Porteus

Hello. Forgive me for being a nOOb. I'm not super linux literate even though I've used Zorin and Ubuntu for two years. I know how to use the terminal for a couple things. I really like porteus and I installed it on my harddrive but I need to keep Zorin to run a specific program. I can't install the bootloader as installing it will only allow Porteus to boot. However when I get to the Zorin grub...there is no option to boot Porteus.

I think I may have to edit the grub (I've read about this in a forum for other linux distributions) but I don't know how to do this and I've read about it on forums but the terminology used is way over my head. Does anyone think it would be easy to edit the Zorin grub? Would anyone be able to explain to a not very linux literate user how to edit the grub?

Thanks

Hi Shabidoo, have no idea what Zorin grub is, but if it's based on Grub 1/Grub Legacy, please see 'Installation Methods' section in Tutorials.

Hi. Zorin is a linux operating system. The Grub from Zorin is much like any other grub. I have discovered a grub editor in the Zorin system. The problem is I have no idea what to fill out in a couple of the fields;

initial ramdisk
Linux image

The tutorial doesn't include any information on grub editing. I probably need advice here from a more experienced linux user.

I can not explain it but
1. find your grub.cfg file (see /etc/boot or /boot/grub or similar directory),
2. make backup of it
3. give me this file or its content
4. I will edit it and give back for you some tutorial, so you could edit second config file as you want (without touching default) and learn/customize yourself.

Another option could be booting Zorin from "Porteus" (syslinux), if you want

If the grub.cfg file isn't too big, post it here with Code tags around it. We'll see what you have and can better suggest ways to modify it.

Thanks guys. Here is the link to the grub file on zorin on google docs.

I've installed Porteus on the same partition as Zorin but I've also created a new partition in case it's better to install it there (I'm not sure which is best).

I've put a screen capture of the partitions.

Zorin is on sda1 and the linux swap on sda5 (if that matters).
The partition I've created for Porteus (in case it's better to install it there) is sda3.

I'd be happy to put any other files or screen captures on the drive as well if you need it.

Cheers!

Davis

shabidoo wrote:Here is the link to the grub file on zorin on google docs.

Might have been quicker to post it here. No link found.

Before: at grub.cfg add this: Create shabidoo.txt file in /home/d/Downloads and paste what you want, for example:

Hello shabido,

This thread on grub 2 and porteus might also help you a lot (porteus could be on the same partition as your zorin os, you just have to adapt):
http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=1790

Thanks guys. I updated the grub file and Porteus loads...which is great. Thanks TOME!!! I tried to understand the cheat codes and changes (as none of my changes are saved with this boot option) but sorry it's rather over my head. I assume there needs to be a data file? Can you save changes if you boot from an iso? If so do I need to create a data file in the porteus folder? If so do I put the location of the data file next to the "changes=" in the grub menu entry?

Thanks a lot for your help everyone so far.

I looked at the page you linked francois but unfortunately I'm just not that linux or grub literate and I don't understand more than 5% of it.

@shabido:

In that case. Do not hesitate, keep asking questions. We will try to simplify the answers.

Okay. So I figured out how to create a save file and change the grub so it loads changes. My next question is...if I wanted to create a save file on a different partition...how would I indicate the right directory in the grub?

changes=/porteus/

that would be for my sda1 (the one zorin and the grub file is on)

What about for my sda3?

Thanks again for your help

The best thing to do so that we can help you would have been to give us the grub2 meny entry that has worked for you (including the changes cheatcode syntax that you used). From this information we could have built on your way of booting porteus and defining your changes folder. Did you created a save.dat container (usually used for ntfs partitions) or simply used a linux folder?

To locate the changes folder on another partition use the cheatcode changes=/path-and-name-of-changes-folder including the name of the partition to the changes folder:

changes=/mnt/sda3/badaboum
changes=/mnt/sda3/linux/badaboum
changes=/mnt/sda3/linux/porteus/badaboum

Okay...thanks for the info. I just wanted to be able to install it in the same partition as my zorin as well as on a separate partition in case the need arises. I've tried both and they've worked out, they boot and the changes are saved.

I've figured out how to configure the desktop and some preferences and install slackware. Flash and everything else works much much better than Zorin or Ubuntu. Everything loads fast and works quickly and I can have far more programs and windows open than with the other linux systems. The only problem I've had besides booting which is solved...is with java (which I never had a problem with before). I've tried it with chrome and firefox and it said java is not supported or java needs to be installed. I installed the gcc-java slackware but that didn't have any effect. The applet still won't load. My chrome preferences are set to allow Java. Perhaps there is something else I need to install first? A tweak to be made? I have the LXQT most recent version. Any ideas?

I tried this method but java still isn't supported

http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=3332