Multiboot OS Installation using following OSs.

30 May 2005

1. Windows 2000/XP/2003 {Any one of these}

2. Solaris 9/10 {Any one of these}
3. Fedora Core3
4. Mandrake 10.3
5. Java Desktop V 2/3
6. Suse
7. RedHat
If you want to include Solaris 9/10 as one of the options for
multiboot, the only precaution is "Solaris always needs primary
partition (no way extended partition)":
Prerequisites:
It is assumed that there is enough disk space available (80 GB or
more)
User is aware of terms Primary/Extended Partition, swap area
Simple Steps to Create such machine:
1.
Install WIndows 2K or XP or 2003 on first primary partition. During
this installation create one more primary partition (15GB). This
partition will be used for Solaris 9/10 installation.
2.
Install Solaris. Select Primary partition 2 for Solaris. After
Solaris installation Boot Loader from Solaris will be active. At
this point of time It will provide atleast 2 booting options i.e
Windows & Solaris.
3.
Install Fedora Core 3/4. Select "Manual partition using diskdruid".
Here Fedora (may other linux also) will flash a message that "Second
primary partition (In which Solaris has been loaded) looks like a
swap partition but it has different format". This message appears
because Hex code for Linux Swap file system and Solaris UFS system
is same i.e (0x82). So do not use this partition as a swap partition.
Now Create a new primary partition of size 15 GB for fedora type
ext3 and now you have to switch over to extended partition scheme.
Create swap partion of size 2*System Memory Size (for example 1 GB
for 512 MB RAM System). This Swap partition will be used by other
Linux (Like Mandrake/Suse/Java Desktop etc).
After creating these two partitions, grub configuration will appear.
Here you edit the name for Windows partition (It shows "Other"). Now
Add one more Option here for Solaris with second primary partition.
Complete the rest installation. Reboot the system
4.
Install Java Desktop. It will be loaded
in a extended partion and it will use the same swap partition used
by Fedora. Do not write this grub configuration to MBR, just write it
on this extended file system. Complete the rest installation.
5.
Reboot the system using Fedora option. Mount the partition (used by
Mandrake/Suse/ or Java Desktop) to mnt using following command.
#mkdir /JavaDesktop
#mount /dev/hda6 /JavaDesktop

#cd /JavaDesktop/etc
#cp grub.conf /root
#vi /root/grub.conf

Now cut the lines required to boot java desktop (only) from this file
and keep it as a separate file (for example keep it as /root/jd). This
file will look like:
==========================================================
========
title Mandrake 10 (2.6.3-4)-smp
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz-smp root=/dev/hda5 devfs=mount acpi=ht
resume=/dev/hda3 splash=silent
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd-smp.img
==========================================================
========
Now do the following:
#vi /etc/grub.conf

6.
7.

{read the file /root/jd in it at suitable place}

Repeat the step 4 & 5 to install other Linux OSs (like Mandrake/Suse/
RedHat etc.).
Reboot the system. Now Grub Menu Will Appear with following OS Options.
Windows (2000/Xp/2003)
Solaris 9/10
Fedora Core 3/4
JavaDesktop V 2/3
Mandrake 10
RedHat EP 3

Sample /etc/grub.conf file Which supports Solaris 9/10:

=============================================================
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this
file
# NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that
#
all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
#
root (hd0,2)
#
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda3
#
initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,2)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.9-1.667)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.9-1.667.img
title Solaris9
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
chainloader +1
title W2KSP4

rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

==============================================================
/etc/grub.conf (without Solaris but multiple Linux OSs)
------------------------------------------------------# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this
file
# NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that
#
all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
#
root (hd0,1)
#
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda2
#
initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Fedora Core (2.6.5-1.358smp)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.5-1.358smp ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.5-1.358smp.img
title Fedora Core-up (2.6.5-1.358)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.5-1.358 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.5-1.358.img
title Mandrake 10 (2.6.3-4)-smp
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz-smp root=/dev/hda5 devfs=mount
acpi=ht resume=/dev/hda3 splash=silent
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd-smp.img
title W2KSP4
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1