Guidance for Linux Install on multiboot drive requested

[N1LAF]

I have a 1TB drive that I will have multiple partitions for multiple OS's, such as Linux and FreeBSD, and a couple others. I may want to install another variant form of Linux. I will also will need a method to use a program to select which OS to boot into.

Not sure where to start. Or what program(s) to use. Or what order to do this.

Anyone willing to give a step by step for new Linux users? I have on hand the iso files for FreeBSD, OpenSolaris, and Linux Mint 14.

[n6hcm]

install any linux first. use that linux's program to manage the boot process. other linuxes are generally smart about seeing this at install time and doing the right thing. not sure about freebsd, but i would expect it to behave similarly.

[N1LAF]

Would I be able to multi-boot with non-linux OS's?

[W4GPL]

Yes.

[N1LAF]

Should I pre-partition the 1T drive first? I suppose this could be done at any time.

[W4GPL]

Doesn't really matter...

I think you're biting off more than you should chew if you're a novice at this stuff. I'd focus on getting Linux & Windows running first.. before you start worrying about multiple distributions and FreeBSD..

Not all distributions are sophisticated enough to know what to do when it runs into another Linux distribution, you need to be familiar with UUID and/or partition labels. Just leave enough free space to you can later extend the partitions or create new ones for other distributions. When it comes to Linux, the user experience is going to be pretty similar from distribution to distribution.

[n6hcm]

why do you want multiple linuxes?

[ad4mg]

Would I be able to multi-boot with non-linux OS's?

Sure, but best to start with any Windows installations first. Windows will absolutely rewrite your MBR (by default) and will include only itself. This can all be changed after the fact with the grub2 utility, but that process is not particularly user friendly.

See my post here about an individual Linux install regarding partition sizes: https://forums.hamisland.net/showthread.php/24895-Microcrap-Windows-7-%28starter%29-Networking?p=515942&viewfull=1#post515942

These are only suggestions that work for me. No doubt other opinions will differ. My experience is with dual-boot systems using Windows XP/Ubuntu and Windows 7/Ubuntu. Only my old laptop is Windows free...

[KB3LAZ]

Why not live boot from a CD or thumb drive and then decide which distro you want? That is what was suggested to me and it worked out well. Ubuntu was my first installed distro but I became dissatisfied with it and attempted to switch to mint which was my second choice but I had problems so I was suggested to try Fedora by IZE, that worked without a hitch and I am happy thus far.

Though, I have had a lot of issues with getting most forms of linux to work with my netbooks, particularly with wireless connectivity and my SD reader. The best solution I have found is UNE 8.04 but from what I understand the 11.04 desktop edition is just as compatible with netbooks as UNE.

My desktop is no problem. I had configuration problems with the wireless and could not get it to work no matter what I tried. However, a simple card swap did the trick.

I suppose after a little more experience with linux this will not be as much of a problem for me. However, you may not have the same problems as I do as you may be a bit more tech savvy than I.

[ad4mg]

Why not live boot from a CD or thumb drive and then decide which distro you want? That is what was suggested to me and it worked out well. Ubuntu was my first installed distro but I became dissatisfied with it and attempted to switch to mint which was my second choice but I had problems so I was suggested to try Fedora by IZE, that worked without a hitch and I am happy thus far.

Though, I have had a lot of issues with getting most forms of linux to work with my netbooks, particularly with wireless connectivity and my SD reader. The best solution I have found is UNE 8.04 but from what I understand the 11.04 desktop edition is just as compatible with netbooks as UNE.

My desktop is no problem. I had configuration problems with the wireless and could not get it to work no matter what I tried. However, a simple card swap did the trick.

I suppose after a little more experience with linux this will not be as much of a problem for me. However, you may not have the same problems as I do as you may be a bit more tech savvy than I.

Wireless may require 3rd party drivers on many laptops, particularly those with Broadcom chipsets. The easy solution is to have internet access available during installation via a network cable. Ubuntu is pretty good at detecting the specific Broadcom chipset and offering the installation of the necessary proprietary driver on first boot when it has internet access available.

Usually, if you run "lspci" from a command line and look for the specific Broadcom chipset installed, a Google search will provide the answer for that chipset. The solution usually involves either removing an improper driver, and/or installing the correct driver from the Synaptic package manager. Don't know why, but Ubuntu does not include Synaptic in the default installation beginning with version 12.04, but it is easily installed by running "sudo apt-get install synaptic" from the command line in a terminal.

[KB3LAZ]

Wireless may require 3rd party drivers on many laptops, particularly those with Broadcom chipsets. The easy solution is to have internet access available during installation via a network cable. Ubuntu is pretty good at detecting the specific Broadcom chipset and offering the installation of the necessary proprietary driver on first boot when it has internet access available.

Usually, if you run "lspci" from a command line and look for the specific Broadcom chipset installed, a Google search will provide the answer for that chipset. The solution usually involves either removing an improper driver, and/or installing the correct driver from the Synaptic package manager. Don't know why, but Ubuntu does not include Synaptic in the default installation beginning with version 12.04, but it is easily installed by running "sudo apt-get install synaptic" from the command line in a terminal.

Yes, I went through all of this but I could not get a connection even via direct connect with Mint. Fedora worked right out of the box so to speak. Moot point for me now.

[KJ3N]

Having finished my Win 7 / Mint dual boot yesterday (several problems over the last 2 days notwithstanding), I just made a 60GB partition on the boot drive and dumped Mint into that. No separate partitions for /home, etc.

I figure since I can read and write to the other 2 drives that are formatted NTFS, there really wasn't a need. YMMV