how to install bootloaders when running 2 linux

Hello !

You just have to have 1 bootloader installed (GRUB from fedora or Ubuntu, the one you like ...).

The easiest is just to add the entries for one system in the GRUB config file (/boot/grub/menu.lst in Ubuntu) of the other system and make sure system is booted using this GRUB ...

You can also use a common /boot partition for both systems, but it's a bit more advanced ...

Regards,
Benoît

since i'm a beginner please explain the way to give 2 entries in the
file menu.lst
and a detailed way in which the bootloader can be installed..
please help..:)
thank u in advance..:)

On 10/10/07, Benoit Malet <email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #14840 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Benoit Malet proposed the following answer:
> Hello !
>
> You just have to have 1 bootloader installed (GRUB from fedora or
> Ubuntu, the one you like ...).
>
> The easiest is just to add the entries for one system in the GRUB config
> file (/boot/grub/menu.lst in Ubuntu) of the other system and make sure
> system is booted using this GRUB ...
>
> You can also use a common /boot partition for both systems, but it's a
> bit more advanced ...
>
> Regards,
> Benoît
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840/+confirm?answer_id=0
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Could you please give more information about your disks and partitions and what is where.

To get a partitions listing open a terminal (applications-->accessories-->terminal) and type: "sudo fdisk -l" (without quotes, l like in list). You can paste the output here. It would be good to also know the contents of your current /boot/grub/menu.lst.

A full grub manual is here: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html, but we'll try to help you with this.

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1959 15735636 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 1960 2831 7004340 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 2874 3134 2096482+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4 3135 19456 131106465 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 3135 8176 40499833+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 8177 10787 20972826 b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda7 10788 14051 26218048+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda8 14052 17315 26218048+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda9 17316 18620 10482381 b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda10 18621 19456 6715138+ 83 Linux

contents of menu.lst
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
# root (hd0,9)
# kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda10
# initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=1
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,9)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.21-1.3194.fc7)
        root (hd0,9)
        kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
        initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.21-1.3194.fc7.img
title windows xp
        rootnoverify (hd0,0)
        chainloader +1
title ubuntu
        rootnoverify (hd0,1)
        chainloader +1
"/boot/grub/menu.lst" 23L, 716C

On 10/10/07, Wrwrwr <email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #14840 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Wrwrwr proposed the following answer:
> Could you please give more information about your disks and partitions
> and what is where.
>
> To get a partitions listing open a terminal
> (applications-->accessories-->terminal) and type: "sudo fdisk -l"
> (without quotes, l like in list). You can paste the output here. It
> would be good to also know the contents of your current
> /boot/grub/menu.lst.
>
> A full grub manual is here:
> http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html, but we'll try to help
> you with this.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840/+confirm?answer_id=2
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

What happens when you start your computer from hard disk, which system starts?

This grub seems to have all three entries, you'll just have to enable it. Assuming there's a second grub on the sda2, all three should work.

It can even be enabled already, try pressing 'escape' just after 'GRUB loading..' message appears, if this grub is active you should get a menu with systems to choose.

ya u r right.. i'l get all the three os on the selection screen.. but when i
log in to ubuntu i get error as follows
booting ubuntu
rootnoverify(hd0,1)
chainloader +1
error 13:invalid or unsupported executable format

On 10/10/07, Wrwrwr <email address hidden> wrote:
>
> Your question #14840 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Wrwrwr proposed the following answer:
> What happens when you start your computer from hard disk, which system
> starts?
>
> This grub seems to have all three entries, you'll just have to enable
> it. Assuming there's a second grub on the sda2, all three should work.
>
> It can even be enabled already, try pressing 'escape' just after 'GRUB
> loading..' message appears, if this grub is active you should get a menu
> with systems to choose.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840/+confirm?answer_id=4
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

whenever i start my system i can log in to both fedora core and windows xp.. but not to ubuntu.. the error which i reported in my last question occurs..
help me pls.....:)

somebody help me na......
please....
:)

On 10/10/07, <email address hidden> <email address hidden>
wrote:
>
> Your question #14840 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> You gave more information on the question:
> whenever i start my system i can log in to both fedora core and windows
> xp.. but not to ubuntu.. the error which i reported in my last question
> occurs..
> help me pls.....:)
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

it appears that GRUB was not installed on /dev/sda2.

SO HOW TO INSTALL IT ON THE DEVICE SPECIFIED.. /dev/sda2????

What do you have in the /boot directory on the sda2 partition? You may try to replace your current ubuntu entry with something like this:

title Ubuntu
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=/dev/sda2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic

You need to replace 2.6.20-15-generic in the last two lines with the proper kernel version, to know what it is, under terminal with live cd type: "uname -r", or check /boot on the second partition.

which file i need to check in /boot directory..
i'm currently in fedora as i cant log in to ubuntu..

On 10/11/07, Wrwrwr <email address hidden> wrote:
>
> Your question #14840 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Wrwrwr proposed the following answer:
> What do you have in the /boot directory on the sda2 partition? You may
> try to replace your current ubuntu entry with something like this:
>
> title Ubuntu
> root (hd0,1)
> kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=/dev/sda2 ro quiet
> splash
> initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic
>
> You need to replace 2.6.20-15-generic in the last two lines with the
> proper kernel version, to know what it is, under terminal with live cd
> type: "uname -r", or check /boot on the second partition.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840/+confirm?answer_id=10
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/14840
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Running the live cd would do. Remeber to check /boot on the ubuntu partition (fedora probably has it's own /boot).

Files like: vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic and initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic, find something similar (2.6.20-16, maybe -server or -something).