Re: Slightly OT linux dummy question

[Jon Elson <elson-at-pico-systems.com>]

Richard wrote:

>Hi list,
>
>I have a computer which currently multiboots between DOS and Win
>2000. There is a spare partion onto which I want to install
>Linux red hat 7.2 or 7.3.
>
>Q. How can I install Linux and have multi booting between all
>three operating systems?
>  
>
It is a bit tricky.  The CD has "HOWTO" articles on how to do this in a 
variety of
situations.  You should read all that carefully.

First, Linux needs a boot partition (which may be quite small, just 10 
mB or so) which
is within the first 1024 cylinders on the hard drive.  If you can't 
arrange that, then you
need to always boot Linux with the help of a floppy.

Second, Linux needs to install a boot manager in the boot partition. 
 This boot manager
can later be set up to find and boot the other OSs, and will save the 
original contents of
the boot partition to a file it will use to boot them.  This whole 
process of moving and changing
boot routines is tricky, and often does not work perfectly right from 
the CD.  That's
why those HOWTO articles are so useful.

Third, Linux needs at least one additional partition for the swap file. 
 You can combine
the boot and root partitions, as long as ALL of the root partition is at 
or below cyl 1023.

Jon