Wanting to setup a triple boot (Fedora \ openSUSE \ Windows XP Pro

[UncleTed420]

Now that I've determined that it would be best to go ahead and do a fresh install of Fedora 16, I've decided I'm going to try a triple boot, like I have been wanting to do for a while now. I've done a dual boot with Windows and Ubuntu before. But now I'm looking for advice on setting up a Fedora / openSUSE / Windows XP Professional triple boot.

Fedora will be my main OS and XP will be there just for PC Games mostly (and a few other bits of Windows software, I can't let go of yet). And a good friend of mine who is a programmer reccommended that I start playing with openSUSE if I really want to learn Linux, so that is the reason I'm wanting to install it also.

Also I'm planning on using the 64 bit version of each OS.

Any info on the best way to set this up is greatly appreciated.

Thank Y'all as always,
UncleTed420

[stoat]

Since you've already dual booted with Windows Ubuntu before, the only new thing to know would be to prevent the installer of any subsequently installed Linux system from disrupting the existing boot loader. Then add a menu entry for newly installed systems to the existing boot menu.

So if you start with XP installed and working normally, you then could install Fedora in the usual way. The default boot loader arrangement of Fedora will install GRUB in the master boot record and (usually) add XP to the boot menu. That would satisfy your desire for Fedora to be the main system whose boot loader boots other systems.

When those two are booting and working, then install the second Linux but don't allow its installer to install its boot loader in the master boot record. Choose the option to install its boot loader in its own boot (or root) partition. Then reboot Fedora and add the new Linux to the Fedora boot menu in one of the usual ways.

This is one idea, anyway.

[UncleTed420]

I haven't tried it yet. Still have a few questions.

Which is the best bootloader to use?

In which order should I do the installs?

Best way to set partitions?

Do I set each partition up during the first OS install or do I set the partitions up for each OS as I'm installing the OS?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[nonamedotc]

Ah - glad to see someone else doing the same thing that I have done in the past. Here are few suggestions based on my experience.

Which is the best bootloader to use?

I have preferred to use Fedora. openSUSE did not like Fedora so much and I had to dance around to add Fedora to the bootloader (meaning - manually add it). It had no problems detecting windows though. (Anyone know why?).

Chainloading might be a better idea too in the triple boot setup ==> stoat has mentioned that above


In which order should I do the installs?


My recommendation would be Windows --> openSUSE --> Fedora.


Best way to set partitions?

Do I set each partition up during the first OS install or do I set the partitions up for each OS as I'm installing the OS?


There is probably no "best way". Depending on which OS you see yourself using the most, you would want to decide the partition scheme. Mine was as follows

/dev/sda1 Windows
/dev/sda2 opensuse /
/dev/sda3 common swap
/dev/sda5 fedora /
/dev/sda6 fedora /home

Hope this helps.

[UncleTed420]

Awesome, thank you for the tips, bout to give it a shot and will post results later.

Most likely Fedora will be my primary OS, with Windows coming in just for some software I can't let go of just yet and a handful of games. openSUSE is going to be to learn on. A friend of mine who is a programmer told me that if I really wanted to learn Linux, that was one of the best distro's to do it on. So, I figured, what the hell, and decided to give it a shot.

[UncleTed420]

Hey eveyone,

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days, everything is setup and seems to be working.


@ nonamedotc: Followed your advice and set everything up like you recommended and it works like a champ.

So far haven't had any issues with anything, if something does happen, I will post, lol.