to give any install options for Grub. It just blew right past that step without any chance to modify the options. Before I try to reload it on my system with the other drives in place, I thought I would see if anyone could provide me with any advice to keep SUSE from overwriting my current Grub. While I haven't tried it yet, previous experience with Ubuntu and Debian tells me that SUSE probably will see Debian and Ubuntu, but probably won't see Fedora. I assume this is because of the menu.lst in Ubuntu, Debian, and SUSE vs. grub.conf in Fedora, but I am just guessing.

I do not want to overwrite what I already have. Can anyone give me any advice on getting SUSE to let me load Grub where I want it?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

-groovy-

[devils casper]

SuSe is the only distro that has modified GRUB. Best way is, do not install GRUB any where.
Keep other Hard Disks plugged in as they are and Plug-in spare Hard Disk ( the one which you are planning to install SuSe ) as Secondary and start SuSe installation. Click on Boot Loader section ( Expert option ) and select 'do not install GRUB' ( I am not sure about exact option but SuSe installer gives 4 options and there is one for not installing GRUB any where).
Add code for SuSe in Fedora's grub.conf file after SuSe installation.

[groovy_one]

devils_casper,

Thanks for the assistance. I installed last night with all drives in place and got the basic install completed without overwriting Fedora's Grub, which was my biggest fear. Everything seems to have fallen into place. Hopefully I can get SUSE updated tonight and start learning the in's and out's of a new system.

One thing I did notice was that SUSE recognized the drives in a different order from all the other distros. I have two drives on the primary motherboard IDE and a couple of drives on a PCI IDE controller. All other distros recognize the mobo IDE first (hda, hdb) and the PCI controlled drives after that. For some reason, SUSE recognized the PCI drives first and the mobo drives last. That seemed a bit odd, but everything seems to have worked, so I am not going to complain.

Thanks again for your assistance.

-groovy-

[devils casper]

Glad to help you groovy_one. Check the kernel version of all distros. Latest kernels ( 2.6.22 onwards ) do not differentiate between SATA and IDE disks. These kernels assign sdx name to all disks.
Feel free to post if you have any other query.

[dth1]

it is a real pain suse not having an automatic option to save grub to a floppy disc. The way round it is to save gub to a floppy using a terminal window.

When ever I install suse I usually end up letting the system install grub to the mbr. Then using the terminal command (which I have written down at home and will post back with) and then wiping the mbr.

[devils casper]

I dont prefer GRUB on floppy because of short life span of Floppies. Either use SuperGRUB CD or install GRUB in MBR/Boot Sector only.

[dth1]

devils_casper - makes a good point on using a floppy to save grub. But of course you can also make a second floppy and in any event can always use the suse installation disc. Follow the steps until you get to the install/update/other page - then select the 'other' option and pick boot installed system.

The terminal command is:-

grub-install /dev/fd0

you need to be logged on as root