opensuse 10.3 grub - 2 kernels

All,

I just upgraded an old PC from openssue 10.2 to 10.3, works fine.

10.3 runs 2.6.22.19-0.1-default. I then wanted to add the old 10.2
kernel, and at boot, choose which kernel i needed. Granted - booting the
older kernel - some things will not work.

point is one application that cannot run with the newer kernel.

/boot/grub/menu.lst works fine for the new kernel:

NEW KERNEL - WORKS

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name:
linux-2.6.22.19-0.1-default###
title openSUSE 10.3 - 2.6.22.19-0.1
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.19-0.1-default root=/dev/sda6 vga=0x31a
resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.19-0.1-default

OLD KERNEL - FAILS

title openSUSE 10.3 - 2.6.18.2-34 (default)
rootnoverify (hd0,5)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.2-34-default root=/dev/hda6 vga=0x31a

resume=/dev/hda5 splash=silent showopts
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.2-34-default root=/dev/hda6 vga=0x31a
resume=/dev/hda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18.2-34-default

/boot/grub/device.map:
(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb

fdisk -l:

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1702 13671283+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 1703 3005 10466347+ 93 Amoeba
/dev/sda3 3006 5473 19824210 f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 * 3006 3055 401593+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 3056 5473 19422553+ 83 Linux

  • the linux root filesystem is /dev/sda6 - yes, i know - a mess.

So I installed and compiled the older kernel from source, installed,
etc…and then copied and modified this entry for the 2nd older kernel
to be able to boot from GRUB.

however; it seems grub does not see this kernel properly at /dev/sda,
but appears to recognize the hard disk at /dev/hda. the boot then fails
saying (paraphrase)

waiting for device /dev/sda6 to appear.
then later:

(some USB messages…etc…etc…)
want me to fall back to sda6 ?

it seems the old kernel is somehow confusing /dev/sda6 with some USB
drive it expects ?

Any tips on how i can fix this and get these 2 kernels to live together ?

Thanks in advance

Shawn, I’m no expert, but perhaps the 10.2 problem lies in this (the hd0 part)?

Quote:
/boot/grub/device.map:
(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb

Nothing comes to mind about how to deal with the 10.2 hda map need, since 10.3 needs sda mapped. perhaps by posting this, the thread will pop to the top and some guru will bless us with his/her wisdom.

But won’t you also have a problem in fstab too? Would going to this format help?

/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_WDC_WD2500KS-00_WD-WCANKJ299238-part6
replaces /dev/hda6 (or whatever) in both menu.lst and fstab?