Multiple linux distros and GRUB

noaham · n00b Joined: 07 Apr 2010 Posts: 26 Location: Australia

Hi, I am about to install Gentoo on a laptop that currently has both Debian testing and Windows 7 installed on it. They have existed happily side-by-side for a while now with GRUB2 installed on the MBR.

My question is what is your advice about what to do with Gentoo's version of GRUB.
1. Should I have only one / partition (ie no separate /boot partition) and install GRUB to that partition and have GRUB2 chainload it?
2. Should I not install GRUB and just let my current GRUB2 install handle it
3. Should I install GRUB over GRUB2. If I do this what would I have to do to my Debian install to get it to boot from GRUB installed with Gentoo.
4. Or is there any way to have GRUB (or GRUB2) installed independently of either of the distros

I guess I would prefer to keep my current GRUB2 as the main bootloader because I don't really want to mess with my debian install but if anybody has an opinion as to why I shouldn't then I would be interested to hear that. Also when I do run Gentoo I (I assume like a lot of people) generally have a few different kernels that I boot so I would want all of these available in the main bootloader's menu. Am I right in saying that the issue with chainloading is that I would go from one GRUB menu to another? that seems unnecessary.

Oh and debian would continue to be the main distro i use on this particular laptop for a while (although I would probably looking to switch that to Gentoo sometime in the future).

Thanks in advance!

rh1 · Guru Joined: 10 Apr 2010 Posts: 501

I would just use your current grub2 install to boot everything. I can't think of why you'd have a problem. Plenty of people already do that. Just copy your kernel and initramfs(if you use one) to the debian boot partition so grub2 can find it. When you get to the part in the handbook on grub , just skip it. Then of course , reboot into debian and set it up to boot gentoo.

mr.sande · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 2:16 am Post subject:

You could keep grub2 on the mbr, and just install grub on the gentoo partition and chainload it like you chainload windows. The setback would then be that to boot gentoo you system has to go through two bootloaders, but it will work and should be relatively easy to maintain.

noaham · n00b Joined: 07 Apr 2010 Posts: 26 Location: Australia

Oh great, I didn't know if it was possible to simply skip installing grub. That sounds like the best plan then. Thanks!

Logicien · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 3:43 am Post subject:

Just a variation of goods ideas,
you can emerge Grub2 without installing it in the boot sector of the Gentoo root partition or elsewhere, staying with only Debian Grub2 in MBR. Then you create a /boot/grub/grub.cfg configfile with and for Gentoo using grub-mkconfig. You just have to make the configfile command of Debian Grub2 point to grub.cfg of Gentoo to have the Gentoo menu appear at boot screen when selecting the appropiate entry you create for Gentoo with Debian Grub2.
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Paul