You are not logged in.

#1 2018-05-24 17:28:03

MsMattie
Member
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 99

Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

I'm about to do a clean multi-boot install and would like opinion on the best way to organize it to have the most stable system possible.

This will be on a Lenovo x201 laptop, 6GB RAM, 500GB SSD, legacy boot

My plan in this order:

Windows 10 in its own ntfs partition

Then in an extended partition:
Xubuntu 18.04, then Bunsenlabs, with swap hopefully at the very end of this extended partion.

My main question is where to put grub2 when I am asked during the Linux installs. Always before I have just accepted the default. It has worked, except for one time when a Xubuntu update/upgrade with a new linux image messed up the boot and I could not subsequently boot into BunsenLabs.

I set up the SSD partitions using gParted prior to installing any of the operating systems.

So, I am wondering if it would be more stable and better to create a seperate partition just for the grub2. And if so, what size?

Please excuse any terminology errors, as I am going off memory from past installs which were months ago.

Last edited by MsMattie (2018-05-24 20:20:29)


...
Linux in the backwoods of the Rocky Mountains...

Offline

#2 2018-05-24 17:45:50

cloverskull
Member
Registered: 2015-10-01
Posts: 348

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

grub2 should have os-prober. When you update one of your linux partitions, and it creates a new kernel, you'll need to update grub2. Whichever distro you use to install grub2 should be the one you use to update grub2 with os-prober.

Offline

#3 2018-05-24 17:55:21

Head_on_a_Stick
Member
From: London
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 9,093
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

MsMattie wrote:

I am wondering if it would be more stable and better to create a seperate partition just for the grub2

No, GRUB warns against such practices if they are attempted manually and it is always recommended to install GRUB to the MBR (in non-UEFI systems on msdos partition tables).

Only accept the GRUB installation on *one* of the GNU/Linux operating systems (BL ftw!), that will be the distribution "in charge" of the bootloader and it's configuration.

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2018-05-24 17:56:32)

Offline

#4 2018-05-24 17:59:48

Head_on_a_Stick
Member
From: London
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 9,093
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

cloverskull wrote:

When you update one of your linux partitions, and it creates a new kernel, you'll need to update grub2.

Yes, good point — if the Ubuntu installer is allowed to put GRUB on the disk (and BL forbidden) then the Ubuntu GRUB configuration will have to be manually updated after a kernel update in BunsenLabs.

The reverse would hold true if BunsenLabs installed GRUB to the disk (and Ubuntu was denied): BunsenLabs' grub.cfg would have to be manually updated after an Ubuntu kernel update:

sudo update-grub

Offline

#5 2018-05-24 18:01:49

MsMattie
Member
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 99

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

OK, I will accept the GRUB installation on just one of the operating systems. Into the MBR which I think is the default on installation.

So, after installing Windows 10, should I install BunsenLabs and then Xubuntu, or vice versa. I would prefer BunsenLabs handle grub. I use BunsenLabs the most. Xubuntu is on there mostly as a system if I have some more risky software packages. The BunsenLabs is intended to never, ever break.

Last edited by MsMattie (2018-05-24 18:04:54)


...
Linux in the backwoods of the Rocky Mountains...

Offline

#6 2018-05-24 18:08:43

Head_on_a_Stick
Member
From: London
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 9,093
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

MsMattie wrote:

should I install BunsenLabs and then Xubuntu, or vice versa.

The order shouldn't matter but I'm not familiar with the Ubuntu installer — does that offer a choice to not install GRUB to the disk?

Offline

#7 2018-05-24 19:03:57

PackRat
jgmenu user Numero Uno
Registered: 2015-10-02
Posts: 2,674

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

So, after installing Windows 10, should I install BunsenLabs and then Xubuntu, or vice versa. I would prefer BunsenLabs handle grub.

Been a while since I've done it, but as I recall, if you install Bunsenlabs last, it will pick up the other two when it configures grub and be first on the list as the default disto to boot - sounds like what you want.

Windows 10 in its own ntfs partition

Then in an extended partition:
Xubuntu 18.04, then Bunsenlabs, with swap hopefully at the very end of this extended partion.

You might want to put an extra partition in there just for data in case you want to share files between the 3.


You must unlearn what you have learned.
    -- yoda

Offline

#8 2018-05-24 19:54:06

MsMattie
Member
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 99

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

I think the ubuntu installer must be what I am thinking of that gives a choice of whether to put the grub on MBR or elsewhere.

I'm not exactly sure of what I am doing. But it sounds like I should install Xubuntu first, and not install any grub stuff at all from that. Then install BunsenLabs and accept the GRUB install for that.

Last edited by MsMattie (2018-05-24 19:56:21)


...
Linux in the backwoods of the Rocky Mountains...

Offline

#9 2018-05-24 19:55:31

MsMattie
Member
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 99

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

I'll just go with the defaults then on the Linux installs, as that sounds like what would be best.

But I don't understand "only accept the GRUB installation on one of the GNU/Linux operating systems"

If I recall correctly, at the end of each linux install the default is to install GRUB and I have always just accept the defaults. Should I not accept a GRUB install for the ubuntu, for instance?


...
Linux in the backwoods of the Rocky Mountains...

Offline

#10 2018-05-24 19:59:45

Head_on_a_Stick
Member
From: London
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 9,093
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

MsMattie wrote:

Should I not accept a GRUB install for the ubuntu, for instance?

Well, I don't know the particulars of the Ubuntu installer but for BunsenLabs' installer you will be asked whether to install GRUB to the disk (before it asks where) and you can answer "no" at that point to prevent the extant bootloader being over-written.

I would be slightly surprised if Ubuntu just went ahead and installed GRUB to the disk without asking permission (but not shocked).

Offline

#11 2018-05-24 20:05:51

MsMattie
Member
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 99

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

So if that is the case, should I answer "yes" for BunsenLabs to install GRUB to the disk, and then answer "no" during the Ubuntu install so it does NOT install GRUB to the disk?


...
Linux in the backwoods of the Rocky Mountains...

Offline

#12 2018-05-24 20:18:36

Head_on_a_Stick
Member
From: London
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 9,093
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

^ That's right, yes.

You could do it the other way around if you preferred, just remember to run `update-grub` from the "controlling" distribution after any kernel or initramfs updates in the "non-controlling" distribution.

It is actually possible to create a custom GRUB menu entry for the "non-controlling" distribution that would survive a kernel update without needing reconfiguring, if you're interested.

Offline

#13 2018-05-24 20:20:04

MsMattie
Member
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 99

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

Good. I'll do it, and I'm marking this [SOLVED]

And I will try the Custom GRUB as you mentioned, but not until everything is up and running...


...
Linux in the backwoods of the Rocky Mountains...

Offline

#14 2018-05-24 23:58:03

hhh
Gaucho
From: High in the Custerdome
Registered: 2015-09-17
Posts: 16,177
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

I wouldn't mark this solved until it actually is.

For one thing, you'll need to edit your Xubuntu fstab so that it uses the swap partittion that BL sets up (new UUID).

And, as has been mentioned, when you get a kernel upgrade on your Xubuntu partition, you'll need to boot into BL and run sudo update-grub to "see" it in your grub menu.


I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

Offline

#15 2018-05-25 06:23:17

johnraff
nullglob
From: Nagoya, Japan
Registered: 2015-09-09
Posts: 12,673
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

Another thing that has come up in the past is when upgrading Ubuntu it goes ahead and writes grub to the MBR, taking over the previous distro's configs. It should still show all the other installed distros, but if you want BL to take the MBR back (recommended smile ) you can boot into BL and, after running 'sudo update-grub',
(pasting from my notes):

To fix stolen grub:
First run
sudo fdisk -l

to make sure of the name of the drive the mbr should be on. For a lot of people it will be /dev/sda but check anyway.

Now do this:
sudo grub-install /dev/xxx

where xxx is replaced with your drive. That will rewrite your mbr. Don't add a partition number like /dev/sda1, you want the whole drive.


...elevator in the Brain Hotel, broken down but just as well...
( a boring Japan blog (currently paused), now on Bluesky, there's also some GitStuff )

Introduction to the Bunsenlabs Boron Desktop

Online

#16 2018-05-25 15:31:44

PackRat
jgmenu user Numero Uno
Registered: 2015-10-02
Posts: 2,674

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

@ MsMattie -

What's the hardware clock set at? I suspect it's set to your local time. Odds are that one of the Linux installs will reset the hardware clock to UTC which may throw the other two off - particularly Windows. You may see a boot error along the lines of "root partition was last mounted in the future, but by less than 24 hours ...."


You must unlearn what you have learned.
    -- yoda

Offline

#17 2018-05-26 14:58:30

Head_on_a_Stick
Member
From: London
Registered: 2015-09-29
Posts: 9,093
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

johnraff wrote:

when upgrading Ubuntu it goes ahead and writes grub to the MBR, taking over the previous distro's configs

yikes

If that is really true then perhaps Ubuntu should be left "in charge" to prevent a "boot war" between the distributions.

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2018-05-26 14:59:07)

Offline

#18 2018-05-27 02:10:38

johnraff
nullglob
From: Nagoya, Japan
Registered: 2015-09-09
Posts: 12,673
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

^As I said, it was something that came up in the past - I don't know whether Ubuntu still usurps the MBR on it's own, or whether the problem is/was with deceptive or confusing user prompts. Installing Ubuntu to test would be rather time-consuming - maybe someone currently running it could confirm/deny this?


...elevator in the Brain Hotel, broken down but just as well...
( a boring Japan blog (currently paused), now on Bluesky, there's also some GitStuff )

Introduction to the Bunsenlabs Boron Desktop

Online

#19 2018-05-27 02:21:44

hhh
Gaucho
From: High in the Custerdome
Registered: 2015-09-17
Posts: 16,177
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

johnraff wrote:

Installing Ubuntu to test would be rather time-consuming - maybe someone currently running it could confirm/deny this?

Downloading...
magnet:?xt=urn:btih:446fd69f5a0979b09de48dfe161270667292b9e4&dn=lubuntu-18.04-desktop-amd64.iso


I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

Offline

#20 2018-05-27 03:04:55

hhh
Gaucho
From: High in the Custerdome
Registered: 2015-09-17
Posts: 16,177
Website

Re: Multi-boot Best Practice [SOLVED]

No Broadcom for the live session. I rebooted to install instead, the USB failed to boot.

Done on my end. Move along, move along.


I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB