Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (1898 mails)

[Felix Miata <mrmazda@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 2010/07/23 19:55 (GMT-0500) Jim Flanagan composed:

> I have an existing 11.2 install with separate /boot, swap, /,  /home,  
> and /var partitions. I'd like to keep this setup, at least for now. I 
> have room on the same disk, but am unsure how to do a new install of 11.3.

> What I THINK I need is:
> Set /boot to the existing partition

Setting one partition as /boot in more than one installed OS is an invitation
for pain. Each OS will assume that partition is its duty to maintain. You'll
likely find mkinitrd programs building initrds for kernels that were not
installed by that OS, with quite unpredictable results. I've never found good
reason to try this myself.

> Set swap to the existing partition

The installer will automatically assign whatever swap exists. Good luck
undoing that if that's what you wish done.

> Set /home to the existing partion
> Set / and /var to new partitions

I never use a separate partition for /var, so offer no opinion on what it
requires.

> Is this correct?

I don't think "correct" would be an apt description.

> Will the new install detect and leave a menu item for
> booting both 11.2 and the new 11.3 install?

Yes, but then after next 11.2 update there's no telling exactly what to
expect. Both 11.2 & 11.3 will symlink its latest installed kernel & initrd.

I suggest leaving the current /boot partition exclusively to 11.2's use, and
leave 11.3's /boot as a normal directory on /. After initial 11.3
installation is complete, selecting / as Grub target, run 11.2's YaST2
bootloader to add at least chainload and/or configfile entries to its
menu.lst for booting 11.3. It can also add one or more entries to boot 11.3
directly using kernel & initrd from 11.3's /boot.

Alternatively, right before beginning 11.3 installation, modify 11.2's fstab
to eliminate mounting the /boot partition. Then umount it from /boot,
remounting elsewhere (e.g. /disks/boot). Then copy its contents to /boot,
modify /etc/grub.conf to match the new location on /, then install grub to /.
Once confirmed to function correctly, install 11.3, assigning the old 11.2
/boot as /boot for 11.3.

Once I've created a partition to function as /boot, I stop mounting it as
/boot, and maintain its menu.lst manually. That way it can only ever be my
own fault if it doesn't work and nothing will boot. That limits each OS
installation to maintaining itself exclusively, being booted via direct real
/boot/grub/menu.lst one of three ways:

1-entry to load kernel & initrd per OS
2-entry to chainload each OS
3-entry using configfile for each OS

Oh, and I always use only standard MBR code, and boot from one or more
primaries, depending what I've installed on them, commonly Windows and/or DOS
and/or IBM BM, plus one for real /boot as master boot manager if not using
IBM BM as master boot manager. I have upwards of 20 multiboot systems, some
with more than 15 installed distros, mostly using only a single HD per
system. Also I do _all_ partitioning prior to installing anything, and use a
cross-platform partitioning program that is not freeware or open source
(DFSee; has binaries for DOS, Windows, OS/2, Linux & Mac). I never have
partitioning incompatibilities using this technique, and all OSes are content
with the partitions DFSee provides for their use.
-- 
"The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant
words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation)

 Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/
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