Does every distro need grub on multiboot system?

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crazyjust

Does every distro need grub on multiboot system?

Post by crazyjust »

I have 5 hard drives and 4 os's (mint, debian, ubuntu, windows 7). Does every distro need grub installed to work properly?
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kc1di
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Re: Does every distro need grub on multiboot system?

Post by kc1di »

No, you can put one grub in the MBR and use it for all distros and windows 7.
You'll need to run this command

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub
from which ever distribution you installed grub from.
It should find the other Os's and you should be set to go.
you may want to consider Refind boot manager found here: http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/
It will scan all disks then you will be able boot any Os's it finds.
Good Luck.
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Re: Does every distro need grub on multiboot system?

Post by kukamuumuka »

crazyjust wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 6:16 pm I have 5 hard drives and 4 os's (mint, debian, ubuntu, windows 7). Does every distro need grub installed to work properly?
No. One grub, grub4dos or LILO is enough. With EFI-computers you can use rEFInd also.
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Re: Does every distro need grub on multiboot system?

Post by greywolf »

administrollaattori wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2018 4:06 pm
crazyjust wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 6:16 pm I have 5 hard drives and 4 os's (mint, debian, ubuntu, windows 7). Does every distro need grub installed to work properly?
No. One grub, grub4dos or LILO is enough. With EFI-computers you can use rEFInd also.
If using UEFI machine to multiboot, no distro actually needs Grub installed. As above, use "refind" boot loader and learn how to use "efibootmgr" tool included in most good systems. If you really stuff up, you can go to UEFI "Bios" and set boot order in there to recover.

regards,
greywolf.
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crazyjust

Re: Does every distro need grub on multiboot system? (solved)

Post by crazyjust »

kc1di wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 6:20 pm No, you can put one grub in the MBR and use it for all distros and windows 7.
You'll need to run this command

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub
from which ever distribution you installed grub from.
It should find the other Os's and you should be set to go.
you may want to consider Refind boot manager found here: http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/
It will scan all disks then you will be able boot any Os's it finds.
Good Luck.
administrollaattori wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2018 4:06 pm
crazyjust wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 6:16 pm I have 5 hard drives and 4 os's (mint, debian, ubuntu, windows 7). Does every distro need grub installed to work properly?
No. One grub, grub4dos or LILO is enough. With EFI-computers you can use rEFInd also.

Thank you. That's what I did. grub on first disk (sda), and had to specify "ubiquity --no-bootloader" for sdb ,sdc. I ran "sudo update-grub" from sda, and it found everything.


greywolf wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2018 5:38 pm
administrollaattori wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2018 4:06 pm
crazyjust wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 6:16 pm I have 5 hard drives and 4 os's (mint, debian, ubuntu, windows 7). Does every distro need grub installed to work properly?
No. One grub, grub4dos or LILO is enough. With EFI-computers you can use rEFInd also.
If using UEFI machine to multiboot, no distro actually needs Grub installed. As above, use "refind" boot loader and learn how to use "efibootmgr" tool included in most good systems. If you really stuff up, you can go to UEFI "Bios" and set boot order in there to recover.

regards,
greywolf.
Thank you. sorry, I should have been more specific. no UEFI.
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Pierre
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Re: Does every distro need grub on multiboot system?

Post by Pierre »

you can also install the grub loader into the /root partition of each installed system,
and then just use the Last Installed System to install to the MBR of SDa - to control the whole machine.

or you can just use the easy way, like I'm inclined to do:
- install each system & let it install grub to the MBR of SDa - on each installation,
so, again, just use the Last Installed System to install to the MBR of SDa - to control the whole machine
8)
works for me.
:)

if you do wish to use the windows system, as well:
https://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/
will allow multi-control from that Boot Menu, too

this was one way to multi-boot a multi-system:
http://forums.justlinux.com/showthread. ... ms-in-a-PC
How to install and boot 145 operating systems in a PC
:o
just providing for several operating systems, was enough for me, though.
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