[Discussion] [Linux] Starting the move to MAC

[Carl Gehr]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2009 09:47:24 -0700 (PDT), Jon wrote:

>On Sat, 21 Mar 2009 01:08:05 -0400 (EDT), Carl Gehr wrote:
>
>>[Ubuntu is what I've started playing with. At
>>this point, I don't even know enough to be dangerous, though.]
>
>Carl:
>
>I tried Ubuntu a few years ago.  I suppose it is better now than then.
>The problem I had and I've read of others having is that the standard
>installation CD puts the boot loader in the MBR.  If you are not aware
>of this prior to the install you will find that it wipes whatever else
>you have on the drive.  There is a different install CD available for
>Ubuntu, the Alternate Install CD, which will allow you to put the boot
>loader in the linux partition.  This is the one to use if you are
>installing on a drive that contains another OS.

I just used the 'Live CD' but selected the install option.  I believe
there were significant changes made to this process in 810 when they
added the option to install on a FLASH.  I had tried to install 804 on
a USB External HD and it was insisting that it wanted to put the loader
on the HD.  I gave up and dropped the project at that point.  810
really seems to be much more flexible, but I've not tried going back to
the USB HD again.

>Other distro's have a choice at install for 'advanced install' where
>you can select to install the boot loader in the linux partition.  But
>for Ubuntu you need the Alternate CD.

This, I believe is the new function added in 810.

>I see that you are using a flash drive so the above doesn't matter but
>if you decide to install it on a hard drive containing another OS then
>you should be aware of the above.  If you use IBM's boot manager you
>can have your linux distro on the boot menu (or you can have your
>other OS as a selection on the linux boot manager).

I don't believe that BM will recognize anything that is not on a
'permanent' HD.  The details of this are beyond my pay-grade, but this
is what I've gotten from my friend a M.U.  I know, if I try to boot
with a USB HD attached, I get a message before the BM screen/menu that
says something like:
    "HD #1 [or maybe it is just Device #1] is not ready.
    Hit any key to continue..."

>HPFS is included in the openSuse kernel.  Also, openSuse provides more
>runlevels than Ubuntu.

Again, showing my ignorance:  What do you mean by 'runlevels'...?

>
>Good luck,
>jon

--
Thanks for the comments.  I need all the suggestions I can get.
Carl