Airboot, Linux and ArcaOS

[Neil Waldhauer]

I want to install a system with Ubuntu and ArcaOS in a multi-boot configuration. But ArcaOS has one idea of disk geometry and Ubuntu another. If I use AirBoot, Ubuntu responds with "Load Error", which is not helpful.

Given ArcaOS already installed on hard drive 1, how can I get Ubuntu to boot on hard drive 2? The computer BIOS doesn't give that option. This really ought to be easy with the right boot manager.

[Dave Yeo]

Traditionally, do all partitioning from OS/2, have a /boot partition of a few hundred MB's or more, use the advanced install in Ubuntu and when it comes time to setup the partitions, reuse the ones you already formatted rather then letting the Linux partition thing do any partitioning and install Grub in /boot rather then the MBR, and add /boot to Airboot.
Last time I did similar, I also still needed to fix something with DFSee, forget what exactly but it was simple to do, probably the fix CHS values thing.

[Neil Waldhauer]

I used DFSee to wipe the first part of the Ubuntu disk. After rebooting, I created /boot 512 MB FAT32 and all the rest in a root volume. I even formatted the FAT32 volume.

Then I booted the Ubuntu DVD, and installed specifying the /boot and the / in the installer.

Everything works as advertised. Thanks!

[Dave Yeo]

Good to hear, it has been a while since I installed Ubuntu.
One thing I forgot to mention was a swap partition, probably not needed if you have lots of physical ram and if you Google, you can find how to use a swap file or if needed you could add a swap partition on the 1st drive or worse, redo the install.
A swap partition just needs the right type, 82 or 83, I forget. It is safe to change partition types with Linux fdisk, just be careful not to change anything else, or use DFSee.