arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

freak07 · 2015-05-10 09:55:41

I have installed arch linux in uefi mode and i want to install another linux os(oracle linux is not booting in uefi mode) in bios mode in another partition.Do i need to make another partition for bios?

Mr.Elendig · 2015-05-10 11:03:44

You would have to enable/disable compability mode every time you wanted to reboot to the other os. I would go and get oracle linux fixed instead so that it can boot in uefi mode.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-05-10 13:49:31

@OP: If you are using gummiboot then you can just copy over the kernel image & initrd from Oracle to the EFI system partition and make a menu entry for it to get it to boot in EFI-mode; if you do this you will have to copy them over again every time the kernel is updated in Oracle.

If you don't want to do this and you have a GPT disk, you will need a BIOS boot partition (type "EF02" in gdisk, I use sectors 34-2047, no filesystem needed) to hold the GRUB bootloader in a non-EFI system.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think GRUB (in your Arch system) may provide a menu entry for Oracle if you run `grub-mkconfig` from Arch after installing Oracle even if it is installed in non-EFI mode (tell the Oracle installer not to install a bootloader if you want to try this).

freak07 · 2015-05-10 16:03:06

i have GPT disk and i created a 100mb bios boot partition for oracle linux, at the end of installation getting error(bootloader not installed) and now arch also not showing up in boot options, i think i need to reinstall arch bootloader.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-05-10 16:25:07

freak07 wrote:

i created a 100mb bios boot partition for oracle linux

How did you create it?

Did you make a filesystem on the partition?

Do you actually have a GPT disk?

It only needs to be ~1MiB in size.

Sometimes, non-EFI mode will not work at all on a GPT disk.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GU … OS_systems

And yes, you have to re-install your Arch bootloader -- when you do, GRUB (if you are using that) may pick up the Oracle system and provide a menu entry for it (make sure you install os-prober before running `grub-mkconfig`).

We really could do with more informative posts -- I don't even know if you have a GPT or MBR disk or what boot loader/manager you are using...
http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't read your post properly.

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2015-05-10 16:25:54)

freak07 · 2015-05-10 16:28:38

previously i had installed gummiboot, now can i install grub?

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-05-10 16:33:14

freak07 wrote:

previously i had installed gummiboot, now can i install grub?

If you have gummiboot then try copying over the Oracle kernel image & initrd to your Arch EFI system partition (ie, /boot) and make a menu entry for them -- it's probably best to use a /boot/oracle subdirectory (call the path relative to the ESP in oracle.conf).
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Gu … ot_entries

As I said, if this method works you will have to remember to copy over the new kernel image & initrd again whenever the kernel is updated in Oracle.

EDIT: It would be nice if you actually answered my questions...

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2015-05-10 16:33:52)

freak07 · 2015-05-10 16:39:39

but oracle linux doesn't support uefi then what makes it to copy oracle kernel image to arch efi system partition?

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-05-10 16:52:36

freak07 wrote:

but oracle linux doesn't support uefi then what makes it to copy oracle kernel image to arch efi system partition?

*You* do...

Actually, thinking about this some more that won't work unless the Oracle kernel has "CONFIG_EFI_STUB" enabled and it probably doesn't

Answer my questions about your BIOS boot partition please (post #5).

You could try using GRUB in Arch instead -- I seem to remember having success booting CrunchBang in EFI mode by using GRUB(EFI) from a different system.

Arch Linux

#1 2015-05-10 09:55:41

arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

#2 2015-05-10 11:03:44

Re: arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

#3 2015-05-10 13:49:31

Re: arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

#4 2015-05-10 16:03:06

Re: arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

#5 2015-05-10 16:25:07

Re: arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

#6 2015-05-10 16:28:38

Re: arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

#7 2015-05-10 16:33:14

Re: arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

#8 2015-05-10 16:39:39

Re: arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

#9 2015-05-10 16:52:36

Re: arch linux and oracle linux dual boot

Board footer