How to find out where grub is installed?
I have F7 (and an unused XP) installed and I'd like to install F10 without bothering F7. I have separate partitions for boot, root, usr that I left empty for just this purpose when I installed F7. From the recent "Grub and two distros" thread I understand (or so I hope) that a good method to proceed is to have grub installed in the respective Fedora versions' boot partitions, and, additionally, in the drive's MBR, which will chainload these. My first question is: how do I find out whether the present grub is installed in the MBR or not. I'm guessing it's not, but how do I find out? grub.conf looks like this: # grub.conf generated by anaconda # # Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file # NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that # all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg. # root (hd0,1) # kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda6 # initrd /initrd-version.img #boot=/dev/sda default=0 timeout=5 splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz hiddenmenu title Fedora (2.6.23.17-88.fc7) root (hd0,1) kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.23.17-88.fc7 ro root=LABEL=root1 rhgb quiet initrd /initrd-2.6.23.17-88.fc7.img title Fedora (2.6.23.15-80.fc7) root (hd0,1) kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.23.15-80.fc7 ro root=LABEL=root1 rhgb quiet initrd /initrd-2.6.23.15-80.fc7.img title Fedora (2.6.23.14-64.fc7) root (hd0,1) kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.23.14-64.fc7 ro root=LABEL=root1 rhgb quiet initrd /initrd-2.6.23.14-64.fc7.img title Other rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1 and the first few partitions are Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sda1 * 11275102414067 HPFS/NTFS /dev/sda212761288 104422+ 83 Linux /dev/sda312891301 104422+ 83 Linux sda2 is F7's boot partition, sda3 will hopefully be F10's. Andras -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
On Sat, 2009-01-17 at 20:30 +0100, Andras Simon wrote: > I have F7 (and an unused XP) installed and I'd like to install > F10 without bothering F7. I have separate partitions for boot, > root, usr that I left empty for just this purpose when I installed > F7. From the recent "Grub and two distros" thread I > understand (or so I hope) that a good method to proceed is to > have grub installed in the respective Fedora versions' boot partitions, > and, additionally, in the drive's MBR, which will chainload these. > > My first question is: how do I find out whether the present grub > is installed in the MBR or not. I'm guessing it's not, but how do > I find out? Well the machine always boots initially from the MBR. So if your machine boots and only has Linux on it the main grub boot would start in the MBR. In order to have the grub boot in another partition you would have to have another system booting and transferring control to the grub boot in that sector. XP can do that but since you say XP is not being used that is not what is happening. Bottom line your grub is most probably currently in the MBR. > > grub.conf looks like this: > > # grub.conf generated by anaconda > # > # Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file > # NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that > # all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg. > # root (hd0,1) > # kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda6 > # initrd /initrd-version.img > #boot=/dev/sda > default=0 > timeout=5 > splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz > hiddenmenu > title Fedora (2.6.23.17-88.fc7) > root (hd0,1) > kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.23.17-88.fc7 ro root=LABEL=root1 rhgb quiet > initrd /initrd-2.6.23.17-88.fc7.img > title Fedora (2.6.23.15-80.fc7) > root (hd0,1) > kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.23.15-80.fc7 ro root=LABEL=root1 rhgb quiet > initrd /initrd-2.6.23.15-80.fc7.img > title Fedora (2.6.23.14-64.fc7) > root (hd0,1) > kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.23.14-64.fc7 ro root=LABEL=root1 rhgb quiet > initrd /initrd-2.6.23.14-64.fc7.img > title Other > rootnoverify (hd0,0) > chainloader +1 > > and the first few partitions are > >Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System > /dev/sda1 * 11275102414067 HPFS/NTFS > /dev/sda212761288 104422+ 83 Linux > /dev/sda312891301 104422+ 83 Linux > > sda2 is F7's boot partition, sda3 will hopefully be F10's. > > Andras > -- === My life is a patio of fun! === Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akons...@sbcglobal.net -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
On 1/17/09, Aaron Konstam wrote: > On Sat, 2009-01-17 at 20:30 +0100, Andras Simon wrote: >> I have F7 (and an unused XP) installed and I'd like to install >> F10 without bothering F7. I have separate partitions for boot, >> root, usr that I left empty for just this purpose when I installed >> F7. From the recent "Grub and two distros" thread I >> understand (or so I hope) that a good method to proceed is to >> have grub installed in the respective Fedora versions' boot partitions, >> and, additionally, in the drive's MBR, which will chainload these. >> >> My first question is: how do I find out whether the present grub >> is installed in the MBR or not. I'm guessing it's not, but how do >> I find out? > Well the machine always boots initially from the MBR. So if your machine > boots and only has Linux on it the main grub boot would start in the > MBR. In order to have the grub boot in another partition you would have > to have another system booting and transferring control to the grub boot > in that sector. XP can do that but since you say XP is not being used > that is not what is happening. > Bottom line your grub is most probably currently in the MBR. But if grub is in the MBR, how can it read grub.conf from /dev/sda2? I'm sorry if my complete lack of understanding shines through... In any case: how do I install the "missing" grubs so that I end up with one in the MBR and one in the /boot partition of each version of Fedora? I assume that the installer will give me one choice (MBR or /boot). Andras -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
Andras Simon wrote: > > But if grub is in the MBR, how can it read grub.conf from /dev/sda2? > I'm sorry if my complete lack of understanding shines through... > > In any case: how do I install the "missing" grubs so that I end > up with one in the MBR and one in the /boot partition of each > version of Fedora? I assume that the installer will give me > one choice (MBR or /boot). > > Andras > There is more then one part to Grub. The first part (stage 1) is a small loader program that uses the BIOS to load the next part. It is dumb, so it only know the physical location on the disk of the next part, and it gets lost if you move it. The next part is usually stage 1.5, and it know how to read one type of file system. You use different stage 1.5 depending on the type of file system the grub directory is on. Stage 1.5 then loads stage 2, and handles thigs like loading the config file... When you are using more then one copy of Grub, you normally install the primary copy stage 1 in the MBR. You add chainload commands as menu entries to load the other Grub installations. The stage 1 for those installations are normally installed on the boot record of the /boot partition that has the files for that copy of Grub. Mikkel -- Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup! signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
On 1/18/09, Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote: > Andras Simon wrote: >> >> But if grub is in the MBR, how can it read grub.conf from /dev/sda2? >> I'm sorry if my complete lack of understanding shines through... >> >> In any case: how do I install the "missing" grubs so that I end >> up with one in the MBR and one in the /boot partition of each >> version of Fedora? I assume that the installer will give me >> one choice (MBR or /boot). >> >> Andras >> > There is more then one part to Grub. The first part (stage 1) is a > small loader program that uses the BIOS to load the next part. It is > dumb, so it only know the physical location on the disk of the next > part, and it gets lost if you move it. The next part is usually > stage 1.5, and it know how to read one type of file system. You use > different stage 1.5 depending on the type of file system the grub > directory is on. Stage 1.5 then loads stage 2, and handles thigs > like loading the config file... Thanks for the explanation! > When you are using more then one copy of Grub, you normally install > the primary copy stage 1 in the MBR. You add chainload commands as > menu entries to load the other Grub installations. The stage 1 for > those installations are normally installed on the boot record of the > /boot partition that has the files for that copy of Grub. The question is, how do I get to this blessed state... I'm looking at http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f10/en_US/ch-bootloader.html#sn-bootloader-config-change and http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f10/en_US/sn-bootloader-others.html and it's not quite clear how does one install grub both in the already and the newly installed Fedora's /boot partition. My optimistic reading of the second link above is that I'll end up with a newly installed (in MBR) grub that will be configured to be able to boot the old Fedora. Not as nice as the one grub per Fedora version plus one that can chainload these. I'm also looking at grub's documentation, but the relevant chapter (Installing GRUB using grub-install) is pretty scary. Andras -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
Andras Simon wrote: > On 1/18/09, Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote: >> When you are using more then one copy of Grub, you normally install >> the primary copy stage 1 in the MBR. You add chainload commands as >> menu entries to load the other Grub installations. The stage 1 for >> those installations are normally installed on the boot record of the >> /boot partition that has the files for that copy of Grub. > > The question is, how do I get to this blessed state... I'm looking at > > http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f10/en_US/ch-bootloader.html#sn-bootloader-config-change > and > http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f10/en_US/sn-bootloader-others.html > > and it's not quite clear how does one install grub both in the already > and the newly installed Fedora's /boot partition. My optimistic > reading of the second link above is that I'll end up with a newly > installed (in MBR) grub that will be configured to be able to boot the > old Fedora. Not as nice as the one grub per Fedora version plus one > that can chainload these. > > I'm also looking at grub's documentation, but the relevant chapter > (Installing GRUB using grub-install) is pretty scary. > > Andras > I forget the exact wording, but the installer has an option for where to install Grub. If you are using a separate /boot partition for this install, tell it to install Grub there. If not, tell it to install Grub on the / partition. (This is controlling where the stage 1 loader is installed.) If you did not install Grub, then you can run grub-install and specify the "install_device" as the /boot or root partition. For example: grub-install /dev/sda5 Mikkel -- Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup! signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
On Sat, 2009-01-17 at 20:30 +0100, Andras Simon wrote: > I have F7 (and an unused XP) installed and I'd like to install > F10 without bothering F7. I have separate partitions for boot, > root, usr that I left empty for just this purpose when I installed > F7. From the recent "Grub and two distros" thread I > understand (or so I hope) that a good method to proceed is to > have grub installed in the respective Fedora versions' boot partitions, > and, additionally, in the drive's MBR, which will chainload these. > > My first question is: how do I find out whether the present grub > is installed in the MBR or not. I'm guessing it's not, but how do > I find out? How does your system currently boot? If it goes through a GRUB menu to boot either windows or Linux, then it is. If so, you don't need to change it. Run your install for Fedora 10, and tell it to install the GRUB bootloader into the new Fedora 10 boot partition. That'll leave the existing bootloader alone. Now, after that's run its course, add an entry to your older Fedora 7 grub.conf file to chainload the new partition. After you've done this the boot sequence will be thus: The system will boot up the same as it used to, with a GRUB menu for windows or your Fedora 7 installation, plus an option for your new Fedora 10. If you pick Fedora 10, it'll chainload over to Fedora 10's bootloader, and 10's GRUB menu, and you'll have a choice about which kernel to boot Fedora 10 with. > >Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System > /dev/sda1 * 11275102414067 HPFS/NTFS > /dev/sda212761288 104422+ 83 Linux > /dev/sda312891301 104422+ 83 Linux > > sda2 is F7's boot partition, sda3 will hopefully be F10's. Going by the above information, the chainloader details for Fedora 10 would be: title Fedora 10 rootnoverify (hd0,2) chainloader +1 You'd have a similar entry for your Windows boot, but something other than ",2" inside the rootnoverify command. -- [...@localhost ~]$ uname -r 2.6.27.9-73.fc9.i686 Don't send private replies to my address, the mailbox is ignored. I read messages from the public lists. -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
On 1/18/09, Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote: > I forget the exact wording, but the installer has an option for > where to install Grub. If you are using a separate /boot partition > for this install, tell it to install Grub there. If not, tell it to > install Grub on the / partition. (This is controlling where the > stage 1 loader is installed.) I do have a separate /boot partition; but if grub is installed _only_ there, how does another instance of grub get installed in the MBR? I think I need that one to chainload either the new or the old Fedora's grub. Or do you mean that the old grub is already installed in the MBR, and will chainload the new grub or boot the old Fedora? > If you did not install Grub, then you can run grub-install and > specify the "install_device" as the /boot or root partition. For > example: > > grub-install /dev/sda5 I'd like to keep this option as a last resort because grub's docs say: "*Caution:* This procedure is definitely less safe, because there are several ways in which your computer can become unbootable." Also, I'm not sure whether I need the --root-directory option of grub-install. Or only if I install in the MBR. I'm rather confused, as you can see... Andras -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
Andras Simon wrote: > On 1/18/09, Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote: > >> I forget the exact wording, but the installer has an option for >> where to install Grub. If you are using a separate /boot partition >> for this install, tell it to install Grub there. If not, tell it to >> install Grub on the / partition. (This is controlling where the >> stage 1 loader is installed.) > > I do have a separate /boot partition; but if grub is installed _only_ > there, how does another instance of grub get installed in the MBR? I > think I need that one to chainload either the new or the old Fedora's > grub. Or do you mean that the old grub is already installed in the > MBR, and will chainload the new grub or boot the old Fedora? > The old Fedora's install of Grub is already installed in the MBR, unless you are using some other way to boot it. >> If you did not install Grub, then you can run grub-install and >> specify the "install_device" as the /boot or root partition. For >> example: >> >> grub-install /dev/sda5 > > I'd like to keep this option as a last resort because grub's docs > say: > > "*Caution:* This procedure is definitely less safe, because there are > several ways in which your computer can become unbootable." > This is true when you are only installing one copy of Grub on the system. But it is necessary if you are installing several copies of Grub. But it is safer to do it as part of the Fedora install process. You may have to install in the expert mode to do it... > Also, I'm not sure whether I need the --root-directory option of > grub-install. Or only if I install in the MBR. I'm rather confused, as > you can see... > > Andras > You do not need the --root-directory option because you are installing Grub in its normal place for that installation of Fedora. This option is only needed for special cases, like when installing Grub in a rescue mode when you can not chroot to the normal root directory, or when you are installing Grub to a different operating system then the one you are running. There are ways you could use it here, but you stand a good chance of making your system unbootable. Mikkel -- Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup! signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Re: How to find out where grub is installed?
Tim and Mikkel, Following your advice, the install went pretty smoothly, and I ended up with a bootable F7 and F10. Quite a relief for me. Thanks for your great explanations and handholding! (And for your patience, of course.) Andras -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@redhat.com To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
