Greetings:

Right now im using Win xp and FC6

primary hdd: 160gb
partitions: 40gb , 40gb , 80 gb

prmary slave: 40 gb
partitions: 25gb, (15gb ext3)


I want to add an OS mandriva one to my existing setup. But I dont know how? Im afraid that my existing FC6 will be overwritten.

How to install the mandriva one?
Do I need to repartition?
Installing another distro, do I need to create another / and swap?

Need help...

Heres my config:

[root@localhost ~]# cat /proc/partitions
major minor #blocks name

3 0 160836480 hda
3 1 40957686 hda1
3 2 1 hda2
3 5 40957686 hda5
3 6 78919281 hda6
3 64 39082680 hdb
3 65 23711908 hdb1
3 66 1 hdb2
3 69 265041 hdb5
3 70 15101068 hdb6
8 0 122879 sda


[root@localhost ~]# cat /etc/fstab
LABEL=Linux / ext3 defaults 1 1
devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
/dev/hdb5 swap swap defaults 0 0

If you don't have free space on any of your hard drives, you have to
1. Either repartition, in which case you'll have to reinstall other OSes.
2. Or shrink the existing partition and make space for Mandriva.

You'll have to have another / (root) partition but you can still use the swap from fedora.

Tux,

The bootloader called Grub uses a file called:

/boot/grub/menu.lst

To generate the boot menu. You can install as many distributions of linux as you wish, but you need to install to the correct partition as not to overwrite an installation you wish to keep. Grub uses notation like this:

(hd0,0)

for sda partition 1

(hd1,2)

for sdb partition 3

You need to have the proper partition, on the proper drive in /boot/grub/menu.lst, with some other parameters that you can just copy from the FC6 entry in the same file. You can even edit the file to reflect the proper boot partition for the new distro before you install and then when you do install you just don't install a boot loader at all, because it really is already installed, and if you add the correct entry for the new distro it will be on the bootup menu when you reboot.

I have enough partition to install the mandriva one. No problem here.

I have already install the FC6 in my primary slave hdd. Is it ok to install the mandriva in my existing partition which FC6 resides. And create there another / (root).

Or, Do I need to create another partition for mandriva and create there another / (root)

thanks...

Yes you need to create another root partition in free space. Installing in FC6 root partition will overwrite your fedora installation. Actually you just have to create a partition (and optionally you can put a filesystem like ext3 there). You have to then pick up this partition as your root partition during Mandriva installation.

Ah ok, now I know...

But another question, I've read the installation manual of mandriva, there it says about MBR

Where do want to install the bootloader?
1. first sector of drive (MBR)
2. first sector of the root partition
3. on floppy
4. skip

Do I need to install this again the MBR...though I already install the MBR of FC6.

Please tell me what option should I choose?

thanks..

Well for bootloader installation, I would really consider three of the above options (1, 2 & 4).

1. MBR, in which case, you'll lose your FC6 grub menu and instead it will be replaced by Mandriva's menu. Although it may, and I say may, give you options to boot other OSes.

2. First sector of root partition, in which case you can use MBR grub to load another grub bootloader. You'll use a feature of grub called chainloading. Passing control from one bootloader to another...just as you boot windows. As far as I know, Mandriva uses Lilo as its default bootloader so I am not too sure if Grub can chainload lilo. This may not even be an option for you.

3. Skip bootloader on new installation. This is my preferred method, I just add the new OS entry in the grub later on. In your case you'll have to modify your FC6's grub config file to add additional entry for Mandriva.

Tux,

Greetings:

Yes, for me I also preferred to modify the grub of my FC6 rather than installing another grub of the mandriva. But I dont know how, How to add the mandriva to my FC6 grub..... Can you help me....or anyone...