Dual booting arch and ubuntu

MONODA · 2008-02-09 11:14:20

HI This is my first post in the Archlinux forum. I downloaded Archlinux because "The Archlinux way" appealed to me quite much. I already have ubuntu installed and have had it installed for quite sometime exclusively. What I would like to do is install Arch linux and be able to select it from the grub menu. How can I do this? thanks in advance.:)

ichbinesderelch · 2008-02-09 11:26:12

you could just simply install archlinux and use "archlinux" grub, you just need to copy the menu list entries from the ubuntu partition to the grub menu, or in the arch installation skip installing the bootloader and add the boot entry to the grub menu.lst, what would like:

# (0) Arch Linux
title Arch Linux
root (hd0,3) <-- here you need to change the hdd, hd0.3 is the 4 partition on first hdd, grub starts couting form 0
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda4 ro <-- this should be the adress of the boot partition, for me its sda4, should be easy to find out for you as well
initrd /boot/kernel26.img

Last edited by ichbinesderelch (2008-02-09 11:27:00)

MONODA · 2008-02-09 11:40:31

Thanks for the quick reply:) It helped a lot but what I need to know two other things now. At the top of Arch grub it says:

Linux                                Grub
---------------------------------------------------------
         /dev/fd0                             (fd0)
         /dev/hda                            (hd0)
         /dev/hdb2                          (hd1,1)
         /dev/hda3                          (hd0,2)

what does each part of this mean? how can I tweak it for myself? Do I even have to edit this?
also I dont know the grub menu entries in my ubuntu, could anyone provide me with a template or something...
One last thing, is this all I will have to change in grub or is there more? thank you.

Jack B · 2008-02-09 13:04:32

Note that in the file those lines start with a #
In bash scripts, and in most config files, this indicates a comment, which is ignored by programs reading it. The table is there as a reference for you, telling you which Linux device maps to which grub device.

The menu file consists of several parts. Anything beginning with # is a comment, to provide information to a human editing the file. There are a lot at the top in the standard arch example.
Below that are some global configuration options, to set color, timeout, default OS etc.
Then some more comments
Then the actual menu entries, such as the one ichbinesderelch gave. You will need an entry for each operating system you have, and possibly more if you wish to use fallback kernels etc. They will appear at boot in the order they exist in the file.

HTH
Jack

Last edited by Jack B (2008-02-09 13:05:13)

arctica · 2008-02-09 13:10:07

MONODA wrote:

Linux                                Grub
---------------------------------------------------------
         /dev/fd0                             (fd0)
         /dev/hda                            (hd0)
         /dev/hdb2                          (hd1,1)
         /dev/hda3                          (hd0,2)

it 's only a example... grub only shows you the way that it understands computer partitions. for example, if your ubuntu partition is hdb2, in grub you have to type (hd1,1)

I don't have ubuntu, but I have debian in another old computer, if you want I will post my interesting lines. anywhere, the process is always the same on editing grub. you only have to find grub archive list in ubuntu, and only copy the interesting lines (kernel, initrd) on the right way

Last edited by arctica (2008-02-09 13:15:22)

MONODA · 2008-02-09 13:21:30

ok thanks a lot you guys. I am posting this from another ubuntu computer while on the other I try to install Arch Linux. Are the entries for grub all the same (except the hd number)? I mean the kernel and other stuff. on the computer I am posting from, this is the os list:

title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=f0e0f710-e606-45e5-ae80-0111f3086a35 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
quiet
title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=f0e0f710-e606-45e5-ae80-0111f3086a35 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
title Ubuntu 7.10, memtest86+
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

could I just put that in my arch grub(and change the hd numbers) and everything would work? thanks

MONODA · 2008-02-09 13:39:57

ok well I did what I had said above because I couldnt wait any longer (patience I know LOL) but when I restarted, I got my old ubuntu bootloader without the archlinux ones listed... how can I fix this?

MONODA · 2008-02-09 13:43:34

*HI5!!!* I got arch linux to work thanx for the help guys ill look throught the wiki to find out how to install a de

tigrmesh · 2008-02-09 16:17:51

Warning: your Ubuntu partition will no longer boot until you do the following:

open the Ubuntu fstab file*. Replace the UUID=<whatever> for your Arch partition with /dev/sd (or hd - your Arch fstab file will have the correct one) and your Arch partition number.

It seems that the installation process changes the uuid. If you want to use a uuid instead of the device #, follow these instructions http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Per … ice_naming.

* Go into /etc in your ubuntu partition (you can access it from the gnome places menu, otherwise it may be mounted under /media)

Last edited by tigrmesh (2008-02-09 16:18:18)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-02-09 11:14:20

Dual booting arch and ubuntu

#2 2008-02-09 11:26:12

Re: Dual booting arch and ubuntu

#3 2008-02-09 11:40:31

Re: Dual booting arch and ubuntu

#4 2008-02-09 13:04:32

Re: Dual booting arch and ubuntu

#5 2008-02-09 13:10:07

Re: Dual booting arch and ubuntu

#6 2008-02-09 13:21:30

Re: Dual booting arch and ubuntu

#7 2008-02-09 13:39:57

Re: Dual booting arch and ubuntu

#8 2008-02-09 13:43:34

Re: Dual booting arch and ubuntu

#9 2008-02-09 16:17:51

Re: Dual booting arch and ubuntu

Board footer