[Ubuntu+NT/98/RedHat] Lucid/Grub install disabled most all other OS'

It may just be as simple as running:

sudo update-grub

This should run os_prober and may detect the other OSes

I'm afraid you confuse about job of OS, partition editor and bootloader.
It would not be such a problem if you have not a so complicated configuration, with:
  - dual boot Windows/Ubuntu
  - dual boot Ubuntu/RedHat
  - three disks and 28 partitions
1) All your disks are fixed disks ? (please no removable disks for OS)
2) Do you think to use virtual machines (like Virtual Box and VmWare) ? The loss in speed is light if you don't use 3D video.
3) It's useless to have two swap partitions. All Linux installation can share same swap partition.
4) If you make highly complicated configuration, you will have to become an expert, read a lot of documentation and solve by yourself such issue (and perhaps replace me in this forum).
5) Are all your disk on same interface (PATA or SATA) ?
6) To help you, I'll need for each partition not only its file system type but which OS use it and the mounting point.

And yes:
   sudo update-grub
should solve all your problems, but sometimes it is a little more complicated.

Reply to actionparship & delance: I'll take a shot at it w/ update-gurb

Reply to delance queries:
General: had to go w/ numerous partitions since on initial install of Win, Fat16 has a 2gig limit. Partition Magic has never had a problem w/ either the number or variety of partitions. I was hoping Linux was as flexible.
Specific questions
1 -- all fixed discs
2-- have thought about VMwarePlayer. Was planning to put it atop an Ubuntu host. However, an Ubuntu install has become so problematical I doubt I want to risk it anymore.
3 -- multiple swap space might waste space. But, I have lots of space and don't care about minor inefficiencies when I'm spending so much time trying to install an OS -- another reason to fear going the VMWare route.
4--I beg to differ. I never asked the Ubuntu install to so much as touch either of the other two HDD's. In fact, when it initially wanted to reformat the RedHat swap I told it to ignore that partition entirely since I did not want Ubuntu and REdHat to trample all over each other. I even told the installer to not bother w/ Grub -- but, it went ahead and did that anyway.
5 -- all PATA. The 3rd is via a PCI card.
6 -- I thought the above "Sudo part -l" command provided file system info. Is not "FAT16" or "FAT32" file system info?
Anyhoo, all of the Win-based systems access all of the FAT16 and FAT32 partitions. Totally intermixed. SDA9 thru SDB5-7 contains programs installed under one of the 3 Win OS's. All of the other FAT16 and FAT32 partitions are data partitions -- accessed by any active OS.
The RedHat partitions are used only by RedHat. The Ubuntu partitions were intended for use only by Ubuntu -- until such time as I was comfortable.

If that is not sufficient please let me know where I might be more specific.

I will give the sudo command a shot, tho. If it at least restores access to my other two Win systems I'll be more comfortable going forward -- at least I'll know how to repair some level of damage.

I suspect the problem is w/ GParted, primarily because nothing went amiss until after GParted started scanning/searching other partitions and devices. Perhaps it makes some assumptions, some faulty assumptions. I asked it to partition and install on the 3rd HDD. I never asked it to do anything atall to either of the two other HDD's. But, as was pointed out in another question on this forum, it went ahead and renumbered partitions on the 1st HDD and caused "cylinder errors" on both HDD 1 and 2. This has given Partition Magic hissy fits. I suspect that during its numerous scan and searches of all of my HDD GParted went ahead and shuffled things about to fit its assumptions.

Here is what I'd like to do going forward, if this is possible:
1 Write off the 3rd HDD. I had to reformat it w/ GParted so I could install Ubuntu there in its own Primary partition (and a couple of logical ones). The data there is lost.
2 Restore the state of my other two HDD's. Correct the cylinder mis-matches so that I can return to using PartionMagic for partitioning activities on those two HDD's. Restore the master boot records for those two HDD's so that BootMagic (a child of PartitionMagic-- like Lilo and Grub) can return to serving up those 4 OS's on boot. If this can be done I won't lose the data on those devices.
3 Somehow limit Ubuntu's activity to only the 3rd HDD, including GParted or whatever other partition tool is better/simpler.

If this cannot be achieved,especially the 3rd, I think I'll have to write off the PC in its entirety and do a total re-install of everything. At that stage I will not be interested in pursuing Lucid -- it is far too dangerous to keep around. I cannot afford to install any program/application/OS that impacts another that resides on a different partition/device. That is one of the reasons I have so many partitions -- so that different OS' impact each other only when I know what will happen ahead of time.
I would still, tho, like to install an earlier version of Ubuntu; one less intrusive on other systems. Perhaps version 8 or even Koala. Would any of the other versions not use GParted? Is there an earlier linux partition tool I can access that is a little better ........."behaved"? And, can I install an earlier Ubuntu version w/o having to expose my "new" system to GParted?

delance, additional info
Your last, #6, query asked about mount point. I'm sorry, I missed that question.
Had I noticed it, tho, I doubt I'd have been able to help 'cause I don't know what you're talking about in the context of Windows' OS's. I might have touched on the issue a bit in my #6 reply. Perhaps this might suffice:
NT is on SDA1,
1st Win98se is on SDA2
2nd Win98se is on SDA3
(I'm an engineer of 30+ years, I'm cautious. The second Win98se OS is my test system where I install new hardware first. If it doesn't break anything I re-install into the 1st Win98se and then move on. OTOH, if the new hardware/thingy breaks the OS -- the damage is limited.)
All three partitions are FAT16 and when I install programs into them I install the programs, themselves, onto FAT16 partitions SDA9 or SDB5-7. Again, the idea is that if something breaks the damage is limited and I can back out.

More info.
Response to both delance and actionparship RE sudo update-grub command.
Ran it, no change. During update it "found" the OS'/tools listed previously:
"Ubuntu linux.............
Ubuntu Linux............(recovery .....)
Memory test
Memory test (serial console)
Win NT/2000.... on SDA1
Win 98/ME....on SDA3
Win 98/ME....on SDA4"
It also found RedHat linux on SDA5. What a surprise!

However, when I did a restart the Grub list was as before, no sign of RedHat. Also, as before, if I selected either of the Win98se OS' (on SDA 3 or 4) I got only my second Win98se, not the first. It is as if Grub treats the second one as the default and refuses to recognize the other. It is really odd that during an update it finds RedHat but then won't permit its boot.

Looks like the PC is a complete write off, as feared yesterday.

Delance,
Please do not bother expending any more of your valuable time addressing these issues, since I will not be pursuing a Lucid LiveCD installation any further. Another Ubuntu flavor, perhaps. But, that will require some research to identify one that is not as destructive.
It is obvious to me that the Lucid LiveCD installation process is FUBAR. I told Lucid to install on a single device (in this case HDD#3) – where there was ample room and what I understood to be an acceptable file structure. Instead of limiting its activity to only that device, the install chose to change the “settings” on the other two HDD, too (e.g., CHS settings were moved about in spite of a “round to cylinder setting”, partitions were renumbered, etc.). Not just look around or search, but change. This sort of behavior is unacceptable. I cannot afford to install software of any sort that decides to impact neighboring packages without advance permission. It would be fine with me if it limited such behavior to a single device/HDD. I can always reformat if something goes wrong. But, impacting all the other storage devices is not OK.
The Grub issues, which are numerous, are also a bit of a concern but nowhere near as serious. I can always use a different loader (e.g., GAG comes to mind).
I am, however, still very interested in pursuing a Linux installation. I’ve always been intrigued with that – especially since I’ve no fondness for any M$ products. If you would care to recommend another package, perhaps an earlier Ubuntu release (Karnic??) I would consider it. I would use one that does not use any partition manager of the Gparted family, since I suspect the installation problem(s) are in that application. Just my suspicion, but, I’ll stay away from those managers and any release that uses them.
Sincerely and with thanks,
Bob

When you install an OS, you install also a bootloader, and this bootloader will have effect on all systems it is supposed to boot.
And bootloaders have difficulties to live aside!
If you have difficulties with some concept, the easier way is to install OS in a virtual machine.
This way of doing is very reliable, you don't have to bother with complex multi-boot problems and it allow you to use simultaneously several OS.

Oh, I don’t deny some of the pros of a VM. However, it also has some cons: consumes more resources (e.g., memory), still requires all the hardware drivers of any guest OS, prevents/degrades connections to hardware ((e.g., DirectX), etc. The choice between a parallel OS setup (i.e., multi-boot) and serial OS setup (i.e., VM guests atop a host) is one of balancing pros and cons. If I were running a server and constantly fussing with multiple OS’s and their modifications, the VM approach would be the more advantageous.
However, I just want a desktop with several paths to pursue at my option and minimal hardware requirements.
As to the resulting complexity, I have (had – the second was toasted) two PC’s. Each had multiple boot OS’s, one of which was a legacy Linux. They all lived happily together and the one that caused the most trouble in forcing compatibility was a Windows OS – NT. That is, until Lucid.
Lucid impacted compatibility prior even to installation. Before even getting to a decision on a bootloader or partitioning any device in the installation process, Lucid changed settings on all devices in the PC. That is a …….”preemption of control” I’d not experienced in any Linux flavor; nor, ever expected. I’ve heard of similar horror stories with Apple machines that the Apple fanbois downplay; but, not even in any Windows flavor.
Therefore, it is my opinion that the Lucid installation process is fatally flawed. Gparted is a bit of a bully when it modifies all devices even when it has been told to only install on a specified device. I ought to be able to tell it to leave all other devices alone unless I later tell it to install a bootloader. Grub2 has similar problems since it tells me that there are multiple bootable OS’s; but, then refuses to load one (i.e., the RedHat) and disables access to two of the three others. Other bootloaders (e.g., BootMagic, Lilo) ask me if there are other bootable OS’s and ask if I want them to provide access. Grub2, tho, gets all officious and tells me which ones I’m allowed to access. From some of the questions in the forum it seems that Grub1 did not present these problems.
I’d be the first to admit that installing any OS can be a bit of a trial. It requires homework (e.g., locating drivers), organization, and patience. The Lucid installation, tho, is fraught with problems. Problems that impact other OS’, not just problems associated with getting Lucid up and running. I’m prepared and willing to deal with problems in getting Lucid to run. I’m not, tho, willing to spend time repairing damage to the other OS’.