Can I install both Fedora and CentOS on a Netbook?

markw10 · #1 31st March 2009, 11:19 AM

I want to be able to use both Fedora and CentOS and have a MSI Wind Netbook that I can install a distro on. Since I want to be able to use both is it possible to make a dual boot system?
This netbook has a 160GB hard drive and I've heard of Grub. I am very new to Linux though but is there an easy way to set up some type of dual boot system that would prompt me at bootup and ask me if I want to boot into Fedora or into CentOS?
I would want both systems stored on a separate partition, 80GB each.

***glennzo*** · #2 31st March 2009, 11:31 AM

Make the 2 partitions, install one and then install the other. The second distro that you install, regardless of whether its Fedora or CentOS, should add the other distro to the boot loader. Should be just that simple. If it doesn't work out that way we can get you fixed up.

markw10 · #3 4th April 2009, 11:22 PM

I installed Fedora 10 on my system and then put the CentOS DVD in to install. I got to the screen where it says:
Installation requires partitioning of your hard drive. By default, a partitioning layout is chosen which is reasonable for most users. You can either choose to use this or create your own. I have the following options:

Remove all partitions on selected drives and create default layout
Remove linux partitions on selected drives and create default layout
Use free space on selected drives and create default layout
Create custom layout

I assume the two first options would not work but when I tried the option, Use Free Space on selected drivers and create default layout it said:

Could not allocate requested partitions: Partitioning failed: Could not allocate partitions as primary partitions. Not enough space left to create partition for /boot.

I then selected Create Custom Layout:

It gave me an option at the bottom saying "Advanced Storage Configuration" which then had an option where I could modified the drive configuration and add a iSCSI target. I assume I don't use this.

If I selected Next I have the screen where I can select my hard drive but I don't know what to do next. In the window at the bottom it has:
LVM Volume Gropus
Vol Group00
LogVol00 ext3
LogVol01 swap

Hard Drives
/dev/sda
/dev/sda1 ext3
/dev/sda2 VolGroup 00 LVM PV
/dev/sdb
/dev/sdb1 vfat

When I installed Fedora I did the basic install which if I'm correct should have installed it using 3 partitions, swap, root, and a data partition. I'm just new to this but want to install it so that at bootup via Grub or another way I can choose to boot into Fedora or CentOS and I'm not sure what to do at this point.
Should I do some type of partitioning of the hard drive before installing both Fedora and CentOS or is it best to do as I did, install Fedora and then CentOS after?
I appreciate help with this. Thanks!

***glennzo*** · #4 4th April 2009, 11:34 PM

I usually make the empty partitions before I install anything. Doesn't make it right but that's what I do. I take a few minutes and plan out what OS's I'm installing and how much space I want to give each. Then I do the math and make the partitions. What does su -c '/sbin/fdisk -l' show now?

scottro · #5 5th April 2009, 12:17 AM

See my CentOS wiki article on the Acer Aspire One. It gives details of how to do it. Definitely install Fedora first.

I'm not sure of the hardware on the MSI Wind--CentOS 5.3 doesn't have the same issues that I had in the wiki article, with the R8169, but I have no idea what the Wind is using.
If you have one with an N wireless card, you're probably out of luck at the moment--the N drivers won't build on that kernel.

Anyway, the wiki article goes through the whole easiest way to do it, IMNSHO.

http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/Laptops/Acer/Aspire-One

scottro · #6 5th April 2009, 12:19 AM

Oops, forgot to mention--known and documented bug in 5.3. If you're installing by booting from a USB drive, pull out the drive as soon as Anaconda starts (this is a CentOS problem, not Fedora--RH hasn't documented it yet, perhaps none of their developers boot from USB).

http://wiki.centos.org/Manuals/Relea...e42e0daf82282b

(The second from the bottom, I think, about booting from USB).

markw10 · #7 5th April 2009, 04:39 AM

I will take a look at the wiki and already printed it out. Thanks for the help. Is Grub installed in the MBR by default or is that something I have to select on install?

#8 5th April 2009, 04:53 AM

Grub is installed by default when you install fedora unless you choose a different boot loader

scottro · #9 5th April 2009, 05:20 AM

Grub goes into the MBR by default. My personal preference is to do that with the first installation, e.g. Fedora, then with CentOS, when it gets to grub, choose the advanced options, and choose to install in first partition of the system, e.g., sda3 or 4 or whatever your CentOS partition is.
(This also holds for Ubuntu or whatever--they should all give an option, which will be a bit unclear, as the install will just say advanced when you get to installing grub).

Then, you add each one to Fedora's grub with say,

title CentOS
rootnoverify (hd0,3)
chainloader +1

Oops, forgot one thing that I should add to that wiki article. If booting the CentOS install from a USB stick, pull the stick out as soon as Anaconda starts. Known bug, if you don't, it will screw up the grub entry, saying it's on sdb rather than sda.

http://wiki.centos.org/Manuals/Relea...e42e0daf82282b

(It's the second to last known issue).