Sorry if this has been asked and answered before.
I have just done a fresh install of OpenSuse 11.2 over 11.1 (and I love it). Grub has the options of booting into Opensuse and windows but has missed Mint.
It normally wouldn’t bother me, but I use Mint for a few things I can’t get working in Suse.
I was just wanting to manually add Mint to the Grub menue.
I would like it to be added to the Suse grub as I prefer the look of it to the Mint grub.
Please give us the output of
su
fdisk -l
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
If you know how to mount your mint partition, please also add a readout of mint’s menu.lst or grub.cfg as appropriate. If not, tell us which partition mint is on, and we’ll get you there…
In addition to supplying Confuseling’s information, can you open a console and enter: su
to get rootly powers then enter: grub
to get the grub command prompt ( grub> ) then enter these two commands and report back the responses that you get:
- find /vmlinuz
- find /boot/vmlinuz
They should show the Mint and the openSUSE partitions in grub parlance, whereupon we can give you the recipe for booting Mint from openSUSE’s menu.lst.
Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x3ec3187a
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 5099 40957686 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 5100 10198 40957717+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda3 * 10199 60801 406468597+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 43344 45775 19535008+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 45776 60801 120696313+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 10199 10460 2104452 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8 10461 13071 20972826 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 13072 43343 243159808+ 83 Linux
find /vmlinuz
hd0,4)
find /boot/vmlinuz
(hd0,7)
I hope that this helps.
what is it that these commands show?
We also need the ‘cat’ command ideally…
For information on a command, type ‘man [command name]’ and you’ll get the manual.
Briefly; fdisk -l is a list of all partitions known to the system. The cat (conCATenate) command outputs a (or several) file(s), in this case menu.lst, which is where grub stores its menu information, and the file we ultimately need to change. The grub command (and those following) search for a compressed kernel image, which will be needed in the boot process - finding that will tell us what we need to add to the menu.lst.
The /vmlinz at (hd0,4) signifies Mint. The other signifies openSUSE. So this entry in openSUSE’s menu.lst should boot Mint:
#Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: none#
title Mint Linux booting via symlinks
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda5 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img
This is a mod of an Ubuntu/Debian hack: HowTo Multiboot Ubuntu from openSUSE using the GRUB bootloader
Ok, I needed the output of the cat command. Swerdna didn’t. 
I have a similar problem, in that subsequent to the openSUSE 11.2 installation onto a disk containing multple partitions, I cannot boot into the Ubuntu partition containing the /boot/grub/menu.lst that I was happily using previously.
Booting into WinXP works as expected, as does openSUSE 11.2.
I followed the advice re: mount the original Ubuntu boot partition etc, but up ended with a ratpoison-like desktop, & the boot time was slower than I will tolerate.
I want my original Ubuntu to work the way it did prior to the openSUSE 11.2 installation…
Ideally the system should have an option to select from amongst ALL of the different operating systems present, rather than disabling the preferred OS.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Here is the output from the requested commands:
fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x11a8ba38
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 637 5116671 12 Compaq diagnostics
/dev/sda2 638 2025 11148889+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda3 * 2025 19458 140022792 5 Extended
Partition 3 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda5 4984 16478 92333587+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 16479 19435 23752071 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 19436 19457 175864+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8 2025 2216 1528065 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda9 2216 3354 9142528+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda10 3354 4983 13089352+ 83 Linux
Partition table entries are not in disk order
Disk /dev/sdb: 2105 MB, 2105540608 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 2008 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 = 1048576 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6de64dcf
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 693 709632 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdb1: 726 MB, 726663168 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 693 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 = 1048576 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6de64dcf
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1p1 * 1 693 709632 83 Linux
and…
find /vmlinuz
(hd0,4)
(hd0,5)
find /boot/vmlinuz
(hd0,8)
and /boot/grub/menu.lst from (hd0,8)
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.
## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0
## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10
## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu
# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue
## password '--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret
#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#
#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below
## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs
## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro
## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true
## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false
## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash
## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false
## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=
## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0
## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single
## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all
## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
## indomU=true
## indomU=false
# indomU=detect
## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true
## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false
## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false
## ## End Default Options ##
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.30-02063009-generic
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.30-02063009-generic root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.30-02063009-generic
quiet
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.30-02063009-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.30-02063009-generic root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.30-02063009-generic
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-16-generic
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-16-generic root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-16-generic
quiet
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-16-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-16-generic root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-16-generic
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-13-generic
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-13-generic root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-13-generic
quiet
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-13-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-13-generic root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-13-generic
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid 8d338ef9-df0b-4e62-9a3a-52092006ec50
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows NT/2000/XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
chainloader +1
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
savedefault
chainloader +1
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title Xbuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-schizoX (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=fc31b83c-2db2-46cf-b666-b74b86b99b68 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=fc31b83c-2db2-46cf-b666-b74b86b99b68 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+ (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
savedefault
boot
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda8
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify (hd0,7)
savedefault
chainloader +1
Thanks in anticipatory appreciation!
Q1: which loader do you start with now, Ubuntu’s or openSUSE’s?
Q2: Do you want your booting to start with an Ubuntu’s Grub loader or with openSUSE’s Grub loader?
Thanks for that, I’ll give it a try.
How do I add it to grub? :shame:
I’m in yast & boot loader… I just don’t know where to go next.
Easiest way, from a terminal is, depending if you are gnome or kde
gnomesu gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
or
kdesu kwrite …
Thanks for that.
It is all working!
Thank you so much for your time helping me to learn!
Currently starting with openSUSE 11.2 installed GRUB2, whereas previously the PC started with Ubuntu installed GRUB (legacy?)
I like the new GRUB2, but I was barely beginning to understand the old GRUB & now there’s a new one to learn!??! (lol)
So to answer the 2nd question, I prefer the new GRUB2, but wonder about subsequent OS removal/installation. I have had absolutely no problems adding or removing operating systems on this multi-boot system until now, thus hold some trepidation for the continued use of GRUB2.
That being said, I suppose I could learn the new GRUB2 the same as I learned the old, so GRUB2 it is!
Once again, I greatly appreciate your assistance!
I don’t understand – how did you install Grub2 on openSUSE?
I downloaded the GNOME-openSUSE 11.2 .ISO from the openSUSE webiste, then used flashnul.exe to place the .ISO onto a USB flash drive, booted from the USB, tried out openSUSE, then installed.
OpenSUSE came with GRUB2.
Thus, many of the threads I’ve read here have instructions for GRUB(legacy)
I have deleted the openSUSE 11.2 partitions, & will attempt a reinstall, battery dying…
OpenSUSE came with GRUB2.
No - absolutely No.
Phew Carl, thought I’d lost the plot completely there, glad you confirmed that I’m still sane lol!
OK Chiapo, run this series of commands and we can tell you what to put in openSUSE’s Grub to make Ubu boot from it.
boot into openSUSE
- open a console/terminal window and get rootly powers by entering command: su
- drop to a grub prompt bu entering command: grub
- run the next two commands and copy the responses back here:
find /vmlinuz
find /boot/vmlinuz
It could be quite an exercise if you really do have a whole bunch of U/K/Xbuntu installs as suggested by Ubuntu’s menu.lst.
What do you mean by that?
My system never had GRUB2 until I installed openSUSE 11.2
openSUSE 11.2 comes with Grub (legacy), not Grub2