openSUSE, Mint, Ubuntu are all the same OS, even if the administration tasks are quite different.
FreeBSD, NetBSD and OpenBSD are different OSs, although the administration is similar.
If your goal in to experiment with different OSs, create a primary parition (it has to be a primary one) and install one of the BSDs. FreeBSD is the best suitable for desktop end users. Install one or more Linux in other partitions (can be all logical). So you’ll have plenty of fun over Christmas .
BSD? I’ve heard of it but know nothing about it. Have bookmarked the respective homepages for Open, Net and Free for closer examination later. Thank you for that!
And then the terminal seems to hang. Nothing new appears so used Ctrl C to end it.
Do you think I should persevere (as opposed to reinstalling) because it’s not worth the time involved or because I should take advantage of a learning opportunity here?! My brain is starting to bubble…
Woohoo! You little gem. Ran the grub install and update, and Ubuntu now boots just fine.
So… I’d still like to install Mint and Suse for now so that I can have a good poke around and save settings (i.e. without running from Live CD). How do I do that?
I intend to set up the partitions as you advised earlier. I’d really appreciate one last post (fingers crossed it’ll be the last required on this thread!) outlining how best to proceed.
I thought you just installed openSUSE. If so you don’t have to reinstall it. It should be available in Grub2 menu after an update-grub.
Anyway you can install any Linux you like but :
don’t let the setup install Grub (or generic boot code, as openSUSE does) in MBR. So double and triple check. Under openSUSE, you have to look in the advanced boot options and it is not obvious (two clicks away from main dialog in setup). There you have to unckeck ‘write generic boot code to mbr’ if it is enabled. But you should install openSUSE Grub in its root partition. Later you can chainload openSUSE’s Grub from Ubuntu’s Grub.
I never installed Mint, but if it does like Ubuntu, it’s going to want to install its Grub in MBR. Don’t let it do that! Select Mint’s root partition instead (it should be possible).
Run sudo update-grub
under Ubuntu after instaling another distro and it should add it to the menu.
creating partitions in advanced with PartedMagic before installing is still a good idea.
MBR = Master Boot record, the very first sector of the hard disk.
** otherwise Grub can be installed in the first sector of each parition, preferably the root partition of the corresponding distro.
My brain is starting to bubble…
