adding second hard disk for dual boot

tscheez · #1 3rd June 2009, 05:05 PM

I have an existing F8 install and want to see about moving to F11. There are a few things that I can't get working just yet (vmware workstation for one) so I want my F8 install as a fallback while I'm working on the setup for F11. What I ended up doing was adding a third HD and installed F11 on it. Now I have F11 booting and mounting the old partitions for /home, etc from my old drives which works great. What I would like to do is set up grub on my F11 boot partition to be able to boot F8 as well. I just can't seem to figure out how to do it.

currently my set up is like this:

/dev/sda = F11 (using LVM)

/dev/sdb = F8 (boot is /dev/sdb2)

*********F11 grub.conf ******************

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sdb
default=0
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora 11 (2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root rhgb quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64.img
title Fedora 11 (2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root rhgb quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64.img

*************F8 grub.conf********************

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda5
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora 8 (2.6.26.8-57.fc8)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.26.8-57.fc8 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet vga=791
        initrd /initrd-2.6.26.8-57.fc8.img
title Fedora (2.6.26.6-49.fc8)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.26.6-49.fc8 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet vga=791
        initrd /initrd-2.6.26.6-49.fc8.img

If i go in to the BIOS and turn /dev/sda off, F8 will boot normally, i just want to pick it from the bootloader instead of going in to bios every time.

I've tried the configfile option in grub.conf, but i can't seem to get it to work correctly.

Any suggestions?

Johnny Utah · #2 3rd June 2009, 05:22 PM

This is somewhat of a guess, but you could try appending this to your /boot/grub/menu.lst on your f11 installation:

Code:

title Fedora 8 (2.6.26.8-57.fc8)
        root (hd1,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.26.8-57.fc8 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet vga=791
        initrd /initrd-2.6.26.8-57.fc8.img

woelfman10 · #3 3rd June 2009, 05:43 PM

Johnny_Utah's solution looks like it would work to directly call the desired kernel, but if you upgrade your F8 kernel you'll have to manually update your F11 grub.

I would set the F11 grub to include the F8 grub as a boot option.

Change the F8 grub to be hd1.

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda5
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora 8 (2.6.26.8-57.fc8)
        root (hd1,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.26.8-57.fc8 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet vga=791
        initrd /initrd-2.6.26.8-57.fc8.img
title Fedora (2.6.26.6-49.fc8)
        root (hd1,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.26.6-49.fc8 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet vga=791
        initrd /initrd-2.6.26.6-49.fc8.img

Now make the F11 grub point to the F8 grub.

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sdb
default=0
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora 11 (2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root rhgb quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64.img
title Fedora 11 (2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root rhgb quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64.img
title Fedora 8
        root (hd1,0)
        chainloader +1

You will need the F11 disk to be the first boot hdd. If you want to boot F8 you'll have to go through two grub screens (F11 then F8), but you'll have all the F8 kernels as boot options.

Johnny Utah · #4 3rd June 2009, 09:08 PM

Yeah, woelfman10's solution is more practical than mine.

***glennzo*** · #5 4th June 2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woelfman10

Johnny_Utah's solution looks like it would work to directly call the desired kernel, but if you upgrade your F8 kernel you'll have to manually update your F11 grub.

I would set the F11 grub to include the F8 grub as a boot option.

Change the F8 grub to be hd1.

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda5
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora 8 (2.6.26.8-57.fc8)
        root (hd1,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.26.8-57.fc8 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet vga=791
        initrd /initrd-2.6.26.8-57.fc8.img
title Fedora (2.6.26.6-49.fc8)
        root (hd1,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.26.6-49.fc8 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet vga=791
        initrd /initrd-2.6.26.6-49.fc8.img

Now make the F11 grub point to the F8 grub.

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sdb
default=0
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora 11 (2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root rhgb quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64.img
title Fedora 11 (2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root rhgb quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64.img
title Fedora 8
        root (hd1,0)
        chainloader +1

You will need the F11 disk to be the first boot hdd. If you want to boot F8 you'll have to go through two grub screens (F11 then F8), but you'll have all the F8 kernels as boot options.

You can use configfile in the menu for the last Fedora installed and point it to /boot/grub/menu.lst for the other installs. If you change the other menu.lst files to timeout=0 you won't see the second menu.

leigh123linux · #6 4th June 2009, 07:07 PM

I have four harddrives, here's my grub.conf .

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You do not have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
#          root (hd4,0)
#          kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sdd1
#          initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=10
chaintimeout=5
splashimage=(hd3,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.27.19-170.2.35.fc10.i686)
    root (hd3,0)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.19-170.2.35.fc10.i686 ro root=UUID=06929935-9850-4558-ab9a-f737f129e3db rhgb quiet vga=0x318
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.27.19-170.2.35.fc10.i686.img
title Fedora (2.6.27.12-170.2.5.fc10.i686)
    root (hd3,0)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.12-170.2.5.fc10.i686 ro root=UUID=06929935-9850-4558-ab9a-f737f129e3db rhgb quiet vga=0x318
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.27.12-170.2.5.fc10.i686.img
title Fedora (2.6.27.9-159.fc10.i686)
    root (hd3,0)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.9-159.fc10.i686 ro root=UUID=06929935-9850-4558-ab9a-f737f129e3db rhgb quiet vga=0x318
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.27.9-159.fc10.i686.img
title Fedora 10 x86_64 Raptor
        configfile (hd3,1)/boot/grub/grub.conf
title Fedora 11 x86_64 Raptor
        configfile (hd3,2)/boot/grub/menu.lst
title Fedora 9 i386
        configfile (hd2,1)/boot/grub/grub.conf
title Fedora 9 x86_64 server
        configfile (hd0,1)/boot/grub/grub.conf
title Fedora 12 Rawhide x86_64
        configfile (hd1,0)/boot/grub/grub.conf
title Fedora 11 i386
        configfile (hd1,1)/boot/grub/grub.conf

tscheez · #7 10th June 2009, 02:14 PM

hmm. what's weird is that i'm getting an error when i try to do that. No matter if I try using the chainloader or directly reference the kernel / initrd

"Error 13: Invalid or unsupported executable format"

PoppaMurph · #8 10th June 2009, 02:43 PM

Try remarking (#) or removing chainloader all together. worked for me on my dual boot. See my thread.... http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=222934

aaccdd · #9 10th June 2009, 03:08 PM

you may try leigh123linux's method.

tscheez · #10 10th June 2009, 03:58 PM

ok, so i've tried all the method's mentioned (other drive is actually /dev/sdc instead of /dev/sdb so it should be hd2,0 if i'm trying to boot off of /dev/sdc1 right?)

Code:

 
#grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sdb
default=0
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora 11 (2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root rhgb quiet nomodset vga=791
        initrd /initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64.img
title Fedora 11 (2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_roc5083f11-lv_root rhgb quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.29.1-102.fc11.x86_64.img
title Fedora 8 chainloader
        root (hd2,0)
        chainloader +1
title Fedora 8 no chainloader
        root (hd2,0)
title Fedora 8 Config path
        configfile (hd2,0)/boot/grub/grub.conf

with chainloader i get the error 13, without it i get back to the list of options for boot and with the config file method i get a file not found message.

aaccdd · #11 10th June 2009, 04:12 PM

you'd better find out in BIOS which harddisk goes first, maybe hdX get wrong number.

tscheez · #12 10th June 2009, 06:07 PM

while on the grub screen, i've edited the boot options and tried hd1,0 instead and still get the same results. I know hd0,0 is the disk with F11 on it so it can't be that one. so if it is either /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc one of hd1 or hd2 should work.