[buug] NT boot loader --> grub/lilo --> ...

[Michael Paoli]

NT boot loader --> grub/lilo --> ...

I might not have managed to post this to [L]UG list(s) earlier,
but searching a bit, I did essentially post such to Usenet.

My personal laptop's boot scheme is a bit complex, but pretty
interesting.  I have it set up using the NT boot loader, but that is set
to, by default, chain load grub, which by default, boots Linux.  Each
of the boot loaders can also chainload the other boot loaders.
Options/behavior go roughly like this, with default shown first, and not
all options shown:

NT boot loader -->
   grub
   lilo
   XP

   grub -->
     Linux
     lilo
     NT boot loader

   lilo -->
     Linux
     grub
     NT boot loader

Note also that the NT boot loader is generally quite unforgiving when it
comes to errors (e.g. misconfigurations) - I also have a rather atypical
setup in many ways, e.g. note that the first partition isn't the NTFS
partition.  NTFS also isn't the easiest filesystem to deal with in many
regards, notably shrinking or changing its start location.  So,
appropriate caution is advised.

Probably just a matter of time before I blow away that NTFS partition
(haven't booted XP in well over a year, and have probably run it less
than 20 hours in the 6+ years I've had the laptop), ... thought I'd
highlight some of the interesting (i.e. boot) bits of my setup before
that gets quite substantially changed.

Quite a bit more detail on the configuration of the hard drive and boot
loaders can be found here:
news:ac21e42d-eeb0-4e40-a9e4-0f8eb04499c9 at y22g2000prd.googlegroups.com
(or via Google - not sure if the below URL is persistent, but should be
findable by the above)
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.linux.setup/msg/fa1fba1894641dbb?dmode=source&output=gplain