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| Thread ID: 46808 | 2004-07-06 06:08:00 | Where to put bootloader installing Linux? | jcr1 (893) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 250208 | 2004-07-06 06:08:00 | I believe that the MBR is always associated with the beginning of the first HDD. If that is the case, then Lilo, Grub or whatever should always be installed on the c drive (assuming that is master; say Hda 1or2 etc). If it is desired that Linux should be installed on a linux partition on a slave drive (say Hdb 1 or 2 etc.). Am I correct with this principal? Just to explain my system, currently; 20 gig master, partitioned into a c: 15 gig drive NTFS and a d: 5 gig drive FAT32 (goodness only knows why). Slave drive is 30 gig NTFS and called g: . I'm currently running Win XP Pro. Just contemplating partitioning g: drive for Linux. |
jcr1 (893) | ||
| 250209 | 2004-07-06 06:27:00 | I havent been able to make 100% sense from that post, but I'll try anyways: Install the Linux boot loader (be it grub or lilo) into the MBR. It will then install nicely and pick up the Windows installations automatically for you and set them up to boot from the Linux boot loader, regardless of where you put Linux or Windows. Hope this helps Chill. |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 250210 | 2004-07-06 06:29:00 | Regardless of what partition/drive you have Linux installed on, if you wish to use a boot loader eg LILO or GRUB, it will need to write to the MBR. This should be done automatically when selecting the option of using a boot loader during the installation process. If you don't wish to change your MBR, you can create a boot floppy disk after the installation (and before it is rebooted) from which you can use to boot into your Linux partition each time. |
Jen C (20) | ||
| 250211 | 2004-07-06 06:47:00 | Hi jcr1, If you are purely wanting to have a play with linux, as your post suggests, you would be far better to follow Jen C's advise and use a boot floppy rather than altering your MBR. The main problem with putting a boot loader in the MBR is getting rid of it if you decide that you don't want to play with linux any more ;) Having a FAT32 partition is actually quite handy if you want to swap files between the linux distro and the Windows XP. Writing to an NTFS partition can sometimes work and then next time it can corrupt the file :D You will also find that Windows won't recognise the linux partitions at all. Have fun with the penguin :) |
Gorela (901) | ||
| 250212 | 2004-07-06 07:11:00 | Thanks Gorela, (Also thanks Jen C & chill, helped clarify things for me . Actually after I put the post up I looked at it and thought "that's a bit woolly" . ) . You're right, getting rid of a boot loader if you get tired of Linux is a bit of a problem - I've been there before . Up till about 10 months ago I used to play around with Linux a fair bit,I always used to run Linux, generally Libranet, on my old laptop but since I bought a new laptop with XP Pro and got into wireless networking and wireless internet etc . etc . I've had enough to play with in my spare time . Anyway, I found it kinda fun, particularly doing the odd thing at the command line and I liked the way it was structured plus I find the concept of "Open Source" pretty compelling . I think it's probably time I got back into it . Only this time on my PC , the one I described . Does anyone use the "Rute Tutorials"? |
jcr1 (893) | ||
| 250213 | 2004-07-06 07:54:00 | Personally I haven't used/read rute (www.icon.co.za) but it definitely looks like it would be very worthwhile :) Thanks for the pointer :) |
Gorela (901) | ||
| 250214 | 2004-07-06 08:12:00 | lilo or grub can also be installed on the linux /boot partition allowing a thrid party boot manager such a XOSL or NT based MS Windows boot.ini. | mark.p (383) | ||
| 250215 | 2004-07-06 14:20:00 | Xandros places a loader on the MBR & its home partition. This means that you can overwrite the MBR loader with a 3rd party one (Boot Magic) if you wish. My Dos is a bit rusty, but I have a feeling that you can restore the MBR by booting with a Windows floppy and making the command 'fdisk /mbr' |
Mzee (158) | ||
| 250216 | 2004-07-08 02:40:00 | RUTE is very good. It's a real dead-tree book too. I notice that Mandrake 9.2 has a .rpm called rute (which is probably this). Another very useful online "book" is the "Linux Cookbook". You can download it from the LDP. fdisk /mbr has worked for me many times. But I haven't done it with an XP disk. I haven't got an XP disk. :D However, there is a Recovery Console on the XP CD which will restore the MBR. |
Graham L (2) | ||
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