Multiple linuxes with grub and one boot partition

[Jim Cornette]

Cliff Avey wrote:
> I've got an FC3 system build with /boot (and grub) on hda1, swap on 
> hda2, / (root) on hda5 (extended partition) and /var on hda6. I'd like 
> to install a separately booted FC7 on this box and add it to my main 
> grub menu. I'm thinking the following would work, but I'd appreciate 
> some advice if this is a reasonable way to go. I thought I'd create new 
> hda7 and hda8 partitions for the root of the new FC7 and /var 
> respectively and install FC7 there, with no separate partition for 
> /boot. I'd then copy the kernel from /boot on hda7 by hand to hda1, 
> update the grub menu on hda1, delete the /boot dir on hda7 and edit the 
> fstab on the FC7 system to mount hda1 as /boot.
> 
> Is there a more straightforward way to accomplish this, or is this the 
> way to do it? Alternatively, can I make the FC7 installer to add its 
> kernel to my existing boot (hda1 partition), not reformat that partition 
> or erase the other kernels, and not blow away my existing grub menu? Or 
> do I really want to create a second boot partition (maybe on hda3) for FC7?
> 

I do much as Tom describes and chainload the other versions of Linux. 
You basically use the advanced bootloader options when installing a new 
Fedora version. You choose to install it in the corresponding /dev/sdx 
location which the GUI advanced options should offer along with the 
install to MBR which i the default install location.
You then add an entry in the installation which is in the MBR to 
chainload the installation as your primary menu.
Different distributions.

Jim

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