Ubuntu

Will Ubuntu 10.10 detect Mandriva 2009

Asked by Darrell Barabash

My main OS is Mandriva 2009 which uses GRUB (legacy) boot loader. I want to switch to Ubuntu but see that it will overwrite GRUB with GRUB2. If I allow this, will Mandriva 2009 be detected and loadable? I need to keep Mandriva my main OS and not switch completely until I see that Ubuntu meets my needs.

The other possibility is to not overwrite (only option looks to be to install grub2 in /) but then will I be able to boot Ubuntu from the GRUB loader?

Grub problems are scary to me so I am being very cautious. Thanks kindly!

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GREG T. (ubuntuer) said : 		#1

 dual boot them with the ubuntu cd

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Darrell Barabash (dustbin) said : 		#2

Just so I am clear, let Ubuntu install Grub2 over top the legacy Grub loader. Then, it should allow me to boot Ubuntu but it will also find Mandriva and allow me to boot it too. Is this correct Greg?

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delance (olivier-delance) said : 		#3

Do an update via update-manager. It should keep grub as boot loader (or at least ask you if you want to switch to Grub2).
If current configuration work, it's best not to switch to Grub2, as you will have conflict between Ubuntu Grub2 and Mandriva Grub Legacy boot.

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Darrell Barabash (dustbin) said : 		#4

I don't have Ubuntu at all on this computer. So, I guess I'll have to install an old version first. I believe 8.04LTS has legacy Grub. Then update as you've suggested.

I was hopeful that Grub2 would detect and load distributions that still use the legacy loader. It is sounding like this isn't the case. Thanks delance!

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Darrell Barabash (dustbin) said : 		#5

More digging leads me to believe that Grub2 "should" find the older Mandriva installation. But still, it appears that most experts recommend keeping Grub (legacy) at this point in time and booting Ubuntu from it. They note that Grub is stable and production proven whereas Grub2 is still developmental. So, I will stay with Grub.

An excellent Grub2 tutorial by Igor Ljubuncic (http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/grub-2.html#mozTocId329294) explains how to set up various dual boot scenarios including distributions that use both Grub and Grub2.

Key point is that when the Grub2 based distro is installed (Ubuntu in my case) the boot loader is to be put in / so that Grub doesn't get overwritten. Igor shows that although chainloader doesn't work to boot Ubuntu, there is a way. Here is a snippet from his tutorial of the lines to add to menu.lst:

 title Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala
 root (hd0,5)
 kernel /boot/grub/core.img
 savedefault
 boot

The tutorial also shows how the above is easily accomplished in Mandriva 2010 using the installation options.

Tried and it works great. Hopefully this summary will help other users with a Grub vs Grub2 dilemma.