Triple OS Boot?

[fateswarm]

Can I have Slackware, Mandrake and Debian plus Windows(this not an OS, only a test beta) on the same machine?

It sounds cool, therefore, it should have been asked in the past, and sorry, if this is too old, just wanted to ask if it's possible.

Aaa... and another thing, suggest anything that involves loadlin and I'll ignore your answer :p

[fateswarm]

Ok, I'll try to make this more.. 'useable'.

Is there any method which can put two or more distributions on the same partitions, especially on the same swap(this sound easy to do, the swap thing).

I mean, is there a method which can put ALL "things" that separate one distro from another to different directories and therefore act EXACTLY like they would, if there was a clean install?

It sounds faaaaar, too messy, I know, but is there a clean method? Anyone?

[deadlock]

Not only does it sound messy, but it sounds pointless! I don't think it would be possible and it certainly wouldn't be possible to install those Distros plus Windows on the same partition.

I could be wrong, but because of the way that the Linux filesystem works vs. the way the Windows filesystem works, it's impossible to install Linux on a (V)FAT (or NTFS) partition. And Windows can't even read ext/2/3 partitions, so you haven't a hope of installing it that way.

The only workaround would be to create a partition for each distro (they can all use the same swap) and a seperate, VFAT/NTFS partition for Windows.
But apart from the l33tness factor, why would you want to install more than one distro ?

I'd like to qualify all of this by saying that I am aware that you could run Windows from a hardfile using Linux VMWare, or vice versa with Windows VMWare.

[ 03 November 2001: Message edited by: wonk ]

[bdg1983]

You can certainly share the swap partition and also /home and possibly a couple of others such as /boot.

I know I've seen the shareable partitions listed here from time to time, but I just can't remember them all.

[bdl]

Loadlin!!

[bdl]

Originally posted by wonk:
<STRONG>Not only does it sound messy, but it sounds pointless! I don't think it would be possible and it certainly wouldn't be possible to install those Distros plus Windows on the same partition.

I could be wrong, but because of the way that the Linux filesystem works vs. the way the Windows filesystem works, it's impossible to install Linux on a (V)FAT (or NTFS) partition. And Windows can't even read ext/2/3 partitions, so you haven't a hope of installing it that way.

</STRONG>

Yes, you're wrong. (http://www.slackware.com/zipslack)

[fateswarm]

Originally posted by wonk:
<STRONG>Not only does it sound messy, but it sounds pointless! I don't think it would be possible and it certainly wouldn't be possible to install those Distros plus Windows on the same partition.

I could be wrong, but because of the way that the Linux filesystem works vs. the way the Windows filesystem works, it's impossible to install Linux on a (V)FAT (or NTFS) partition. And Windows can't even read ext/2/3 partitions, so you haven't a hope of installing it that way.

The only workaround would be to create a partition for each distro (they can all use the same swap) and a seperate, VFAT/NTFS partition for Windows.
But apart from the l33tness factor, why would you want to install more than one distro ?

I'd like to qualify all of this by saying that I am aware that you could run Windows from a hardfile using Linux VMWare, or vice versa with Windows VMWare.

[ 03 November 2001: Message edited by: wonk ]</STRONG>


First I didnt say to put windows WITH the distributions.

Second, it is not pointless. There are server admins who would like to check different system configurations on different distros or even on the same distro that is installed twice on the same machine.

[ 03 November 2001: Message edited by: fateswarm ]