Re: Creating bootup menu at startup!

[Bob McClure Jr <robertmcclure earthlink net>]

On Fri, Nov 21, 2003 at 10:11:27AM -0000, Paul Traynor wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have a linux  hard drive which I wish to put onto my windows xp
> machine as a "second hard drive" and wish to be able to  choose to boot
> into the RedHat 9 version of linux from time to time.  Can I do
> something that once I have  placed the hard drive onto my xp computer
> and have things up and running I can  make a boot menu appear allowing
> me to choose which  operating system I want to access?.
> 
> Tkhank you,
> 
> Paul.

Yes.  If the drive is put into a different position (e.g. slave on
primary instead of master) you will need to edit your /etc/fstab to
change drive references, e.g. changing all /dev/hda<n> to /dev/hdb<n>.
Here's how.

0. Make sure you are using the jumpers on the drives to designate
   master (MA) or slave (SL).  Do not use cable select (CS).  It is
   evil.

1. Boot with your Linux install CD to rescue mode.

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/custom-guide/s1-rescuemode-boot.html

2. Your Linux filesystems will be mounted on /mnt/sysimage.  chroot to
   that:

  chroot /mnt/sysimage

3. Edit your /etc/fstab so that it shows the correct drive designator.

  /dev/hda is master on primary controller 
  /dev/hdb is slave on primary controller 
  /dev/hdc is master on secondary controller 
  /dev/hdd is slave on secondary controller 

4. Edit your /boot/grub/grub.conf or /etc/lilo.conf to reflect the new
   drive locations.  Note that GRUB uses 0-based numbering,
   i.e. /dev/hda is drive 0.  Same for partition numbers.  See also
   Chapter 2 of The Fine Manual:

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/ref-guide/

   and

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/getting-started-guide/s1-q-and-a-windows.html

   While you're in there, add a stanza for booting Windoze.  See the
   gray box in para. 2.7.2 of this page for the format:

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/ref-guide/s1-grub-configfile.html

5. If using GRUB, run "grub-install /dev/hda".  If running LILO, run
   "lilo".

6. Then "exit", and "exit".  Yes, twice.  Then pop out the CD and you
   should have a dual boot system.  If you don't, then go back in
   rescue mode and see if you can fix it.  If you can't, let us know
   and we'll try to help.

7. Be sure to make a new emergency boot disk for Linux.

  mkbootdisk `uname -r`

Cheers,
-- 
Bob McClure, Jr.             Bobcat Open Systems, Inc.
robertmcclure earthlink net  http://www.bobcatos.com
There is no right way to do a wrong thing.