linux

[kronoSX]

Ok i have 3 hdd.One has xp and another has vista,THey dual boot.
Now the 3rd hdd i wanna put linux on but.What is my main concern for this triple boot to work.

 

[rorz0r]

The default on most linux distributions is to install it's own boot loader (either LILO or GRUB) to the MBR (master boot record, the first place the pc looks when it boots). It should detect vista and xp when you install it and present them as options in the boot loader.

 

[kronoSX]

I dont see the linux option,I only see xp and vista at the moment.
So all in all
my pc is off now,Do i put the linux cd in and boot from cd,Is this not easy as everything gets done for me,Is this not true.

 

[kronoSX]

Must i now make a partition on this new hdd and install the boot loader there.
My system is very sensitive.I tried this like 3 months ago and no luck.
Ok if i boot from cd then linux will be installed on the 3rd hdd( it will ask me where to put the install files).
my problem is i would then have to fix the vista boot and xp boot,right or am i wrong.Is there not a easy way.
If this is the way let me know.
I am really dumb,very dumb when it comes to linux.THe last time i saw linux work properly was in 2004.

 

[Skeptik]

Be very careful. Grub seems to take over. You may not be able to boot into windows at all so keep a backup. This is a warning based on my experience with Ubuntu Gutsy.

 

[kronoSX]

I have mandriva one 2007 beta 2.I will make another iso cd and load that,Is this ok.
Or like in vista make a partition on the vista hdd and select shrink,Then use this partition like 10gig..example like here.... http://apcmag.com/5046/how_to_dual_boot_vista_with_linux_vista_installed_first

but they only say for a single hdd,I have 3 and a triple boot is what i want right now

 

[flarkit]

I recommend Ubuntu or a distro based on Ubuntu (PCLinuxOS and Linux Mint are very friendly).

Usually, when installing Linux, it changes the Master Boot Record (MBR) of the default boot-partition (I assume either Vista or XP). It then adds entries to a boot-menu (it uses either LILO or GRUB) so that you can choose either XP, Vista or Linux. This works well enough, except for 1 small niggle: if you should remove the Linux HDD, or wipe that disk, then you'd need to restore the MBR using your XP or Vista disk, so that it boots as before.

If you want to keep the 2 Windows HDD's unchanged and be able to select either of those or Linux from a boot-menu, you'll need to do some fiddling.

- Remove the 2 Windows disks (for now)
- Change the boot-configs so that your PC boots from CD
- Install Linux on the 3rd disk
- Once that's working, it should present the Grub (or Lilo) boot menu and you can log into Linux.
- Shut down the PC and reconnect the 2 Windows disks and boot into Linux (you won't have menu options for Windows yet)
- Edit the file /boot/grub/menu.lst in Linux, adding entries for the XP and Vista OS's. This can be a slightly confusing step, since you need to know which devices and partitions contain those OS's. I can post my menu.lst file this afternoon from home.

Ensure that you backup the default file!

There are many guides for identifying the correct partition info in Linux, just do a little Googling