Linux on separate drive

[blackhawk714]

Hello all! I have two 40GB drives, I have windows installed on one and want to install redhat linux 9 on the other. Is there a proper way to do this, and should I use a boot disk or a boot loader and if so, where do I install the boot loader. Thanks All! :D

[mdwatts]

Unless you use the NT/W2K/XP bootloader (if that is the Windows version you are using), you will need to install the Linux bootloader into the mbr of the primary/master drive (hda).

Another option is to move the Windows partition over a bit (20mb), create a /boot primary partition on hda, install the Linux bootloader there and make it the active partition.

[je_fro]

However, I'm in a good mood...:p

Win drive = primary master = C: . Linux name = /dev/hda


(soon to be) Linux Drive = secondary (slave, whatever...) = D:. Linux Name = /dev/hdb

I would install GRUB as my bootloader on the MBR.

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by je_fro

I would install GRUB as my bootloader on the MBR.

I wouldn't as no bootloader should be installed in the mbr.

[je_fro]

Thank you mdwatts!

What is it that gets put on the MBR then?
I have a separate /boot partition, but I can't recall what exactly goes on the MBR....

Google it is, then!

Short for Master Boot Record, a small program that is executed when a computer boots up. Typically, the MBR resides on the first sector of the hard disk. The program begins the boot process by looking up the partition table to determine which partition to use for booting. It then transfers program control to the boot sector of that partition, which continues the boot process. In DOS and Windows systems, you can create the MBR with the FDISK /MBR command.

[blackhawk714]

I'm guessing I should just install the linux boot loader on the master boot record of the windows XP driver. Is this ok?? Thanks :)

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by blackhawk714
I'm guessing I should just install the linux boot loader on the master boot record of the windows XP driver. Is this ok?? Thanks :)

I guess you have no other choice unless you do what I suggested previously.

If you ever need to reinstall XP, you will then need to boot into Linux using a bootdisk or installation cd in rescue mode and reinstall the bootloader again in the mbr as XP will reset the mbr back to it's original state.

A single boot record (not Windows) that points to the active partition.

je_fro... fdisk /mbr only clears out the mbr and restores the boot record as I described above. Windows does not install it's bootloader in the mbr as it does the same as if you had installed the Linux bootloader in a separate /boot or '/' root partition that is set as the active.

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