Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (4288 mails)

[Clive Rogers <c.rogers@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

HI Rajko,

On Saturday 27 October 2007 08:31:29 Rajko M. wrote:
> On Friday 26 October 2007 04:55:41 pm Clive Rogers wrote:
> > Hi Rajko,
>
> [...]
>
> > > Since 10.2 openSUSE is using generic bootloader that will boot any
> > > partition marked bootable independent of installed operating system.
> >
> > Right now my friend is trying out different versions of LInux so I am not
> > sure which way he is going to jump.
>
> So far I know any Linux can install bootloader in bootsector of own
> partition. On the other side your friend can create 2 primaries, one for
> swap the other for installed system, and the rest can be extended partition
> with one logical for /home and few for test installations. I would not use
> my normal /home for other distros as that can make trouble.
>
> From base system in primary and /home in first of logical partitions you
> can boot whatever you want and have safe haven if other distro get borked.
> By now it worked with any distro, including FreeBSD.
>
> > > Install grub in boot sector of openSUSE partition and using console
> > > program cfdisk make it active, it is called 'bootable' in cfdisk.
> > > MBR of hard disk will stay as is.
> > > Limitation to this is that bootable can be only primary partition, not
> > > logical as generic bootloader is looking in partition table that has
> > > only 4 entries for primary partitions.
> >
> > This I e-mailed to him when you sent it too me.
> >
> > > YaST Partitioner for now lacks ability to change bootable/active flag
> > > so you have to use external program (cfdisk) to change it.
> >
> > As you know most other distros don't use YaST so again a quick check
> > would help him here and I could also e-mail him the pages I found.
>
> All distros I tried have cfdisk and it is with Midnight Commander (file
> manager with built in editor, simple ftp client, and much more) something
> that I test is it installed and if not install on the spot.
>
> > > If your friend decide not to use Linux all you have to do is to boot in
> > > openSUSE and run cfdisk again and mark windows partition as bootable
> > > and openSUSE will disappear, while it will be possible to boot it from
> > > CD or USB stick.
> >
> > Yes,  I sent him the information and he has not come back to me as yet so
> > I don't know what he is doing.
> >
> > As far as I am concerned he should just install either lilo or grub on
> > the mbr and be done with it.
>
> As mentioned it will not happen since 10.2.
> The only thing openSUSE loads in MBR is free generic bootloader.
> That way user complies with other OS license 100%, ie. no componet is used
> outside OS context, and one day when user wants to remove linux generic
> bootloader can continue to serve. It is not biased toward OS, it likes only
> active partition :-)
>
> > But,   he will only boot into a linux distro
> > which ever one he decides to use using the CD or as I wrote him the USB
> > stick like you said in your mail.
> >
> > Some people just like to be different for the sake of it I think   ;-)
> > I am hopeful he will go with SuSE 10.3 but this will be his decision.
>
> Some people are afraid of unknown, some to loose data, and they are not
> thought to make backup. Some people spent days to recover system even with
> backup.
>
> I did system recovery for a friends, and I know what pain that is. Sitting
> in front of computer waiting for prompts for a few hours until system is
> reinstalled, patched, has antivirus and firewall.
>
> Now I will if they want to install Linux as backup solution, and then I can
> come when I have time, no rush ;-)
>
> --
> Regards,
> Rajko.

I will pass on your thoughts and comments and see which way he jumps.

-- 
Kindest regards,

Clive
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.rogers/

Fighting for darker skies.
From 52:26ºN 01:27ºW (Coventry, UK)
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