multi boot with win2000 and linux

[drska]

Hi!
Recently I bought new hard disk, and would like to install win2003 and linux on this hard disk. On my old one I have win2000 installed and want to keep it.
How to do this? In what order should I install new OS-s? What do I have to save in case something goes wrong so that I can "rollback" to current state (except whole system backup)?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[wolluf]

If you install 2k3 first, it will update the boot sector on the 2k disk to create a dual boot. Leave enough room on disk for linux partitions of course. Then install linux - its boot manager (usually grub or lilo) will set up dual boot between linux and windows (think it works with 2 drives, though its been awhile since I tried a linux installation) - when you choose windows you get the 2k/2k3 boot menu.

Alternatively, you could make all the installations independent (ie, all with their own boot sectors, so none depend on the other to be able to be booted) and use a third oparty boot manager (I use

http://www.boot-us.com

- free for personal use, but you'd need to buy a licence for this situation I think, because free version will only boot off one drive). To do this, I'd install 2k3 with the 2k disk disconnected. Then install linux - and get it to install its boot manager to its own boot sector, not the mbr. Now reconnect 2k disk - boot into 2k, install boot-us (or other boot manager of your choice) and let it set up boot menu (can save to mbr, floppy, partition - I'd recommend floppy as doesn't write to hard drives at all then).

 

[djtech2k]

Keep in mind that once you install Linux, it will take over the boot manager. It will force you to use GRUB or LILO. I hated it when i did it.

Another better solution for me was to run Virtual PC or vmware. I have any setup in triplicate on my machines that I can rollback or replace in 10 seconds.

Another step up would be Virtual Server. It can allow you to manage your VPC's from anywhere via a browser.

 

[wolluf]

djtech2k - does linux run ok inside vmware/virtual PC? (haven't tried - though did have QNX running ok, but that's a much simpler install - just about abandoned linux I'm afraid!).

would agree vmware/virtual PC are good alternatives if machine has enough resources - though not everything works just so in these virtual environments in my experience.

PS. You can usually stop lilo/grub taking over the machine by getting them to install to partition boot sector (rather than mbr) - and then using another boot manager

 

[djtech2k]

It works fine. I have redhat 7.2, 8, and 9 on my Virtual PC. I also run RedHat Advanced Server 3 on it as well. And ofcourse all Windows products work fine.