Arch Linux

limpio

Member

Registered: 2005-12-31

Posts: 52

Booting from second hd

Hi all, i got debian on the first drive (hda) on the MBR. I want to install archlinux on the slave hd (hdd), should i install grub on the MBR also? Will this fly?

If i skip installing Grub and edit my sources.list on the first hd, will it boot the second hd? The thing is i don't know what to put there.

Here's my hda menu.lst:

title           Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-3-686
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-3-686 root=/dev/hda1 ro noapic nolapic bootkbd=es
initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-3-686
savedefault

Would something like this work?
Example:

title          Arch Linux
root           (hd1,0)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-<whatever> earlymodules=piix
initrd           /boot/initrd.img-<kernel>

Or should install grub on the second hd on the MBR too?

Mr Green

Forum Fellow

From: U.K.

Registered: 2003-12-21

Posts: 5,899

Website

Re: Booting from second hd

I think adding to menu.lst will work ... no need to put grub on mbr of second drive

Yes ignore install of grub/lilo during installation 

kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 earlymodules=piix
initrd /boot/kernel26.img  unless you have separate /boot

If all else fails you can still boot into Debian

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Mr Green

limpio

Member

Registered: 2005-12-31

Posts: 52

Re: Booting from second hd

initrd /boot/kernel26.img  unless you have separate /boot

IOW, when i install Arch, do the partioning manually without /boot? I got grub in the MBR in Debian. Just wanna make sure i don't screw up.

Mr Green

Forum Fellow

From: U.K.

Registered: 2003-12-21

Posts: 5,899

Website

Re: Booting from second hd

well yes its up to you if you want /boot or not ... I use /boot myself personal choice

you can partition manually if you want just set mount points during install ...

but I would use cfdisk in installer [get the right drive lol] but again that up to you

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Mr Green

wrythe

Member

From: Seattle, WA

Registered: 2006-08-15

Posts: 80

Re: Booting from second hd

When you install Arch, just make sure you install GRUB in the MBR of the correct hard drive. Or you can just edit the menu.lst of your Debian install. I have a few distros on different hard drives and like them all to have their own GRUB install.. don't ask me why. Most motherboards have a boot or BBS option (like hitting F8 or something similar during post, depending on your BIOS) that will allow you to choose which hard drive to boot to from there.

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psearch - manipulate and refine pacman searches

wantamad

Member

Registered: 2007-01-18

Posts: 42

Re: Booting from second hd

yea just edit the menu.lst of your primary os. or your could always make a grub bootdisk just to boot arch. either ways that should work