How to install and boot 145 operating systems in a PC - Page 3


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Thread: How to install and boot 145 operating systems in a PC

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    薛一琦 ,

    Welcome to JustLinux.

    I hope you would excuse me not replying your question in Chinese. Possibly because 3 out of the 145 systems were "sourced" from China I notice the current thread has been translated into Chinese in one of the web site.

    Yes the installations did take time but since Linux can be moved from partition to partition and hard disk to hard disk so a system once installed takes no more time.

    At the later stage I started to install the iso file directly from the hard disk and the fast time I clocked is 6 minutes for installing Sidux. A modern Linux generally takes less than 15 minutes to install.

    I do hellp others on booting problems. The large number generally covers whatever systems a member would have so it is reassuring to him/her that at least "one" solution is readily available.

    The threads does have some unusual features, like having a Grub manual before installing the systems, there is no operating system controlling the Grub in the MBR (so every system can alter it), that every system is booted identically regardless of operation type, etc.

    At a personal level finding a way to write a "howto" install and boot 145 systems and able to keep it even simpler than installing 2 or 3 systems is not easy. Also as a Linux users, and a beliver in the principle in open source, trying out distros from 39 countries is an experience, especially dealing with a foreign installer. I survived only by the common knowledge I have in Linux and after installation to alter the language and keyboard back to English and UK. Thus the time I spent has been worthwile to me, especially for the appreciation of Linux as an international operating system. It is one of the rare things in life the people in different countries and in different religions can work together and have something in common and in agreement.
    Last edited by saikee; 09-19-2007 at 05:21 AM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    In view of the number of readers interested in the Grub menu of booting 145 systems I now post my current nested system of 5 Grub menus (spread into Post #32, #33 & #34 due to a maximum of 2000 characters permitted in each post). The original one long menu.lst in Post #1 has been superseded since.

    1. menu.lst is the master menu that boots up 4 submenus for "Frequently used", "Dos/Windows only", "Linux only" and "Solaris/BSD only".
    2. menuFreq.lst contains Linux I frequently use
    3. menuWin.lst contains booting entries of 2 Dos and 5 Windows (Dos 7.10 temporarily dropped)
    4. menulin.lst contains all the Linux
    5. menuBSD.lst contains one Solaris and 2 BSD systems


    A Grub menu is just a text file that every PC user can create for himself/herself. It should be apparent that more menus can be introduced if desired, like breaking the booting chices into Red Hat famiy, Debian family, Slackware family etc.

    Since the publication of the current thread 9 months ago I have since move Vista from hdc3 to hdc1 when upgrading the disk to 500Gb. Thus the displaced Dos 7.10 cannot be installed into the vacanted hdc3 because hdc1 is now 28Gb and Dos 7.10 in a fat16 partition is unable to address beyond 2Gb in a hard disk.

    In order to add BSD and Solaris I have added another Pata hard disk hdd which also has 63 partitions. The 4th being the extended partition and so hdd1, hdd2 and hdd3 have been used for installing Solaris 10, PCBSD and FreeBSD. This 5th disk is partially filled with another 23 Linux systems. Thus the total number of bootable systems in the box is about 165.

    I have mentioned a few times that BSD and Solaris when co-existing with Linux in extended partition can cause conflicts. Yoiu can see in Post #34 the hard disk hdd, between partition hdd2 and hdd2, an error message has been reported for this type of corruption problem which currently does not stop the operation of the systems. A few veteran Solaris users have indicated the corruption in the partition table does not necessarily harm either the Solaris or the Linux systems. However a hard disk such such error/conflict can become incresingly difficult to handle with time.

    Every time I boot a BSD or a Solaris system I hide the entire extended partition to avoid conflicts. The arrangement is detailed in my nested Grub menus. When I boot the Linux I hide the BSD and Solaris partitions and unhide the extended partition.

    Since kernel 2.6.20 and newer cease to support Pata disk names I find it increasingly difficult to add new Linux to this PC because the installer cannot cope with a hard disk with more than 15 partitions.

    Anyway for those interested here are my Grub menu systems.

    (1) Master menu.lst
    Code:
    color black/green yellow/cyan
    title This is the Master menu controlling all systems
    boot
    
    title        Frequently used
    unhide       (hd0,3)
    unhide       (hd1,3)
    unhide       (hd2,3)
    #unhide       (hd3,3)
    #unhide       (hd4,3)
    unhide       (hd2,0)  #Solaris unhide=hide
    hide         (hd2,1)
    hide         (hd2,2) 
    root         (hd0,2) #(hd0,2)
    configfile   /boot/grub/menufreq.lst
    
    title        Dos/Windows-only sub-menu
    root         (hd0,2) #(hd0,2)
    configfile   /boot/grub/menuwin.lst
    
    title        Linux-only sub-menu
    unhide       (hd0,3)
    unhide       (hd1,3)
    unhide       (hd2,3)
    #unhide       (hd3,3)
    #unhide       (hd4,3)
    unhide       (hd2,0)  #Solaris unhide=hide
    hide         (hd2,1)
    hide         (hd2,2) 
    root         (hd0,2) #(hd0,2)
    configfile   /boot/grub/menulin.lst
    
    title        BSD-only sub-menu
    hide         (hd0,3)
    hide         (hd1,3)
    hide         (hd2,3)
    #hide         (hd3,3)
    #hide         (hd4,3)
    configfile   /boot/grub/menubsd.lst
    
    title        floppy on (fd0)
    rootnoverify (fd0)
    chainloader  (fd0)+1
    
    title Super MS-DOS 7.10 Boot Disk (requires Dos 7.10 floppy in the drive)
    root (fd0)
    chainloader /boot/msdos.bs
    
    title        Boot from CD Drive (requires Dos 7.10 floppy in the drive)
    root (fd0)
    chainloader  /boot/cdboot.bs
    
    title        Power down computer
    halt
    The main ussage of this master menu are

    1. To break up the booting choices in to groups
    2. To hide the Solaris and BSD partitions while running Linux and vice versa (to avoid partition table corruption)

    (2) Frequently used Linux menuFreq.lst
    Code:
    color red/brown black/light-gray
    
    title This is the frequently use Linux booting menu
    boot
    
    title        Return to Master menu
    root         (hd0,2)
    configfile   /boot/grub/menu.lst
    
    title        Puppy 1.0.6 @ hda6
    root         (hd0,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        PCLinuxos 0.92 @ hda40
    root         (hd0,39)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 10 @ hda43
    root         (hd0,42)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Foresight 0.93 @ hda47
    root         (hd0,46)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Klax 3.5 @ hda50
    root         (hd0,49)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Whax 3.0 @ hda55
    root         (hd0,54)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Troppix 1.2 @ hda56
    root         (hd0,55)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slax 5.1.8 @ hda62
    root         (hd0,61)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sam 2006-1 @ hdc26
    root         (hd1,25)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kanotix 64 2005-4 @ hdc29
    root         (hd1,28)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Gentoo 2006.1 @ hdc40
    root         (hd1,39)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Underground 2.2 @ hdc42
    root         (hd1,41)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 7.04 @ hdc46
    root         (hd1,45)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandriva 2007 @ hdc48
    root         (hd1,47)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 6.06 @ hdc54
    root         (hd1,53)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Wolvix 1.0.5 @ hdc59
    root         (hd1,58)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Musix 0.39 @ sda3
    root         (hd3,2)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slackware 11 @ sdb12
    root         (hd4,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Knoppix 4.0.2 @ sdb13
    root         (hd4,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandriva 2006 0.4 @ sdb14
    root         (hd4,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 6 @ sdb15
    root         (hd4,14)
    chainloader  +1
    (3) Dos/Windows only menuWin.lst
    Code:
    color yellow/black yellow/light-gray
    title You are now booting from hda3 data-only partition
    boot
    
    title        Return to Master menu
    root         (hd0,2) #(hd0,2)
    configfile   /boot/grub/menu.lst
    
    title        DOS 6.22 (FAT16) @ hda1
    root         (hd0,0)
    unhide       (hd0,0)
    makeactive
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Win 3.11 @ hda2
    root         (hd0,1)
    hide         (hd0,0)
    unhide       (hd0,1)
    makeactive
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vista @ hdc1
    root         (hd1,0)
    hide         (hd0,0)
    hide         (hd0,1)
    hide         (hd0,2)
    unhide       (hd1,0)
    makeactive
    map          (hd1)       (hd0)
    map          (hd0)       (hd1)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Win98 @ hdc2
    root         (hd1,1)
    hide         (hd0,0)
    hide         (hd0,1)
    hide         (hd0,2)
    hide         (hd1,0)
    unhide       (hd1,1)
    makeactive
    map          (hd1)       (hd0)
    map          (hd0)       (hd1)
    chainloader  +1
    
    #title        Vista @ hdc3 (Has a problem with hdd inserted)
    # hdc3 currently not used 
    
    title        XP Pro @ sda1
    root         (hd3,0)
    hide         (hd0,0)
    hide         (hd0,1)
    hide         (hd0,2)
    hide         (hd1,0)
    hide         (hd1,1)
    hide         (hd1,2)
    unhide       (hd3,0)
    makeactive
    map          (hd3)       (hd0)
    map          (hd0)       (hd3)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Win 2k @ sdb1
    root         (hd4,0)
    hide         (hd0,0)
    hide         (hd0,1)
    hide         (hd0,2)
    hide         (hd1,0)
    hide         (hd1,1)
    hide         (hd1,2)
    hide         (hd2,0)
    hide         (hd2,13)  # need to hide data partition
    unhide       (hd4,0)
    hide         (hd4,1)
    makeactive
    map          (hd4)       (hd0)
    map          (hd0)       (hd4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        FreeDos @ sdb2
    root         (hd4,1)
    hide         (hd0,0)
    hide         (hd0,1)
    hide         (hd0,2)
    hide         (hd1,0)
    hide         (hd1,1)
    hide         (hd1,2)
    hide         (hd2,0)
    hide         (hd3,0)
    unhide       (hd4,1)
    makeactive
    map          (hd4)       (hd0)
    map          (hd0)       (hd4)
    chainloader  +1
    To be continued with the next post
    Last edited by saikee; 09-21-2007 at 08:46 PM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    Continue from previous post

    (4) Linux only menulin.lst
    Code:
    color purple/black red/light-gray
    title This is Linux only booting menu
    boot
    
    title        Return to Master menu
    root         (hd0,2)
    configfile   /boot/grub/menu.lst
    
    #hda3 is the data-only partition hosting Grub to boot all other systems
    
    #hda4 is the extended partition
    
    #hda5 is the common swap partition for all Linux
    
    title        Puppy 1.0.6 @ hda6
    root         (hd0,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Videolinux 2.0 @ hda7
    root         (hd0,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandrake 9.2 @ hda8
    root         (hd0,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Turbo Linux V7 @ hda9
    root         (hd0,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        elive 0.3 @ hda10
    root         (hd0,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Red Hat 9 @ hda11
    root         (hd0,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Lycoris 4 @ hda12
    root         (hd0,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Libranet 2.8.1 @ hda13
    root         (hd0,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandrake 10 @ hda14
    root         (hd0,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Debian Woody 3.0 @ hda15
    root         (hd0,14)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Yoper 2.0.0 @ hda16
    root         (hd0,15)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Knoppix 3.6 @ hda17
    root         (hd0,16)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Buffalo 1.5 @ hda18
    root         (hd0,17)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kanotix 9.2004 @ hda19
    root         (hd0,18)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kalango 3.2 @ hda20
    root         (hd0,19)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Blag 30001 @ hda21
    root         (hd0,20)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 4 @ hda22
    root         (hd0,21)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Debian Sarge @ hda23
    root         (hd0,22)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Red Flag 4.1 @ hda24
    root         (hd0,23)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Linare Ed 2 @ hda25
    root         (hd0,24)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Tiny Sofa 2.0 @ hda26
    root         (hd0,25)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slackware 10 @ hda27
    root         (hd0,26)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Xandros 201 @ hda28
    root         (hd0,27)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vine 3.2 @ hda29
    root         (hd0,28)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Specifix 0.15 @ hda30
    root         (hd0,29)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubunto 5.04 @ hda31
    root         (hd0,30)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        PCLinuxos 0.91 @ hda32
    root         (hd0,31)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Asian Linux 2.0 @ hda33
    root         (hd0,32)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 6.04 Dapper @ hda34
    root         (hd0,33)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Wolvix 1.0.4 @ hda35
    root         (hd0,34)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mepis 3.4.2 RC2 @ hda36
    root         (hd0,35)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        DreamLinux 1.0 @ hda37
    root         (hd0,36)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slampp 1.1 @ hda38
    root         (hd0,37)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slax 5.0.6 @ hda39
    root         (hd0,38)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        PCLinuxos 0.92 @ hda40
    root         (hd0,39)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Netsecl 2.0 @ hda41
    root         (hd0,40)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vector 5.1 @ hda42
    root         (hd0,41)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 10 @ hda43
    root         (hd0,42)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kororaa 2005 Beta 2 @ hda44
    root         (hd0,43)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        smgl 0.95 @ hda45
    root         (hd0,44)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Lunar 1.6 rc3  @ hda46
    root         (hd0,45)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Foresight 0.93 @ hda47
    root         (hd0,46)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        SkoleLinux Sarge @ hda48
    root         (hd0,47)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Nepalinux 1.0 @ hda49
    root         (hd0,48)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Klax 3.5 @ hda50
    root         (hd0,49)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        SciLinux 2005 @ hda51
    root         (hd0,50)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Progeny 2.0 @ hda52
    root         (hd0,51)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        grml 0.6 @ hda53
    root         (hd0,52)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Karamad 1.4.2 @ hda54
    root         (hd0,53)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Whax 3.0 @ hda55
    root         (hd0,54)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Troppix 1.2 @ hda56
    root         (hd0,55)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        TopologLinux 6.0 @ hda57
    root         (hd0,56)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Haansoft 2006 WS @ hda58
    root         (hd0,57)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 3 @ hda59
    root         (hd0,58)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        ScientificLinux 4.0 @ hda60
    root         (hd0,59)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slynux 2.0 @ hda61
    root         (hd0,60)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slax 5.1.8 @ hda62
    root         (hd0,61)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Elive 2 @ hda63
    root         (hd0,62)
    chainloader  +1
    
    
    #Starting point of another hard disk----------------------------
    
    
    #hdc4 is the extended partition
    
    title        B2D Pure KDE 2005 @ hdc5
    root         (hd1,4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        CollegeLInux @ hdc6
    root         (hd1,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Berry 0.76 @ hdc7
    root         (hd1,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Morphix 0.4 @ hdc8
    root         (hd1,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Feather 0.74 @ hdc9
    root         (hd1,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Buffalo 1.7.3.9 @ hdc10
    root         (hd1,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Cento 4.1 @ hdc11
    root         (hd1,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vector 4.3 @ hdc12
    root         (hd1,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Tao Linux 4 @ hdc13
    root         (hd1,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 2 @ hdc14
    root         (hd1,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Agnula Demudi 1.2 @ hdc15
    root         (hd1,14)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Damn Small Linux 2.1 @ hdc16
    root         (hd1,15)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Monoppix 1.1.8 @ hdc17
    root         (hd1,16)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sympony A4 beta @ hdc18
    root         (hd1,17)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Pocket Linux 1.2 @ hdc19
    root         (hd1,18)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        UltimaLInux 4.0 @ hdc20
    root         (hd1,19)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vlos 1.2 @ hdc21
    root         (hd1,20)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Tinny Sofa Ceara @ hdc22
    root         (hd1,21)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        64 Studio 0.6 @ hdc23
    root         (hd1,22)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        KateOS 2.2 @ hdc24
    root         (hd1,23)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Rubix 1.0 @ hdc25
    root         (hd1,24)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sam 2006-1 @ hdc26
    root         (hd1,25)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Parsix 0.85 @ hdc27
    root         (hd1,26)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Foxdesktop 1.0 @ hdc28
    root         (hd1,27)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kanotix 64 2005-4 @ hdc29
    root         (hd1,28)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Pardus 1.0 @ hdc30
    root         (hd1,29)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        rPath 0.99.2 @ hdc31
    root         (hd1,30)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Stx 1.0 rc2 @ hdc32
    root         (hd1,31)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Stux 0.9.2 @ hdc33
    root         (hd1,32)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        StartCom 4.0.4 Raam @ hdc34
    root         (hd1,33)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slackware 10.2 @ hdc35
    root         (hd1,34)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Foresight 0.9 @ hdc36
    root         (hd1,35)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Xandros 3.0 @ hdc37
    root         (hd1,36)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 5.10 @ hdc38
    root         (hd1,37)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kubuntu Dapper @ hdc39
    root         (hd1,38)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Gentoo 2006.1 @ hdc40
    root         (hd1,39)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        LinuxTLE 8.0 @ hdc41
    root         (hd1,40)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Underground 2.2 @ hdc42
    root         (hd1,41)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        DreamLinux 2.1 @ hdc43
    root         (hd1,42)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Linux Mint 2.1 @ hdc44
    root         (hd1,43)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Pioneer 1125 @ hdc45
    root         (hd1,44)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 7.04 @ hdc46
    root         (hd1,45)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Bayanihan 4 @ hdc47
    root         (hd1,46)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandriva 2007 @ hdc48
    root         (hd1,47)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Freespire 1.1.73 @ hdc49
    root         (hd1,48)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Caixa Majica 11 @ hdc50
    root         (hd1,49)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ehad 2006 classic @ hdc51
    root         (hd1,50)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vlos 1.3 @ hdc52
    root         (hd1,51)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Backtrack 2006-2 @ hdc53
    root         (hd1,52)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ubuntu 6.06 @ hdc54
    root         (hd1,53)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Blag 30002 @ hdc55
    root         (hd1,54)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 5 @ hdc56
    root         (hd1,55)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 9.1 Professional @ hdc57
    root         (hd1,56)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Vine 4.0 @ hdc58
    root         (hd1,57)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Wolvix 1.0.5 @ hdc59
    root         (hd1,58)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdc60
    root         (hd1,59)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdc61
    root         (hd1,60)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdc62
    root         (hd1,61)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mepis 6.0.4  @ hdc63
    root         (hd1,62)
    chainloader  +1
    
    #Starting point of another hard disk----------------------------
    
    title        Wolvix 1.0.5 @ hdd5
    root         (hd2,4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        System Rescue CD 2.1.6 @ hdd6
    root         (hd2,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Knoppix 5.1.1.1 @ hdd7
    root         (hd2,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        DSL 3.2 RC3 @ hdd8
    root         (hd2,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Grafpup 2000 @ hdd9
    root         (hd2,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd10
    root         (hd2,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd11
    root         (hd2,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd12
    root         (hd2,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd13
    root         (hd2,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd14
    root         (hd2,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd15
    root         (hd2,14)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd16
    root         (hd2,15)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd17
    root         (hd2,16)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd18
    root         (hd2,17)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd19
    root         (hd2,18)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd20
    root         (hd2,19)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd21
    root         (hd2,20)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd22
    root         (hd2,21)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd23
    root         (hd2,22)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd24
    root         (hd2,23)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd25
    root         (hd2,24)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd26
    root         (hd2,25)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd27
    root         (hd2,26)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd28
    root         (hd2,27)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd29
    root         (hd2,28)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd30
    root         (hd2,29)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd31
    root         (hd2,30)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd32
    root         (hd2,31)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd33
    root         (hd2,32)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd34
    root         (hd2,33)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd35
    root         (hd2,34)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd36
    root         (hd2,35)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd37
    root         (hd2,36)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd38
    root         (hd2,37)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd39
    root         (hd2,38)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd40
    root         (hd2,39)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd41
    root         (hd2,40)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd42
    root         (hd2,41)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd43
    root         (hd2,42)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd44
    root         (hd2,43)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd45
    root         (hd2,44)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd46
    root         (hd2,45)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd47
    root         (hd2,46)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Empty @ hdd48
    root         (hd2,47)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mutagenix 2.6.18.6.2 @ hdd49
    root         (hd2,48)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sidux 6.0 Live CD @ hdd50
    root         (hd2,49)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        PCLinuxOS 2007 Test 2 @ hdd51
    root         (hd2,50)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 10.3 Alpha 1 @ hdd52
    root         (hd2,51)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandriva 2007 @ hdd53
    root         (hd2,52)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Symphony 2006-12 @ hdd54
    root         (hd2,53)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        SLax 6.0.0 @ hdd55 (as a Live CD)
    root         (hd2,54)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Parted Magic 1.3 @ hdd56 (Live CD need choose hdd to boot)
    root         (hd2,55)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        lg3d 3.0 @ hdd57
    root         (hd2,56)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        SaxenOS 1.1 @ hdd58
    root         (hd2,57)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sidux 2007-01 @ hdd59
    root         (hd2,58)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mepies 6.0.4 @ hdd60
    root         (hd2,59)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Backtrack 2.0 @ hdd61
    root         (hd2,60)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sam 2007 -T1 @ hdd62
    root         (hd2,61)
    chainloader  +1
    
    #            hdd63 is a data only partition
    
    
    # Start of 4th disk (hd3)
    
    title        Xenoppix 3.0.3  @ sda2
    root         (hd3,1)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Musix 0.39 @ sda3
    root         (hd3,2)
    chainloader  +1
    
    #sda4 is the extended partition
    
    title        GeoLivre 5 @ sda5
    root         (hd3,4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Ututu x2 2005.1 @ sda6
    root         (hd3,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Helix 1.7 @ sda7
    root         (hd3,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        MagicLinux 2 rc2 @ sda8
    root         (hd3,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Zenwalk 1.2 @ sda9
    root         (hd3,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        MedianLinux  4.0 @ sda10
    root         (hd3,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        NetBSD i386 3.0  @ sda11
    root         (hd3,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Arabian 0.6 rc1 @ sda12
    root         (hd3,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mepis 3.3.2 @ sda13
    root         (hd3,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    #sda14 is Fat32 partition holding personal data
    
    title        Slamd64 11 @ sda15
    root         (hd3,14)
    chainloader  +1
    
    
    title        System Rescue CD 2.1.6 @ sdb3
    root         (hd4,2)
    chainloader  +1
    
    #sdb4 is the extended partition
    
    title        Xfld 2.0 @ sdb5
    root         (hd4,4)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Kanotix 2006-1 @ sdb6
    root         (hd4,5)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Paipix 5.00 2006-3 @ sdb7
    root         (hd4,6)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Frugalware 0.4 @ sdb8
    root         (hd4,7)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Sabayon x86_64 3.0 @ sdb9
    root         (hd4,8)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Quantian 0.7.9.1 @ sdb10
    root         (hd4,9)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Suse 10.1 x86 64 @ sdb11
    root         (hd4,10)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Slackware 11 @ sdb12
    root         (hd4,11)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Knoppix 4.0.2 @ sdb13
    root         (hd4,12)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Mandriva 2006 0.4 @ sdb14
    root         (hd4,13)
    chainloader  +1
    
    title        Fedora Core 6 @ sdb15
    root         (hd4,14)
    chainloader  +1
    The above menus show that partitions hdd10 to hdd48 have been arranged to be booted even though they are currently empty. As soon an operating system is installed in any one of them and has a boot loader installed in the root partition then the occupied partition will be bootable immediately.

    (4) Solaris/BSD only menuBSD.lst
    Code:
    color purple/green purpose/light-gray
    title This is the menu controlling 1 Solaris and 2 BSD systems
    boot
    
    title        Return to Master menu
    root         (hd0,2) #(hd0,2)
    configfile   /boot/grub/menu.lst
    
    title        Solaris 10 @ hdd1
    hide         (hd2,0)   # unhide Solaris = hiding it
    hide         (hd2,1)  
    hide         (hd2,2)   
    hide         (hd2,3) 
    root         (hd2,0)
    chainloader +1
    
    title        PCBSD 1.3 @ hdd2 (Need sdb disk removed to work)
    unhide       (hd2,0)   # unhide Solaris = hiding it 
    unhide       (hd2,1)   
    hide         (hd2,2) 
    hide         (hd2,3) 
    root         (hd2,1)
    chainloader +1
    
    title        FreeBSD 6.2 @ hdd3
    unhide       (hd2,0)   # unhide Solaris = hiding it 
    hide         (hd2,1)  
    unhide       (hd2,2)  
    hide         (hd2,3) 
    root         (hd2,2)
    chainloader +1
    There are only 10 different Grub commands, listed below, in the above 5-menu system.

    color - for altering the color of screen and text
    title - to display a line describe the system
    hide - to hide a partition
    unhide - to unhide a partition
    root - to tell the root partition of the system to be booted
    configfile - tell tell Grub which menu to be loaded
    chainloader - to ask Grub to boot the system "indirectly"
    halt - to switch off the PC
    map - To change the boot disk order on-the-fly
    makeactive - to switch on the bootable flag (needed by MS systems)

    Every PC user learns these 10 commands can boot the above 145 systems. That is why I call it a simple scheme.

    To be continued with the next post
    Last edited by saikee; 09-20-2007 at 01:49 PM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    Continue from the previous post

    The partition scheme of the 3 Pata and 2 Sata disks are as follow
    Code:
    linux:/home/saikee # /sbin/fdisk -l
    Warning: omitting partitions after #60.
    They will be deleted if you save this partition table.
    
    Disk /dev/hda: 300.0 GB, 300090728448 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36483 cylinders
    Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
    
       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/hda1   *           1         122      979933+   6  FAT16
    /dev/hda2             123         244      979965    6  FAT16
    /dev/hda3             245         366      979965    6  FAT16
    /dev/hda4             367       36483   290109802+   5  Extended
    /dev/hda5             367         609     1951866   82  Linux swap / Solaris
    /dev/hda6             610        1217     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda7            1218        1825     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda8            1826        2433     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda9            2434        3041     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda10           3042        3649     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda11           3650        4257     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda12           4258        4865     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda13           4866        5473     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda14           5474        6081     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda15           6082        6689     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda16           6690        7297     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda17           7298        7905     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda18           7906        8513     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda19           8514        9121     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda20           9122        9729     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda21           9730       10337     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda22          10338       10945     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda23          10946       11553     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda24          11554       12161     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda25          12162       12769     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda26          12770       13377     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda27          13378       13985     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda28          13986       14593     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda29          14594       15201     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda30          15202       15809     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda31          15810       16417     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda32          16418       17025     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda33          17026       17633     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda34          17634       18241     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda35          18242       18849     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda36          18850       19457     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda37          19458       20065     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda38          20066       20673     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda39          20674       21281     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda40          21282       21889     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda41          21890       22497     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda42          22498       23105     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda43          23106       23713     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda44          23714       24321     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda45          24322       24929     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda46          24930       25537     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda47          25538       26145     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda48          26146       26753     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda49          26754       27361     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda50          27362       27969     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda51          27970       28577     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda52          28578       29185     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda53          29186       29793     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda54          29794       30401     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda55          30402       31009     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda56          31010       31617     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda57          31618       32833     9767488+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda58          32834       34049     9767488+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda59          34050       34657     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hda60          34658       35265     4883728+  83  Linux
    Warning: omitting partitions after #60.
    They will be deleted if you save this partition table.
    
    Disk /dev/hdc: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
    Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
    
       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/hdc1   *           1        3315    26623123+   7  HPFS/NTFS
    /dev/hdc2            3315        6354    24410767+  93  Amoeba
    /dev/hdc3            6354        9393    24410767+  93  Amoeba
    /dev/hdc4            9393       60801   412939342+   5  Extended
    /dev/hdc5            9393       10001     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc6           10001       10609     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc7           10609       11217     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc8           11217       11825     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc9           11825       12433     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc10          12433       13041     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc11          13041       13649     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc12          13649       14257     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc13          14257       14865     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc14          14865       15473     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc15          15473       16081     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc16          16081       16689     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc17          16689       17297     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc18          17297       17905     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc19          17905       18513     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc20          18513       19121     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc21          19121       19729     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc22          19729       20337     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc23          20337       20945     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc24          20945       21553     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc25          21553       22161     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc26          22161       22769     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc27          22769       23377     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc28          23377       23985     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc29          23985       24593     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc30          24593       25201     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc31          25201       25809     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc32          25809       26417     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc33          26417       27025     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc34          27025       27633     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc35          27633       28241     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc36          28241       28849     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc37          28849       29457     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc38          29457       30065     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc39          30065       30673     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc40          30673       31281     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc41          31281       31889     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc42          31889       32497     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc43          32497       33105     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc44          33105       33713     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc45          33713       34321     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc46          34321       34929     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc47          34929       35537     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc48          35537       36145     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc49          36145       36753     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc50          36753       37361     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc51          37361       37969     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc52          37969       38577     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc53          38577       39185     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc54          39185       39793     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc55          39793       40401     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc56          40401       41009     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc57          41009       41617     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc58          41617       42225     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc59          42225       42833     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdc60          42833       43441     4883728+  83  Linux
    Warning: omitting partitions after #60.
    They will be deleted if you save this partition table.
    
    Disk /dev/hdd: 400.0 GB, 400088457216 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 48641 cylinders
    Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
    
       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/hdd1               1        3039    24410736   af  Unknown
    /dev/hdd2            3040        6078    24410704+  b5  Unknown
    Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
    /dev/hdd3            6078        9117    24410830+  b5  Unknown
    /dev/hdd4   *        9118       48641   317476530    5  Extended
    /dev/hdd5            9118        9725     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd6            9726       10333     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd7           10334       10941     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd8           10942       11549     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd9           11550       12157     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd10          12158       12765     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd11          12766       13373     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd12          13374       13981     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd13          13982       14589     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd14          14590       15197     4883728+  93  Amoeba
    /dev/hdd15          15198       15805     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd16          15806       16413     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd17          16414       17021     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd18          17022       17629     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd19          17630       18237     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd20          18238       18845     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd21          18846       19453     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd22          19454       20061     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd23          20062       20669     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd24          20670       21277     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd25          21278       21885     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd26          21886       22493     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd27          22494       23101     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd28          23102       23709     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd29          23710       24317     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd30          24318       24925     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd31          24926       25533     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd32          25534       26141     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd33          26142       26749     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd34          26750       27357     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd35          27358       27965     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd36          27966       28573     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd37          28574       29181     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd38          29182       29789     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd39          29790       30397     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd40          30398       31005     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd41          31006       31613     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd42          31614       32221     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd43          32222       32829     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd44          32830       33437     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd45          33438       34045     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd46          34046       34653     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd47          34654       35261     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd48          35262       35869     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd49          35870       36477     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd50          36478       37085     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd51          37086       37693     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd52          37694       38301     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd53          38302       38909     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd54          38910       39517     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd55          39518       40125     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd56          40126       40733     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd57          40734       41341     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd58          41342       41949     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd59          41950       42557     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/hdd60          42558       43165     4883728+  83  Linux
    
    Disk /dev/sda: 203.9 GB, 203928109056 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24792 cylinders
    Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
    
       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/sda1   *           1        5099    40957686    7  HPFS/NTFS
    /dev/sda2            5100        6315     9767520   93  Amoeba
    /dev/sda3            6316        6923     4883760   83  Linux
    /dev/sda4            6924       24792   143532742+   5  Extended
    /dev/sda5            6924        7531     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/sda6            7532        8139     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/sda7            8140        8747     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/sda8            8748        9355     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/sda9            9356        9963     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/sda10           9964       10571     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/sda11          10572       11179     4883728+  a9  NetBSD
    /dev/sda12          11180       11787     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/sda13  *       11788       12395     4883728+  83  Linux
    /dev/sda14          12396       23916    92542401   1c  Hidden W95 FAT32 (LBA)
    /dev/sda15          23917       24792     7036438+  83  Linux
    
    Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
    Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
    
       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/sdb1   *           1        1216     9767488+   7  HPFS/NTFS
    /dev/sdb2            1217        1338      979965   1b  Hidden W95 FAT32
    /dev/sdb3            1339        1460      979965   83  Linux
    /dev/sdb4            1461       24792   187414290    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
    /dev/sdb5            1461        2676     9767488+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb6            2677        3892     9767488+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb7            3893        6324    19535008+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb8            6325        8756    19535008+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb9            8757       11188    19535008+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb10          11189       13620    19535008+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb11          13621       16052    19535008+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb12          16053       18484    19535008+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb13          18485       20916    19535008+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb14          20917       23348    19535008+  83  Linux
    /dev/sdb15          23349       24792    11598898+  83  Linux
    For those who are new to the "unknown" partition ID or hiden partitions in the above partition table this thread. has some explanation.

    Due to the new Linux cannot be installed into an environment where a hard disk has 63 partitions the work on this thread has come to a halt. I post the menu system showing it can be a viable method to control the booting process.

    In actual booting I have a spreadsheet of the operating systems stored in each hard disk and also an overall index system in alphabetic order. Thus to select a system doesn't take much time at all.
    Last edited by saikee; 09-20-2007 at 05:22 AM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Dec 1999
    Location
    tx
    Posts
    1,190
    I saw you on Digg a while back. Some smart-aleck asked why on earth anyone would want to put that many OS on one machine. In a world where people see how many pies or wieners they can eat in an hour, or how fast a $100,000 car can go a quarter-mile, or climb to the top of Mt. Everest, I really think no one need apologize for something relatively logical like a zillion distros on one machine.

    Good job!

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    92
    Installing operating systems is a hobby. Kinda cool, I think.

    I am surprised that newer disks hold fewer partitions, especially since they have so much more capacity. That seems like a step backwards.
    Slackware

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    1
    Is this possible to do with lilo.

    I just thought i would ask since I have a lot of older distros and lilo was more common during their time and I would like to have classic system

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    lostinbravenet,

    Welcome to Justlinux!

    Lilo uses a static boot screen so the label length is restricted and the maximum number of entries on can fill up one screen is 27 imgaes. Lilo actually warns you if you submit more than that.

    The killer in Lilo is that it checks every system validity before accepting a change in the lilo.conf, otherwise it just uses the old copy. Thus if you alter any other system's boot loader Lilo may object to it because its complied lilo.conf differs slightly. Therefore the maintenance work using lilo to boot a large number of systems can become burdensome.

    As we can do relays in booting so potentially one can pick 12 distros loaded with Lilo for booting the above 145 systems. I estimate using Lilo requires 3 to 5 times more work.

    As an example to show the advantage of Grub over Lilo, in Post #33 I list out menulin.lst showing all the Linux being booted but the choices for partitions hdd10 to hdd48 are currently empty. However the booting instructions are already there.

    As soon as I install an OS in say hdd10 by instructing the installer to place its boot loader in the root partition, which is in the boot sector of hhd10, then the booting choice for partition hdd10 will fire up the Linux, without amendment needed.

    Every Linux that is booted by Lilo can also be booted by Grub and vice versa.

    Another very important feature of Grub is it can boot any system "manually". This implies a user can test every Grub command individually before putting it into the script file menu.lst.

    For Linux Grub can boot any distro even without a boot loader installed!

    I use both boot loaders but I have to say Lilo needs a lot more work to do the same thing.
    Last edited by saikee; 10-03-2007 at 06:10 PM.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    1

    Smile Thanks!

    I just joined to say thanks for your excellent and detailed description of how to install multiple OS's on a single drive.

    Been on Ubuntu about 6 months (first Linux distro) and I agree completely with your observation of how Linux seems to logically and transparently reveal its inner workings rather than obscure them (as the proprietary OS's do) and I am completely in awe of the many programmers from around the world who have made this project work.

    I needed to be able to install a few other distro's just to use their special features and options (like UbuntuStudio with it's low latency kernel, PCLinuxOS, Fedora, etc...Virtual Box has it's limits, hence my research on installing GRUB independently which brought me to this thread.

    Thank you.

    Dell

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    Dell Anderson,

    Welcome to Justlinux !

    I am glad you you find the thread useful.

    Linux amazes me because many things I tried were achieved just by "reasoning" them out if I think they are technically feasible.

    This thread is one of the those examples. It would be impossible to convince me before I entered Linux that three lines of Grub commands can boot up any PC system.

    If you need advice, opinion, suggestion, solution etc just make use of the forum. I learn my Linux here. This thread is the one of the many tips passed on by members and super mods..
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    7

    problem with this method

    Hi Saikee!

    Great reading!!! But there is something that is driving me crazy!


    Here is my situation. I installed Ubuntu and installed its GRUB in the MBR, and it auto detected my windows XP loader, and from there i can load my multiple XP installations. So everything works so far.

    But i want to move GRUB to a data only partition like you suggest. So i created a new partition (FAT) (primary) , installed GRUB in /boot/grub and then to the MBR. That works, i get a grub prompt only. But this is where i have a problem, i cant get it to work to load my old linux installs, i have 2. Basically i took the config file from my original install and copied it over to my new GRUB menu.lst file. I dont understand why it wont work, should be exactly the same no???

    What happens when i select windows, i get an error unrecognised file system!

    And when i select linux, i get a similar error i believe.

    I must be missing something........... Any ideas?

    Thanx,

  12. #42
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    thesnork ,

    Welcome to JustLinux !

    It should work just fine if you copy the /boot/grub/menu.lst off the Ubuntu partition and put it in the data-only partition.


    The instructions in the menu.lst are the same one if you boot up each system manually, except in the manual booting you omit the "title" statement and finish everything with a "boot" statement.

    Lets us know if you have further problem and post the Ubuntu's menu.lst plus the terminal output of "sudo fdisk -l".
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    7
    also.... When installing Linux Mint 3.1, to put the boot loader in the root partition, what is the syntax?

    if i put / it doesnt work
    if i put /boot it changes it to /dev//boot which doesnt work


    grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  14. #44
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    7
    OK... si i did some more reading... WOW booting LINUX is FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P



    Ok....need explanation.... and then an install question...

    i installed mint again, boot loader in MBR. I created a GRUB boot CD. Then i used the commands root (hd0,5)...... setup (hd0,5) to install the boot loader in the root partition. Now i can boot it easily...

    Question - i thought that the boot loader was ALREADY in the root partition. I know that the folder /boot/grub already existed and has a menu.lst. Is that not the ROOT partition????????????????

    2nd question. When i make a new linux install, how do i tell it to set up the boot loader in the root partition? The default is the MBR (hd0,0), how do i tell it to "PUT IT IN THE ROOT PARTITION" ?????? just use "/" or "root" ?????



    Thanx..... SOOOO CONFUSED..... but enjoying it!!!!!!!!! Once i get booting down cold i can try and learn more about LINUX!!

  15. #45
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Posts
    2,978
    thesnork,

    If you want to enjoy Linux and its boot loaders there is few places better than Justlinux.

    To answer your question you have to think like a Linux. Somebody installs you may want you to boot from the MBR. However if the MBR has already another boot loader then you must be able to reside inside the root partition. Afterall each Ext2/3 or Reiserfs partition reserves the first track as the "boot sector" just for the boot loader to use. So as a Linux you give the user at least two choices; (1) in the MBR or (2) in the root partition of the Linux.

    There is nothing to stop a user after installation to make a bomb-proof scheme

    (1) Has the boot loader in the MBR
    (2) Duplicate the boot loader in the root partition (inside the boot sector)
    (3) Duplicate the boot loader on a floppy.

    May be the installer is lazy it always just allows only one choice from the above three.

    The method to tell the installer to put the boot loader into the root partition and not in the MBR varies between distros. Red Hat family use Anaconda installer and it has a box for "Advance boot loader option" or something similar to click. If the box isn't check you get the default destination or MBR. Ubuntu family is similar and you need to look out for it but Mandrica, OpenSuse, Knoppix and most other Linux show you the choices in advance. Lilo-based distros like Slackware and Slax families have changed and seem to go directly into the MBR.

    Since you have made a Grub CD you can always re-arrange the boot loader any way you want, without even waking up the Linux. For example if you want a Linux (with Grub) in the 7th partition of the 3rd disk to take over the MBR, just boot up the Grub CD and type
    Code:
    root (hd2,6)
    setup (hd0)
    If you have Grub in the Linux from 5th to 10th partitions you can put their Grub in to their root partitions in one single shot
    Code:
    root (hd0,4)
    setup (hd0,4)
    root (hd0,5)
    setup (hd0,5)
    root (hd0,6)
    setup (hd0,6)
    root (hd0,7)
    setup (hd0,7)
    root (hd0,8)
    setup (hd0,8)
    root (hd0,9)
    setup (hd0,9)
    To do it by Linux you have to boot one Linux up, chroot to the one you want to put boot loader into the root partition and issue "lilo -b /dev/sda?" for Lilo and "grub-install /dev/sda?" for Grub. Check out Section B of Just booting tips for details.

    Open s deposit box in a bank and lock up the Grub bootable CD. It can boot any operating system that has ever been invented on a PC and possibly some new operating systems that have not yet been invented. Guard it with a shot gun if you have to but don't lose it.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

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