How to correctly dual boot Fedora and Ubuntu.

c0reyf · #1 18th September 2007, 08:02 PM

I've been using Ubuntu and would like to also put Fedora on my laptop as a dual boot. I'd like to use Fedora a little before I make the switch permenant. I was told I would need to create a /boot partition to do this the correct way (Is that correct?). I plan to format my drive and start from scratch installing both distros. Under partition I would do the following?:

Fedora
/boot 1G
/ 10G
swap 1G

Ubuntu
/ 10G

1 - It asks if I want to install GRUB? If I'm creating a /boot do I need it and what do I do with the /boot?

2 - I'm also assuming that / is considered root where Fedora is installed.

3 - Isn't there also something I need to be aware of using swap on both distros?

Please go gentle, I'm trying to learn. I'd appreciate any help.

Thanks,
c0reyf

***bob*** · #2 18th September 2007, 08:21 PM

First, you already have Ubuntu's grub in place, so you can install Fedora's grub on the root partition instead of the mbr. Look for 'advanced bootloader options' during the install. Once you have that in place, simply add this kind of entry to your Ubuntu's /boot/grub/menu.lst:

title Fedora
root (hdx,x) <insert the correct drive and partition numbers here - count up from zero
rootnoverify (hdx,x) <same info
chainloader +1

That will pass the boot from the Ubuntu grub to the Fedora grub.

As to your other partitions, simply put everything under "/" . If you already have Ubuntu set up as ext3, you can use the same swap for Fedora if you also set that up as ext3. If Ubuntu's installed as LVM or Fedora is set up as LVM, then their swaps wont be seen by each other and you'll end up with two swap files.

volko · #3 10th June 2009, 12:35 AM

I have simular question ...
How to add ubuntu into Fedoras grub?

***bob*** · #4 10th June 2009, 01:32 AM

You can get Ubuntu's boot information from it's /boot/grub/menu.lst. You should see an icon for mounting Ubuntu on the Fedora desktop or inside Computer. Copy that into Fedora's /boot/grub/grub.conf, however if it's the current version of Ubuntu, you'll have to add a "root=(hdx,y)" line where "x" and "y" represent the drive and partition information for Ubuntu.

tron101 · #5 18th June 2009, 08:31 PM

Hi there,

I hope you can help.

I've installed Fedora 11 alongside Ubuntu 8.10 and would like to be able to boot Ubuntu.

I can see all the old files and the menu.lst file which contains the following:

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-14-generic
uuid 38cf1a5d-849c-441e-b7df-51d5b3a1cb10
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-14-generic root=UUID=38cf1a5d-849c-441e-b7df-51d5b3a1cb10 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-14-generic
quiet

Should I just paste this into the grub.conf file?

Thanks

***bob*** · #6 18th June 2009, 08:34 PM

Yes, but add a line in there to tell Grub where Ubuntu's root partition is. For example:

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-14-generic
root=(hd0,2) <adjust for your drive and partition numbers
uuid 38cf1a5d-849c-441e-b7df-51d5b3a1cb10
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-14-generic root=UUID=38cf1a5d-849c-441e-b7df-51d5b3a1cb10 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-14-generic
quiet

tron101 · #7 18th June 2009, 10:03 PM

Perfect, many thanks.

infernosoft · #8 23rd August 2009, 12:43 AM

I already have ubuntu 8.1 installed and want to install Fedora 11 (dual booting).

Ubuntu is ext3, but fedora 11 is ext4. So, what should I do with my swap?...create 2 swap partitions? or can I use the same?

***bob*** · #9 23rd August 2009, 01:22 AM

The one swap will work for both ext3 and ext4.

VernDog · #10 23rd August 2009, 03:58 AM

A work of caution if your using Grub2. I have Ubuntu Karmic installed and upgraded to Grub2. When my Fedora 11 has any kernel upgrades, "update-grub" only picks up the kernel. It fails to add the initrd. I had to add it by hand

infernosoft · #11 23rd August 2009, 07:17 AM

Installed. Now, how do I know what to exactly add into the /boot/grub/menu.lst file?

I'm not sure what Fedora 11's uuid, kernal, and initrd is...any ideas?

VernDog · #12 23rd August 2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernosoft

Installed. Now, how do I know what to exactly add into the /boot/grub/menu.lst file?

I'm not sure what Fedora 11's uuid, kernal, and initrd is...any ideas?

sudo fdisk -l

also

Code:

sudo blkid

That will give you your partitions. Since you know Fedora is on Ext4, look for that.

Also, to find Fedora's kernels, output Fedora's /boot :

Code:

ls /boot

infernosoft · #13 23rd August 2009, 08:09 AM

I'm still so confused. sorry. Here's the output for everything:

sudo fdisk -l

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x06cd1510

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1       12748   102398278+  83  Linux
/dev/sda2           29281       30401     9004432+   5  Extended
/dev/sda3           12749       29280   132793290   83  Linux
/dev/sda5           29281       30401     9004401   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

sudo blkid

Code:

/dev/sda1: UUID="7fcf7953-cb80-4a04-9f8e-6f402a86953a" TYPE="ext3" 
/dev/sda5: TYPE="swap" UUID="aa19815b-6aa3-4e0a-a737-4c15a2107f0f" 
/dev/sda3: UUID="bf6f8ed7-dda8-455a-90d3-e004f67ef3e7" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"

ls /boot

Code:

abi-2.6.27-14-generic     initrd.img-2.6.27-14-generic  vmcoreinfo-2.6.27-14-generic
abi-2.6.27-7-generic      initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic   vmcoreinfo-2.6.27-7-generic
config-2.6.27-14-generic  memtest86+.bin                vmlinuz-2.6.27-14-generic
config-2.6.27-7-generic   System.map-2.6.27-14-generic  vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic
grub                      System.map-2.6.27-7-generic

Thanks for the help

infernosoft · #14 23rd August 2009, 08:27 AM

I keep getting partition not found!

Here's what I have:

Code:

title Fedora 11
root (hd0,3)
kernel /media/disk/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i686.PAE root=bf6f8ed7-dda8-455a-90d3-e004f67ef3e7
initrd /media/disk/boot/initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i686.PAE.img

Any ideas as to what's wrong?

VernDog · #15 23rd August 2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infernosoft

I keep getting partition not found!

Here's what I have:

Code:

title Fedora 11
root (hd0,3)
kernel /media/disk/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i686.PAE root=bf6f8ed7-dda8-455a-90d3-e004f67ef3e7
initrd /media/disk/boot/initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.i686.PAE.img

Any ideas as to what's wrong?

The "/menu/disk" is wrong. Also there is no ext4 partition. Did you install Fedora on an external drive?
Also the "/boot" info is not for Fedora. Notice your missing fc11 string in the kernel. It is probably from Ubuntu's "/boot".