Dual boot with Ubuntu
Posts: 4
Hi everyone.
I had someone put Ubuntu (the 64-bit version) when I got my new computer a few months ago, but that was just frustrating because the 64-bit build was really unstable. So I put Mepis 3.3.1 on my machine.
The problem is that while I wanted to dual boot Ubuntu (there were interesting things there, and Ubuntu does systematically update things, so I thought it might become more stable with time).
Mepis won't let me select Ubuntu as an option to boot, though. I have been asking around, and was told to edit menu_lst, which I did. So now the menu_lst looks like this:
<br /> timeout 15<br /> color cyan/blue white/blue<br /> foreground ffffff<br /> background 0639a1<br /> gfxmenu /boot/grub/message</p> <p>title MEPIS at hda2, kernel 2.6.10<br /> kernel (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10 root=/dev/hda2 nomce quiet splash=silent vga=791<br /> initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.splash </p> <p>title Ubuntu at hda1, kernel 2.6.10-5-amd64-generic Default<br /> kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda1 ro console=tty0 quiet splash<br /> initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.splash</p> <p>title MEMTEST<br /> kernel /boot/memtest86.bin<br />
This has given me all 3 options, but when I select Ubuntu, it just sort of skips out of the graphical selection to a list of all 3 options, but won't actually let me load up Ubuntu. I can get back into Mepis fine.
So... I presume I screwed up the editing of the menu_lst file, but I'm not sure how. Any suggestions? (Please recall I am pretty much a newbie here.)
sorry
Posts: 1504
site locked up on me and it posted the same thing twice. 
Dual Boot
Posts: 29
I too, am having the same trouble with Dual Booting Mepis and Ubuntu.
I have tried your suggestion, however, I get an error when I try to save the changes as follows:
"This document cannot be saved, as it was not possible to write to file:/boot/grub/menu.1st"
"Check that you have write access to this file or that enough disk space is available."
Mepis Menu 1st reads:-
timeout 15
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1
gfxmenu /boot/grub/message
title MEPIS at hda5, kernel 2.6.10
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10 root=/dev/hda5 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=791
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.splash
title MEPIS at hda5, kernel 2.4.29
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.29 root=/dev/hda5 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=791 hdc=ide-scsi
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.splash
title Windows at hda1
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
title MEMTEST
kernel /boot/memtest86.bin
When I copy this into menu 1st:-
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-9-386
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-9-386
savedefault
boot
To read as follows:-
timeout 15
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1
gfxmenu /boot/grub/message
title MEPIS at hda5, kernel 2.6.10
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10 root=/dev/hda5 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=791
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.splash
title MEPIS at hda5, kernel 2.4.29
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.29 root=/dev/hda5 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=791 hdc=ide-scsi
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.splash
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-9-386
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-9-386
savedefault
boot
title Windows at hda1
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
title MEMTEST
kernel /boot/memtest86.bin
Can you advise where I may be going wrong.
Many thanks
Regards
Robbo100
Dual Boot
Posts: 565
Hello Robbo100, If you boot your MEPIS cd and log in as "root" you will be able to edit and save your "menu.lst". Also you could use "File Manager-Super User Mode".
Dual Boot
Posts: 29
Thanks Bad Dog.
Worked just fine using File Manager-Super User Mode.
Just had to remove "Savedefault"
"Boot"
...from the script.
Thanks again.
Robbo
Hey lightcastle: In the
Posts: 1175
Hey lightcastle: In the second line arfter vmlinuz you need the kernel number. From Mepis access the Ubuntu partition and /boot directory and see what exactly is there vmlinuz-??????? also initrd.img?????
Wayne
I'm about to try
Posts: 1
I'm about to try this.
Ubuntu is already installed by itself.
When you update the kernel in Ubuntu it changes the grub menu. Will I have to edit the Mepis Grub menu everytime I update the kernel in Ubuntu?
"Thinking" has anyone tried using Ubuntu's Grub? Sometimes one "plays better" with the other. My guess is it would be the same thing but just the opposite.
Grub Problem in dual boot Mepis / Ubuntu
Posts: 4
Greetings,
I am also attempting to add Ubuntu 6.0.6 my system. I currently have Mepis 3.3.1.
At the beginning, I ran into a problem where Ubuntu wouldn't install as the installer would not tolerate 2 "/" partitions on the same drive. OK, so I installed Ubuntu on another drive ( after disconnecting the original drive ). I was able to boot Ubuntu from that drive.
I reconnected all the drives so that the Mepis installation is at hda1 and the Ubuntu installation is at hdd2 ( I left partition hdd1 for a future Windows installation ).
The Mepis installation does work, however when I try to load the Ubuntu installation from grub, I get another text grub screen from which I see the Ubuntu installation, however it won't load.
My situation now is that I am having trouble with menu.lst - I tried the solutions listed above - no joy.
Below is my menu.lst ( from the Mepis installation )
timeout 15
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1
gfxmenu /boot/grub/message
title MEPIS at hda1, kernel 2.6.10
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10 root=/dev/hda1 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=791
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.splash
title Windows at hdb1
rootnoverify (hd1,-2)
chainloader +1
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-386
root (hd3,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-386 root=/dev/hdd2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-27-386
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd3,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-386 root=/dev/hdd2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-27-386
title Windows at hdd1
rootnoverify (hd2,-2)
chainloader +1
title Windows at hdd7
rootnoverify (hd2,4)
chainloader +1
title MEMTEST
kernel /boot/memtest86.bin
Thanks for taking time to read my post.
just
Posts: 1504
just browse to ubuntu's boot folder and copy the menu.1st entry and paste into mephis menu.1st. you can't go wrong if you copy and paste the exact thing that ubuntu grub would load.