Linux and Windows on 2 different hard disks

[ChrissyT88]

Hi,

With lots of help from the web, i have started to use and play with linux on a second machine, which to be honest, is not very convienient. I am currently planning a new build, and want to be able to boot into linux and windows - i am currently doing this via grub from the same HDD. However, i would quite like to have a separate Linux HDD, and windows HDD, and keep Grub way away from the windows disk - how would i go about doing this?

Could i plug in 1 HDD and install windows, unplug it and then install Linux on the other, thus keeping grub away from windows?

 

[BillytheImpaler]

You could change the first boot disk in the BIOS to select which disk to boot but I don't really see the point. Why not just let Grub boot both OSes. If you decide you don't want Linux anymore you simple use fixmbr to overwrite the master boot record from Windows.

 

[ChrissyT88]

Thanks Billy. I'll probably do this - seems to be the easier option. I do have a couple of questions though is i go down this route:

1. Can i shorten the time GRUB gives you to choose an OS and reorder the items on the GRUB menu?

2. I have only ever installed linux as a partition, and have therefore made a swap partition for grub to reside in - how would this work for multiple HDDs? If i install windows on my first HDD, do i need to make a swap file on this disk, or on the second linux disk? Will GRUB configure itself over two HDDS?

Thanks very much

 

[GarethDW]

Thanks Billy. I'll probably do this - seems to be the easier option. I do have a couple of questions though is i go down this route:

1. Can i shorten the time GRUB gives you to choose an OS and reorder the items on the GRUB menu?

2. I have only ever installed linux as a partition, and have therefore made a swap partition for grub to reside in - how would this work for multiple HDDs? If i install windows on my first HDD, do i need to make a swap file on this disk, or on the second linux disk? Will GRUB configure itself over two HDDS?

Thanks very much

1. Yep, you can edit both the timeout period and also which OS is to be the default one. It's done by editing /boot/grub/menu.lst (iirc... not had to do it in a while) and the file is commented nicely so it explains what each line is used for.

2. The swap partition isn't used by GRUB it's used by the kernel to store data which would otherwise be stored in memory. You'll need a swap partition whatever you do (having a root or "/" partition and a swap partition are the minimum requirements during the installation).

During the installation, you should get asked whether you want to install a boot loader, usually grub or lilo, and if so where you want to install it. It'll work fine being installed on the MBR for one drive but pointing to your other drive.

 

[ChrissyT88]

Cheers Gareth - i'll give it a go. I did not know the swap partition was used by the kernel - i am a noob when it comes to linux and blindly followed an installation guide from the internet and presumed that the swap partition was what allowed me to 'swap' between OSes. Thanks for clearing that up!