[kraddler2003]

i have windows xp and suse 9.0 dual booting..i want to install mandrake 9.2 also..can 2 linux o.s. be installed at same time..and if so..how??

[utanja]

theoretically it is not be possible... .since linux requires mount points...and the initial mount point for linux is / (root)....this applies to all versions of linux so since the boot loader looks for root...i dont think it would be possible... unless you maybe use 2 hard drives....amd map the other out for the other distro...but not sure if that can be done

also...why would you want to have both...other than to compare....just about all programs for linux will run under either distro....

[Whiteskin]

You could concivably even use a common home directory on the two linuxes.

[utanja]

Originally posted by Whiteskin:
You could concivably even use a common home directory on the two linuxes.

yes and swap partition as well...but all the other mount points such as /bin /usr/ etc.....present a prbl.....since linux all distros use same names...

[codejockey]

Yes, you may install and run more than one Linux/Unix system on the same machine. I currently have Windoze 98SE, Slackware and Mandrake all running on the same machine. All it requires is different partitions for each O/S. You certainly can use more than one hard drive (and install each distribution on a separate drive) but this is not required. If you have a single, large disk, you can install as many operating systems as will fit (one or more partitions for each).

Hope this helps.

[utanja]

Originally posted by codejockey:
Yes, you may install and run more than one Linux/Unix system on the same machine. I currently have Windoze 98SE, Slackware and Mandrake all running on the same machine. All it requires is different partitions for each O/S. You certainly can use more than one hard drive (and install each distribution on a separate drive) but this is not required. If you have a single, large disk, you can install as many operating systems as will fit (one or more partitions for each).

Hope this helps.

i am corrected....thank you and please excuse my confusion over this matter...but how would this be done on a single hard drive box...

my currect configuration is as followss:
hda1-NTFS
hda5=Vfat32
hda6=/boot (REDHAT9)
hda7=/root ...(and underlieing balance
hda8-swap
hda9=vfat32.(XP image files)

i still can allocate more if needed ...it is a super large hard drive..

[Whiteskin]

So, then you would just need a new root dir, then have home and swap common.

Then you'd just add it to lilo and boom, you are up and running.

[kraddler2003]

i tried to triple boot it another way..since then i have gotten red hat 9..and the reason for wanting more then one linux is that even thought there all linux they have a different "feel" to them..redhat9 seems more like a office version of linux..mandrake and suse are loaded with multimedia software..so i quess the reason for wanting more then one linux is just "because"..lol...but i triple booted this way...used mandrake boot cd to free drive space and repartition windows xp..then after setting up linux partitions shut pc off and and reboot with red hat 9..installed redhat using free space on hard drive and set boot loader to mbs{master boot sector}..after installing red hat i poped in mandrake cd and booted and then re-partitioned the linux drive,,the same way i did with windows xp..made the linux partion smaller and then just installed mandrake on the free space..then set boot loader to root partition;i think that is the term...then...after installing mandrake re-booted from red hat cd and did a upgrade..and added mandrake to brub bootloader..only thing i had to do was add something to redhat that would upgrade ..found out after trying you have to ad something that adds to the kernel module..so i installed the kernel for support for more then 4 gigs of memory..it installed..added mandrake to boot loader.. and when i rebooted i booted to grub bootloader and had choice of windows,redhat, and mandrake..all working..now i know thats not the exact way to do it..but hey..considering i didnt know what i was doing..lol..