Extremely Light Weight Linux

[Spadoof]

All right guys, I have decided to try out the moblin linux, but I'm having trouble installing it. I am currently dual-booting windows xp and eee ubuntu on my netbook. Because of this I am running into some problems, and I have some noob questions to ask. For the sake of simplicity I am just going to describe in detail the installation process.

1) Boot live cd and selcet boot and install.
2) Cd loads moblins installation process and a picture of a cartoon picture shows up (not sure why) then I hit next.
3) It asks me to pick a language.
4) It asks me to pick a timezone.
5) Partioner pops up and I choose "create custom layout"
6) Next the custom partition menu pops up. It shows my drive: Drive /dev/sda (476938MB) (Model: ATA WD5000BEVT-2). It also shows my partions on my drive which goes as follows:
Hard Drives:
/dev/sda:
/dev/sda4 Type: Free Space Size(mb): 9993Mb Start:29068 End:30341 (The space I want to install Moblin on)

It also shows my windows partition and my ubuntu partion with it swap.

7) After selecting the partion I want it on it pop up the the Edit Partition: /dev/sda4
-It asks for the mount point and I pick: /
-It asks for the format and I pick: ext3
-It asks for the size and I pick: 9993mb
The I click write changes

(Do I need to set up any other partitions for moblin to work, like a swap?)

Now this is where I'm running into the problems.
It gives me the following options
- Install boot loader on dev/sda [change device button]
-Use boot loader passwords [ change password]

Below this it has:

Boot loader operating system list:
[Default] [Label] [Device]
____________________
[] other /dev/sda1
[] Moblin /dev/sda4

And to the side it has three options which are: Add Edit and Delete.


Now my questions are, do I install the bootloader if I already have a GRUB menu? All I want to do is triple boot Mobllin, Xp and ubuntu. Do I just install Moblin to the partition and mess with the GRUB configuration file in my Ubuntu Partition to include Moblin? If I do mess with the GRUB config file, how do I find all the information I will need about the Os file and partition to include them in the grub config file?

Sorry this is so long, but I really want to get this up and running. Thanks in advance for your help.

-Spadoof :gp2x

 

[Consequence_9]

QUOTE
Adding a new operating system to the GRUB menu
Let's say you have installed yet another operating system on your machine, Sabayon. During the installation, you skip the GRUB setup. This means that the original GRUB remains untouched - and it does not contain an entry about Sabayon. For all practical purposes, Sabayon is not bootable.

Note: GRUB menu entries are called stanzas (probably a twist of instance?).

So, we need to add Sabayon to the list.

If you know where Sabayon is installed, you just need to add its entry to the menu.lst.

CODE
title Sabayon
root (hdX,Y)
chainloader +1


That's it.

full guide here:
CODE
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/grub.html#mozTocId286308

=]

Edit: oops, forgot, menu.lst is usually located in /boot/grub/
Should be able to access it from ubuntu. You'll also need to be root to edit it. annndd, above just replace the (hdX, Y) with the location of the moblin partition, and obviously the title with Moblin.

 

[Spadoof]

Thanks for the link. A couple of questions though: 1) I can't edit my menu.lst file because it says that I don't have permission necessary to edit file. 2) These are the files in my boot folder on the moblin partition: config-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook, System.map-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook and vmlinuz-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook .
If it is on the 4th partition would I set it up like this?
title Moblin Linux
root (hd0,3)
kernel vmlinuz-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook
initrd (what do I put for this?)


Thanks,
-Spadoof :gp2x

 

[Consequence_9]

1) I can't edit my menu.lst file because it says that I don't have permission necessary to edit file.

Open a terminal & try: CODE
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

if that doesn't work: CODE
su *hit enter & it'll prompt for root password, enter it, you won't see anything, but it'll be there, then hit enter again*
gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

2) These are the files in my boot folder on the moblin partition: config-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook, System.map-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook and vmlinuz-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook .

Forget about these for now & stay with Ubuntu for the time being.

If it is on the 4th partition would I set it up like this?
title Moblin Linux
root (hd0,3)
kernel vmlinuz-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook
initrd (what do I put for this?)

Should *probably* look like this:CODE
title Moblin Linux
root (hd0,3)
kernel vmlinuz-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook
initrd initrd-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook.img

So put that in there, save it, reboot & see if you can select & boot moblin from the GRUB menu

 

[Spadoof]

Ok, the good thing is that Moblin linux is now on my Grub menu, but I get this error message upon selecting it: "Error 1: Filename must be either an absolute pathname or blocklist." Any idea on how to correct this?

-Spadoof :gp2x

 

[Consequence_9]

Ok, the good thing is that Moblin linux is now on my Grub menu, but I get this error message upon selecting it: "Error 1: Filename must be either an absolute pathname or blocklist." Any idea on how to correct this?

-Spadoof :gp2x

Hmmm =/ Well that error means that a file being called doesn't fix the proper syntax. Most likely it's a problem with the initrd line, but I'm not sure. Post up ur menu.lst & I'll see what I can do.

 

[Spadoof]

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
#timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
color red/black light-red/black


#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=3def04bb-d2a1-4074-82ec-bc6d97f02710 ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,2)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash vga=789

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-21-eeepc
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-eeepc root=UUID=3def04bb-d2a1-4074-82ec-bc6d97f02710 ro splash vga=789
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-21-eeepc
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-21-eeepc (recovery mode)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-eeepc root=UUID=3def04bb-d2a1-4074-82ec-bc6d97f02710 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-21-eeepc

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

title Moblin Linux
root (hd0,1)
kernel vmlinuz-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook
initrd initrd-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook.img

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

 

[Consequence_9]

Ahh, ok, my bad (Fedora's GRUB entry is evidently set up differently).
Try changing it to:CODE
title Moblin Linux
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.29.rc2-13.1.moblin2-netbook

omit the initrd line. Test it again, if it doesn't work you can try adding root=/dev/xyz like the example given a bit above in the file. If you mess around with it a bit & still can't get it to work ya might wanna mosey over to the ubuntu or moblin forums, they'll probably be more familiar with it.

 

[Spadoof]

Well good news and bad. When I try to start it, it seems like it attempts to load, but them it messes up and somehow boots ubuntu. I'm going to try that variation you suggested and see how that works.