I’m trying to setup existing Linux partitions to boot using chainloader following instructions from here:
Cool Solutions: Install Linux Frequently, Without the Hassle
and here:
Error Loading Operating System after 11.3 fresh install
Here’s fdisk -l:
# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0002e10d
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 2039 16378236 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 2040 5992 31744000 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 5992 6514 4200825 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4 6515 121601 924436297 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 6515 8554 16386268+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 8555 12506 31744408+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 12507 14546 16386268+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 14547 18498 31744408+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 18499 20538 16386268+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda10 20539 24618 32772568+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda11 24619 26658 16386268+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda12 26659 30738 32772568+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda13 30739 32778 16386268+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda14 32779 36858 32772568+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda15 55821 121601 528385851 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdb: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000001
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 38913 312568641 83 Linux
Current usage is:
/dev/sda1 openSuSE 11.3 x86_64 /
/dev/sda2 openSuSE 11.3 x86_64 /home
/dev/sda5 Fedora 13 Goddard x86_64 /
/dev/sda6 Fedora 13 Goddard x86_64 /home
/dev/sda7 Mandriva 2001.1 x86_64 /
/dev/sda8 Mandriva 2001.1 x86_64 /home
Partitions /dev/sda9 through /dev/sda15 are empty currently though /dev/sda15 is mounted in all 3 as /data1. /dev/sdb1 is a data partition mounted in all 3 distros as /data2. I created a /data2/boot directory and copied from openSuSE partiton /dev/sda1 /boot/grub/stage1 /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.
This is the contents of /data2/boot/menu.lst:
# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Sat Jul 24 13:31:11 CDT 2010
# THIS FILE WILL BE PARTIALLY OVERWRITTEN by perl-Bootloader
# Configure custom boot parameters for updated kernels in /etc/sysconfig/bootloader
default 0
timeout 10
gfxmenu (hd0,0)/boot/message
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title Desktop -- openSUSE 11.3 - 2.6.34-12
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34-12-desktop root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD1001FALS-00J7B1_WD-WMATV3570743-part1 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD1001FALS-00J7B1_WD-WMATV3570743-part3 splash=silent quiet nomodeset showopts vga=0x317
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.34-12-desktop
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 11.3 - 2.6.34-12
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34-12-desktop root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD1001FALS-00J7B1_WD-WMATV3570743-part1 showopts apm=off noresume edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 nomodeset x11failsafe vga=0x317
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.34-12-desktop
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: Fedora (2.6.33.6-147.fc13.x86_64) (/dev/sda5)###
title Fedora 13 (Goddard) (x86_64) (/dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux (/dev/sda7)###
title Mandriva Linux 2010.1 (x86_64) (/dev/sda7)
root (hd0,6)
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst
title openSuSE chainloader on (/dev/sda1)
chainloader (hd0,0)+1
title Fedora chainloader on (/dev/sdb5)
chainloader (hd0,4)+1
title Mandriva chainloader on (/dev/sda7)
chainloader (hd0,6)+1
It is the chainloader entries that do not work. The other entries do work.
BIOS is currently set to boot from /dev/sda or hd0. I used suse 11.3 x86_64 install DVD in rescue mode to run these commands:
# grub
>grub
install (hd1,0)/boot/stage1 d (hd0) (hd1,0)/boot/stage2 (hd1,0)/boot/menu.lst
find /boot/grub/menu.lst
(hd0,0)
(hd0,4)
(hd0,6)
root (hd0,6)
setup (hd0,6)
root (hd0,4)
setup (hd0,4)
root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0,0)
and nothing chainloads. The openSuSE and Mandriva chainload entries result in black screen with:
chainloader (hd0,0)+1
GRUB_
chainloader (hd0,6)+1
GRUB_
the Fedora chainloader simply does nothing and reboots. Obviously I’m not doing this right. How do I set up current Linux partitions to boot using chainloader? Were the instructions I used outdated? Can I even do this? Or did I somewhere along the way get syntax wrong?:’( This is admittedly a little complex but I attempted to copy and paste as much as possible for this post to be as accurate as possible.
Fedora uses GRUB 2. I believe openSuSE and Mandriva use what is now called by some as “legacy GRUB”.