18. Bootloader expert use

If you haven't done so - yet, please read Section 17, “Bootloader main - options” first.

18.1. Adding a GRUB2 based system - manually

A GRUB2 based system - may be added to the Mageia boot menu as follows:

Boot into the - system in question. In order to determine the GRUB2 version run the - following command in a terminal:
sudo - grub-install --version
or if that - fails try:
sudo - grub2-install --version
If this returns - "GNU GRUB version 0.97" (possibly with a custom suffix), then it is - using GRUB (otherwise called GRUB legacy) not GRUB2 and your system - should be correctly identified by Mageia during installation and added - automatically to the menu.
If this returns - (GRUB) 1.98 or 1.99 or 2.xx, then you are using GRUB2.
Make a note of - the version and enter this command to identify the root - partition:
df -h - / |(read; awk '{print $1; exit}')
This will - output something like :
/dev/sdb11
sdb11 is the - root partition - make a note of it.
Now check that - the /boot folder is in the same partition by entering the following - command:
df -h - /boot |(read; awk '{print $1; exit}')
If the /boot - partition is different to the root partition then make a note and use - the /boot partition in the "root" line when editing menu.lst - below.
You can now - shut down the system and install Mageia.
In your new - running Mageia system, open a terminal and as root edit the file - /boot/grub/menu.lst as follows:
To become root - use:
su - -
(enter root - password)
To open the - file in an editor use:
kwrite - /boot/grub/menu.lst
(replace - "kwrite" with "gedit" if you are using Gnome)
Add the - following entry for your (e.g. Ubuntu) system, possibly as the second - stanza. The position the item appears in the menu will depend on its - position in the file:
title - Ubuntu
root - (hd1,10)
kernel - /boot/grub/core.img


In the second - line, "hd1" means the second hard drive, the "10" indicates the 11th - partition. Drives and partitions in Mageia's legacy GRUB count from - zero. Therefore: `sdb11 = - (hd1,10)` `sda1 - = (hd0,0)`

In the second - line, "hd1" means the second hard drive, the "10" indicates the 11th - partition. Drives and partitions in Mageia's legacy GRUB count from - zero.

Therefore:

sdb11 = - (hd1,10)

sda1 - = (hd0,0)

If the GRUB2 - version is 2.xx then change the last line to :
kernel - /boot/grub/i386-pc/core.img
If you needed - to use "grub2-install" earlier then change "grub" - to "grub2" in the last line.
If /boot was - on a separate partition, then remove "/boot" from - the last line.
Save the file - and re-boot. You should now see your "Ubuntu" entry in the menu and be - able to boot from it.

18.2. Using an - existing GRUB2 bootloader

If you didn't read - the general part about using an existing bootloader yet, do so now. See - Section 17.2, “Using an - existing bootloader”


There is a known - bug in OS-prober used during GRUB2 installation in some versions - of Debian/Ubuntu that incorrectly creates grub.cfg when adding Mageia - (or Mandriva) systems. This is simple to work around and details of a - fix can be found in the Mageia forum. Search for "prober", the topic is - "grub problem", post #9 has the information. To make the fix - permanent so that it will survive an Ubuntu kernel update, the Mageia - entry should be added to `/etc/grub.d/40_custom` Stop Press: The bug - is fixed in os-prober-1.53 released on 8th May 2012. So now, upgrading to - the new version in your GRUB2 installation is the preferred solution.

There is a known - bug in OS-prober used during GRUB2 installation in some versions - of Debian/Ubuntu that incorrectly creates grub.cfg when adding Mageia - (or Mandriva) systems. This is simple to work around and details of a - fix can be found in the Mageia forum. Search for "prober", the topic is - "grub problem", post #9 has the information.

To make the fix - permanent so that it will survive an Ubuntu kernel update, the Mageia - entry should be added to /etc/grub.d/40_custom

Stop Press: The bug - is fixed in os-prober-1.53 released on 8th May 2012. So now, upgrading to - the new version in your GRUB2 installation is the preferred solution.

Prev		Next
	Home