Installing Boot Loader to root partition, NOT to MBR

raphaelmsx · 01-01-2010, 10:46 AM

Hi people,

I have one machine just to test linux distros. I have installed in the MBR the XOSL boot manager, and every distro that I install, all of them gives me the option to install the boot manager to mbr or root partition, and then I always select the root partition.

So, I installed Calculate Linux Scratch 10.0 following the handbook, and it simply screwed up my XOSL and without asking any question installed its boot manager to MBR...

I recovered XOSL and deleted Calculate.

Then I ask, how to install Calculate Linux Scratch 10.0 but not automatically install the boot manager to the MBR, but instead to the root partition?

Thank you.

fair_is_fair · 01-01-2010, 03:47 PM

Assuming Calculate uses legacy grub you can try this from a terminal once you have calculate reinstalled. These commands will install grub to root partition.

sudo grub

find /boot/grub/stage1

root (hd0,x)

setup (hd0,x)

quit

Remember legacy grub counts the first partition as 0 so if Calculate is on sda5 grub will show it as hd0,4. So, you would use the command "setup (hd0,4)" if Calculate was installed to sda5.
If Calculate has no grub install options, let it do its thing, reinstall xosl, and then install grub to partition.

raphaelmsx · 01-01-2010, 04:20 PM

Calculate has no grub install options, I did what you said, installed Calculate, reinstalled XOSL, added Calculate to the XOSL menu, but it won't boot, because there is no grub on the Calculate root partition. How can I install grub to the calculate root partition using another distro already installed/working on my machine?

Can I just boot to another distro on the same machine, and use the instructions you provided, but pointing to the partition Calculate is installed?

Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fair_is_fair

Assuming Calculate uses legacy grub you can try this from a terminal once you have calculate reinstalled. These commands will install grub to root partition.

sudo grub

find /boot/grub/stage1

root (hd0,x)

setup (hd0,x)

quit

Remember legacy grub counts the first partition as 0 so if Calculate is on sda5 grub will show it as hd0,4. So, you would use the command "setup (hd0,4)" if Calculate was installed to sda5.
If Calculate has no grub install options, let it do its thing, reinstall xosl, and then install grub to partition.

fair_is_fair · 01-01-2010, 05:11 PM

Sorry. I cannot remember if Calculate is a live cd or not. You can run the commands from the live cd or from your Calculate installation. If you are reinstalling grub from your installation, you need to do it before you install xosl.

You should be able to boot Calculate from another operating system's grub but you would have to study up on grub via google.

Lautre · 01-02-2010, 07:16 AM

Hi, launch
calculate --set-mbr=off --disk=...