Two HDDs and dual boot

[bstoth]

Hi Linux experts out there!

I have chosen Suse 10.2 to install on my IBM/Lenovo T43 notebook.
Of course it's my work PC so not to upset the IT guys I didn't want to mess with my primary HDD.
I have a secondary HDD in a frame which neatly goes into the Ultrabay port where the CD drive resides normally.
So far I had Windows XP on this second HDD too. From past experience I always install the second OS in a way that the built in HDD is removed and replaced with the secondary HDD one during installation. Once the installation is complete, I put the secondary HDD back to the Ultrabay frame and use F12(boot device selection) at startup to select which HDD I want to boot from. I found that this way Windows does get confused.
I decided to dual install Suse 10.2 on the secondary HDD. I followed my old procedures.
Replace HDD1 with HDD2.
Install Linux from CD to HDD2. This worked perfectly, dual boot and everything, Linux started up without any issue.
I restored the original HW config: Built-in HDD back, HDD2 into Ultrabay port. Than I started HDD2 with F12 (boot device selection).
GRUB loads and offers to load Suse Linux, Windows and Failsafe Linux.
I still can load Windows without any issue, however Linux does not load.
The problem I think is that Linux still tries to load from the primary HDD. And does not find the linux partitions.
Could someone help me to fix this or suggest different way of installation?

It's not an option to have GRUB on the Primary HDD's boot partition, I would still like to use the F12 (boot device selection) to decide which HDD to boot from.

Thanks for you help!

[devils casper]

hi bstoth,

Welcome to the LinuxForums.

post the contents of menu.lst and device.map files and output of 'fdisk -l' command.







Casper

[bstoth]

Hi,
Roughly they look like this
fdisk -l
__________________________________________________ ___
/dev/sda
Device Boot Start End Block Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 5167 x 7 HPFS/NTFS

/dev/sdb
Device Boot Start End Block Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 5100 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary
/dev/sdb2 x y z W95 Ext'd (LB)
/dev/sdb3 x y z Linux Swap
/dev/sdb5 x y z Linux
/dev/sdb6 x y z Linux
__________________________________________________ _____


device.map
__________________________________________________ _____
(hd0) /dev/sda
__________________________________________________ _____



menu.lst
__________________________________________________ _____
title Opensuse 10.2
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.2-34-default root=/dev/sda5 vga=0x317 resume=/dev/sda3 splash=silent showstops
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18.2-34-default

Title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chinloader (hd0,0)+1
__________________________________________________ _____

I found that if I replace sda with sdb in the Opensuse entry in menu.lst, linux starts, but does not load correctly as it still looks for stuff on sda
Thanks...

[devils casper]

edit menu.lst file

title Opensuse 10.2
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.2-34-default root=/dev/sdb5 vga=0x317 resume=/dev/sdb3 splash=silent showstops
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18.2-34-default

save file and reboot.





Casper

[bstoth]

edit menu.lst file

title Opensuse 10.2
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.2-34-default root=/dev/sdb5 vga=0x317 resume=/dev/sdb3 splash=silent showstops
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18.2-34-default

save file and reboot.

Casper

Hi Casper,
thanks for the help, but unfortunately it didn't quite work. I got a message that Partition does not exist. I presume this is because I boot from the secondary HDD (with GRUB on it) so it's considered as hd0 by the system.
I understand there is a way of remapping drives, but I'm not sure how to do it. Maybe that's the solution?
Thanks,
bstoth

[bstoth]

edit menu.lst file

title Opensuse 10.2
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.2-34-default root=/dev/sdb5 vga=0x317 resume=/dev/sdb3 splash=silent showstops
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18.2-34-default

save file and reboot.

Casper

I just realized that I didn't correctly put the contents of fdisk-l. Please see the corrected list.
Thanks,
Bstoth

[devils casper]

add this code in /boot/grub/device.map file

(hd1)  /dev/sdb

[bstoth]

add this code in /boot/grub/device.map file

(hd1)  /dev/sdb

Hi,
I tried that and a few other settings involving changes to grub.conf.

Is there a way we can trick linux to see my secondary drive (which I boot from) as /dev/sda?
when it boots it always stops looking for /dev/sda6
thanks.

[bstoth]

<snip>

The page you linked was removed and there is only a link to an IQ test.
Are you trying to say that I'm should test my IQ before I read the posts here?

[devils casper]

where did you install GRUB?
un-plug SuSe disk and boot up from WIndows Harddisk. does GRUB menu appear?
do the same with SuSe Harddisk.







Casper