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Re: [Ma-linux] Fedora Core 8

Subject: Re: [Ma-linux] Fedora Core 8
From: Przemek Klosowski
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:46:02 -0500 EST
   > The big advantage of a separate /boot partition in Jay Hart's case is
   > that it can be shared between multiple OS versions that otherwise have
   > distinct filesystems, which simplifies the grub.conf setup: all
   > entries refer to different vmlinuz/initrd entries on the same boot
   > partition.

   And if Distribution B says: We OWN /boot so WIPE all "TRASH" currently
   sitting there. You then lose the ability to easily boot/recover your
   other operating systems.

On our critical systems we have a duplicate of the /boot partition on
a different disk, so that we can still boot up in case of a hardware
or software failure. This requires manual intervention of course.

Of course your setup with chainloaders is cute, too, and I like the idea
of a readily-available rescue, except I did set up a net boot server and
boot into RIP from across the net.

I do recommend having either local or remote memtest: assuming you
have the memtest image in /boot, the GRUB entry is simply

title memtest-3.1a
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /memtest31a

   p



   A must more effective way is:
     A "realboot" sector/partition which has in it at least the following:
        /boot/grub  directory.
     In the grub directory is the following 'menu.lst" file:
   --------------- cut here -------
   # menu.lst
   #
   # Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes
   # to this file
   #boot=/dev/sda
   default=saved
   timeout=10
   splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

   ############################
   title           Chainload boot sector in sda5 boot sector
   root            (hd0,4)
   savedefault
   chainloader     +1

   title           Chainload boot sector in sda6 boot sector
   root            (hd0,5)
   savedefault
   chainloader     +1

   # and so on as many as you want/need.
   # Note I do recomend prettying up the titles, but that a personal thing.
   --------------------- cut here ----------

   Each Distribution(OS) is installed into it's own partition with it's
   boot loader installed into it's own root(/)'s partition "boot sector".
   With only the sharing of SWAP.
   Well maybe also the sharing of /home if you are real real careful.

   Another possible "real boot" grub entry is:

   title Boot Linux rescue system to X! (skipping keymap prompt) **
   root (hd0,0)
   kernel /boot/kernel xlogin1 nokeymap root=/dev/ram0 rw vga=normal
   initrd /boot/rootfs.cgz
   boot

   The above kernel and rootfs.cgz are a copy of the files from the ISO at:
   <http://www.tux.org/pub/people/kent-robotti/looplinux/rip/>

   Which gives you a complete set of system recovery tools with both
   networking and X support. Plus the entire recovery setup fits in less
   then 80 Meg of disk space.

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