Question about dual-booting two versions of RedHat

[Robert L Cochran]

I've not done this with 2 Linux systems on the same physical hard drive, 
but I install multiple Linux systems onto different hard drives in the 
same machine fairly routinely. I think that might prove simpler in the 
long run for you. You need a good understanding of how to use the grub 
bootloader.

*Install linux version #1 on the first drive, for example on /dev/hda. 
With this install, hav grub installed as your bootloader.

*Install linux version #2 on your second drive, for example /dev/hdb.

Note: you may have to manipulate disk labels using e2label and 
/etc/fstab files to point to the right disk labels for the system. The 
anaconda installer has a problem where it will not let you assign a root 
partition with a mount point other than '/'. On this kind of 
installation you need to name the mount point '/1' or similar.

Anaconda will try to steal the swap partition on your first drive. This 
can trigger swap activation problems at boot time.

During this install, do not install a bootloader. You do not need one 
since grub is already installed.

* Now edit the file /boot/grub/grub.conf in your first installation. 
Enter a new menu choice that points to the second system you just 
installed on /dev/hdb. In this case the incantation

root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-xxx.yyy.zzz ro root=LABEL=/1 [other kernel options here]
initrd /initrd-xxx.yyy.zzz.img

where you replace xxx.yyy.zzz with your specific filenames and LABEL=/1 
with the name of the root partition label for hdb (that is, point it to 
the / partition on that drive) will apply.

Reboot, select the Grub entry for your second Linux system, and it 
should boot normally.

Bob



Terry R Linhardt wrote:

> I have a large disk drive with ample space. I've decided I would like to
> install two versions of RedHat. One would be a "production" version, the
> other a "test" version. 
> 
> The documentation I've seen talks about Linux co-existing in a dual boot
> with some version of Windows.
> 
> I've installed the "first" version of Linux in the first 25 GB of disk
> space. Do I install the "2nd" version in a similar manner?...that is,
> using a custom install and then selecting the unused portion of the
> drive to install the 2nd version? GRUB will see the two installs and
> allow me to select which one to boot?
> 
> In a sense, this all seems fairly easy...is it pretty straight-forward?
> 
> By-the-way, initial impressions of the latest Beta are quite favorable.
> That is, the overall interface is quite nice!
> 
> Thanks...Terry

-- 
Bob Cochran
Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
http://greenbeltcomputer.biz/