Re: Question on running multiple Linux distributions along with BSD and windows

[alex <radsky@ncia.net>]

Sanjay Chigurupati wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have Windows XP and Debian running on my machine, with Lilo as boot
> loader.
>
> Planning to add FreeBSD and Gentoo.
>
> 1) Do I need to have a separate boot partition for each Linux version?
>  
I'm not sure what you mean by "a separate boot partition for each Linux 
version".

I use GRUB for booting but you may be able to adapt the following info 
to LILO.

I have 6 Linux installations distributed on two hard drives in addition 
to Windows 98 in its usual hda1 slot and plan to add more. All are 
accessible from a GRUB menu that displays on computer bootup.  I can 
also boot up from a floppy.

After defragmenting the primary drive to set the partition for Win98 and 
create clear space, I just kept adding Linux systems on both drives in 
normal fashion, creating partitions as needed. All my Linux systems 
share a common swap partition

As each Linux was installed, I chose GRUB to be the booter. Whichever 
Linux is installed last, its GRUB becames the effective booter. I'd 
guess that the same is true of LILO

A newly created GRUB tends to include only the newly installed Linux and 
MS Windows so it necessary to edit a new GRUB to add the data that is 
used in all the previously installed GRUBS.  The may also be true of LILO.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A COPY OF THE PREVIOUS BOOT DATA TO ADD TO THE 
NEW BOOTER.  MAKE A BOOT FLOPPY WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY DURING EACH 
LINUX INSTALLATION. Edit the floppy to add the previous Linux's BOOT data.
hth

alex

> 2) Is there a simple way to manage boot loader, where I could just add
> partitions in the free space and update boot loader?
>  
see above

> I seem to mess up boot loader, when I add a new Linux install.  Is there a
> solution to work across more than one hard drive. Plannin to add  an
> additional hard drive where I do all the distro trials.
>  
see above

> Thanks,
> Sanjay
>
>
>
>  
I have 6 different Linux installations in addition to Windows 98 and 
plan to add a few more.  I use GRUB to boot. 

I installed Windows 98 first then did a defragmentation to develop clear 
space for partitioning that hard drive.  A second hard drive was added