[SOLVED] Multi Boot (Ubuntu + Vista + openSuse)

[jsantarossa]

I'm currently running Ubuntu and Vista and what I want to do is get openSuse running. My plan is to create another root partition for openSuse. Am I able to use the same home partition for Ubuntu and openSuse? And if I do, are my settings going to be overwritten when I install openSuse?

Thanks

[Jonathan183]

If you use the same home partition for multiple distros then you can run into problems:-
1. you need to be careful not to select format home partition or all home area information will be lost.
2. if you use the same username for different distros the settings information is shared between them.

Also I think with different user names but same uuid you can end up with users on one distro having access to another users home area.

[jsantarossa]

Thanks, Jonathon. It sounds like it would save me a lot of trouble, in the end, if I just create a separate home partition, so that's what I'm going to do.

[jsantarossa]

I installed openSuse successfully. Here's my problem, though. I formatted my boot partition and now I don't know how to get into Ubuntu.

fdisk -l
]Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1          13      104391   83  Linux
/dev/sdb2              14         268     2048287+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3             269       51261   409601272+   5  Extended
/dev/sdb5             269        2818    20482843+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb6            2819        6642    30716248+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb7            6643       46162   317444368+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb8           48075       51261    25599546   83  Linux
/dev/sdb9           46163       48074    15358108+  83  Linux

sdb1 is my boot partition, Ubuntu root is on sdb5 and openSuse root is on sdb9.

menu.lst
# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Sat Dec 20 18:05:00 UTC 2008
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd1,0)/message

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 11.1 - 2.6.27.7-9
    root (hd1,0)
    kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.27.7-9-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3500320AS_9QM24RPC-part9 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3500320AS_9QM24RPC-part2 splash=silent showopts vga=0x345
    initrd /initrd-2.6.27.7-9-default

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 11.1 - 2.6.27.7-9
    root (hd1,0)
    kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.27.7-9-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3500320AS_9QM24RPC-part9 showopts ide=nodma apm=off noresume edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 x11failsafe vga=0x345
    initrd /initrd-2.6.27.7-9-default

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
    rootnoverify (hd0,0)
    chainloader +1

My assumption was that I can just cut and paste one of the above and just change the root=/dev/... part, but I don't know where to find the kernel (vmlinuz...) or initrd.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Jonathan183]

The problem is that if you deleted the ubuntu boot partition you have deleted the kernel, you have also deleted the grub sub-folder as well.
You are trying to use the same boot partition for openSUSE and Ubuntu and when you are installing you have clobbered the existing boot partition contents.
I would only create a separate boot partition if forced to do so because it adds complication. If your BIOS supports boot from a partition anywhere on the disk then using root partitions for each OS with no separate boot partition is easier.

[jsantarossa]

Oh well. I like Suse better anyway.

Thanks for the quick reply and the info; I'll have to remember that for the next time.

[Jonathan183]

Enjoy your SUSE ... you can always mount the old partitions to access information you have there, either through Yast (partitioner) or the terminal.

[saivin]

I installed openSuse successfully. Here's my problem, though. I formatted my boot partition and now I don't know how to get into Ubuntu.

My assumption was that I can just cut and paste one of the above and just change the root=/dev/... part, but I don't know where to find the kernel (vmlinuz...) or initrd.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

In the terminal:

su                                                    /* enter root password here */
mkdir /mnt/tmp                                /* if it is not already there... */
mount -t ext3 /dev/sdb5 /mnt/tmp   /* mounting your ubuntu on /mnt/tmp directory */
cd /mnt/tmp/boot                             /* go to boot directory of ubuntu. */ 
ls -l                                                  /* lists the files */

this will show you the kernel and initrd file names with versions... once you have them you can do the editing as you have mentioned...

[jsantarossa]

Thanks, saivin, but Jonathon was right; I deleted all the boot info when I installed openSuse--I had a separate boot partition which, in a moment lacking cognitive functions, I deleted. I'm not too concerned, though, since I can mount my old home partition and grab all my info. Plus, Suse runs better than Ubuntu, on my machine.