Where do I install the GRUB loader

Questions about Grub, UEFI,the liveCD and the installer
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tsam19

Where do I install the GRUB loader

Post by tsam19 »

This is a follow on post to one I made on another site regarding a QUAD boot on a Macbook Pro.

This is my 2nd attempt.

As I followed this thread:

http://hydtechblog.com/2009/01/26/dual- ... ows-vista/

If anyone can quickly have a look & see if the instructions here make sense, as I've been through it a few times & there are a few question marks regarding the Unbuntu installation settings (HD0,2) in particular.


Basically I'm back to the point where I've installed all 4 operating systems again by doing the following.

I installed Mac OSX 1st.

2nd UNBUNTU ULTIMATE, at this point there were 2 icons on the rEFIt boot page, Mac & Linux, which was good.

3rd WIN 7, now Linux icon disappeared?

Last WIN XP to finalise, now showing only 3 boot icons.

However on the rEFIt boot menu I can only see 3 boot icons, the LINUx/UNBUNTU has disappeared again.

At this point Mac OSX, Win 7 & Win XP all Boot correctly,no problems from the rEFIt boot menu.

So I went back to the original installation thread & read some more posts etc & now I am going to install UNBUNTU yet again, with some different settings this time.

Going back to the initial install, I chose DEV/SDA 6 as the SWAP file, but at the BEGINNING & DEV/SDA 7 as the EXT 3 system file at the END.

With the advanced setting for the boot loader to be installed at DEV/SDA (main HD root).

Now coming back to my re installation of Unbuntu,I've gone through all the partition settings & I have partition DEV/SDA 7 as the EXT3 for all the system files, but this TIME at the BEGINNING & DEV/SDA 6 as the SWAP FILE, but SET to the END - See pic

I'm quite happy & confident about those settings & sizes & orientation in the partition table.

The SWAP FILE being at the END so as to enable HIBERNATION if need be.

In the advanced section, I'm asked the BIG QUESTION where do I install the BOOT LOADER to ???

If I didn't choose the Advanced tab & chose to install, where would the BOOT loader be installed anyway?

Thinking carefully about how the other operating systems work, It would make sense to have the BOOT LOADER installed with the system files, as do the the other operating systems.

Is it DEV/SDA 7 - Where the System files are going ?

Or is there a (HD0,???) setting which EQUATES or RELATES to DEV/SDA 7?

I'm holding off from installing until I know for sure, as good as it may be, Unbuntu has a weird install procedure.


When its installed correctly, I will see the 4 boot icons on the rEFIt boot menu.


Please only reply if you KNOW, as I'm not going to risk installing again for it to mess up the rest of the installations.


Its a bit of a long starter thread, hope fully someone on here can advise me on the correct setting.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab257/tsam19/1-3.jpg
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab257/tsam19/2-3.jpg
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab257/tsam19/4-2.jpg
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab257/tsam19/3-2.jpg


Thanks in advance. :D :D :D
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
oobetimer

Re: Where do I install the GRUB loader

Post by oobetimer »

If you are unsure, you could install grub to an USB-stick for instance..
tsam19

Re: Where do I install the GRUB loader

Post by tsam19 »

What would be the point of putting the GRUB on a USB stick, how would that work?

I made a similar post on another site & I think I'm getting the info I need now.

But any more or a different perspective is always welcome.

What is the link for ?

As its not in English & I'm not sure where or what its referring to.

Thanks for the reply.

:D :D
oobetimer

Re: Where do I install the GRUB loader

Post by oobetimer »

tsam19 wrote:What would be the point of putting the GRUB on a USB stick, how would that work?

I made a similar post on another site & I think I'm getting the info I need now.

But any more or a different perspective is always welcome.

What is the link for ?

As its not in English & I'm not sure where or what its referring to.

Thanks for the reply.

:D :D
I have never tested Linux-Mac-Windows trible boot, so I´m a noobie with that thing .. :lol:

If grub does not reside on the hard drive´s MBR, it cannot make a confusion.. :wink:

This can save your nerves one beautiful day .. 8)

The strange referring is my signature .. :lol:
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Pierre
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Re: Where do I install the GRUB loader

Post by Pierre »

You would install the Mac O/S 1st.
then work out how big its partition is to be, & slice off the rest...
then install M$ w7, into the whole remaining partition. <NTFS>
& then use the inbuilt M$ partition manager to shrink the M$ partition,
then install Ultimate Edition, using it's partitioner to split this remaining partition into two
- one for 'nix O/S. <ext3>

Then install the GRUB for each 'nix O/S into the root partition that M$ w7 is in.

on boot, the MAC O/S decides between MAC & M$ w7 O/Ss.
in the M$ w7 menu, the 2nd installed 'nix O/S will decide between the two 'nix O/Ss & M$ w7.
Image
Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
tsam19

Re: Where do I install the GRUB loader

Post by tsam19 »

Basically I installed to DEV/SDA regardless of where the EXT 3 system files were installed to!

This is the result, probably the best I will get the quad boot system to work in all aspects, this way GRUB 2 controls all the operating systems upon boot up.

This way Mac Osx,Win 7, Win XP & Ubuntu all boot up through the rEFIt & GRUB 2 menus.
P1000187.JPG
kleesheigh

Re: Where do I install the GRUB loader

Post by kleesheigh »

I don't mean to hijack a topic, but I'm trying to get a Snow-Leopard/windoze7/Mint triple boot, or at least an SL/Mint dual to work. I've read various definitive statements about neither GRUB nor rEFIt being necessary, though they may be more convenient than without.

Why would both be necessary? And where should GRUB go? Is it separate? I never saw anything about GRUB in the installer. I know basically zip... well, I've spent about a day reading and tinkering.

I experimented with rEFIt a bit, but decided it should probably be installed after I get things working, given that holding option on boot-up gives one a choice of bootable partitions.
tsam19

Re: Where do I install the GRUB loader

Post by tsam19 »

I managed to get a quad boot running perfectly on my Macbook pro.

You start with a fresh install, make 5 partitions in disk utility.

Win 7 - FAT32
Storage- FAT32
Win XP -FAT 32
Snow - HFS+
Free - (soon to be ubuntu) - FAT 32


Refit allows the user to chose from more than one operating system that you have installed, its the only program which lets you do this from boot up.

Although there is another called 'bootpicker'. I use refit.

GRUB is installed automatically & controls the Windows & Linux/Ubuntu boot up menu.

The you boot mac & Mac works independently, but is visible in the GRUB Menu.

So for example if you choose Win 7 to boot, you would get the GRUB menu, showing the Ubuntu,Win 7, Win XP, Mac boot selections.

Both the 32 & 64 bit versions.

I don't mind this, it works well.

Keep tinkering you will get there.
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