fedora4 & debian3.1

[lrabbit]

i installed debian and hadn't checked the box for a nice gui, so installed fedora and it worked fine, until i tried to install debian as well, then i couldn't keep fedora - it's still there but i can't make it boot it because of debians install, which even after definately checking the box, still didn't load me a desktop.. if that makes sense..
How can i install both, so they work, both with desktops? (i don't mind deleting all my partitions)
thanks

[a few hours later..]
well i've got debian 'setting up', but i'd still like to know how to get fedora to install without losing debian? (supposing it works that is..)

[ollie]

You need to setup separate "/" - "root" partitions for each distro. As per advice in LXF72 p103/104 you are better off if you have different users (and home directories) for each distro as well.
Then you will need to manually edit GRUB or LILO (or what ever you have as a boot loader) to identify each "/" - root partition so you can choose your OS.
Also look at multibooting at [url="http://www.tldp.org/"]The Linux Documentation Project[/url] or on the LXF72 DVD under "Help".

[jjmac]

Also look closely at the dialog boxed section of debs install-=- concerning the partition layout ,,,,,,,, you will see any existing partition you have. You can add additional partitions in the available ___free_space___. Well ... were else would you add partitions. I would expect Fedoras installer to be the same/similar there. But ... type ctr-C at any time if your not sure. It probably is best to go through it a few times without commiting if your not to sure.

What ever goes in first ... install a boot-loader -=- whatever goes in second __don't__. I do admit it is something i find somewhat brain dead about Linux installers. They don't seem to like/handle not installing a boot-loader. They seem to think like MS, that their the only OS going on the box. Even debs goes into a mild spin when thats over-ridden.

But pypass the loader on the 2nd distro. Remember the dev/partition layout and the kernel directory/name ... write it down .... Befor you do the reboot --> second stage of the install. The finishing it of stage ... boot into your first distro and add the relevant entries to your loaders config file(s). Re-run lilo if it's lilo. Or use a LiveCD if needed.

In deb, after the second stage install is complete. Explore through "aptitude" or "dselect" for your, ummm, results.

You can also do "dpkg-reconfigure --help" as root to re-go-over a packages configuration.

>>
[a few hours later..]
well i've got debian 'setting up', but i'd still like to know how to get fedora to install without losing debian? (supposing it works that is..)
>>

that is a gem ...


jm