[NTLUG:Discuss] Re: Multiple Linux'es (Was: Umm, I'm in need...)

[cbbrowne@dantzig.brownes.org]

On Fri, 25 Aug 2000 08:53:09 MDT, the world broke into rejoicing as
greenglow484 at juno.com  said:
> I'm curious about this too.  I have_not_tried to R the FM's on this, and
> don't know whether there is a FM on it; If so, please steer me to it, and
> thanx.  I thought I wouldn't let this pass by on the listserv.
> 
> So --  if I want to keep my world-class, finely-honed, well-tuned
> Mandrake system (let's say), while I want to try out the latest iteration
> from SuSE/ Caldera/ foo:
> 
> My Linux partitions are /, /var, /boot and /swap.  In this case, for
> example:
> 
> Could I reformat another existing DOS drive into ext2fs; then, install
> the new distro with a single partition as / over there; and just use the
> existing /swap for both Linuxen?  Note:  Assuming the new Linux uses the
> new kernel or version of LILO, so that being < 1024 cylinders now is
> un-important, I would not try to "steer" the new Linux to the existing
> /boot; I presume it would boot, and I LILO would be organized to boot,
> out of the new plain / partition.  Would this work?  
> 
> I know there are some folks out there who are currently running 2, 3 or
> maybe more diff. Linux distros all on one box.  Thanx!

You can certainly have multiple distributions on the same system/disk.

The critical thing is to have "unique" partitions that are devoted
to each.

The way I'd do it would involve having about 10 partitions:
/dev/hda1 - root for Mandrake
/dev/hda2 - /usr for Mandrake
/dev/hda3 - /var for Mandrake
/dev/hda4 - root for SuSE
/dev/hda5 - /usr for SuSE
/dev/hda6 - /var for SuSE
/dev/hda7 - /boot, shared by both distributions
/dev/hda8 - swap, shared by _both_ distributions
/dev/hda9 - /home, shared by _both_ distributions
/dev/hda10 - /usr/local, shared by both distributions

You'd configure LILO from one or the other so that if you choose the
"Mandrake" option, it boots Linux and uses /dev/hda1 as root, and
if you choose "SuSE," it boots Linux using /dev/hda4 as root.

It's not overly difficult to do; you just have to keep clear in
mind which partitions have which roles...
--
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