What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

[Peter Andrew]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

Thanks Qqmike,
That's exactly the way I was hoping to do this, so I don't have to mess with my current configuration. Is there a step-by-step tutorial for using the method you mentioned? I don't know anything about the grub notation, but I'd rather do this in a straightforward way that doesn't involve all the undoing and redoing used in the apmag tutorial. I successfully installed Kubuntu on my other system using the manual partitioning option, that was no problem because the install wouldn't proceed till the partition was set up correctly, and it prompted me with explanations of what was necessary for it to continue. But I can't recall being given an option of where to put the grub on the drive exactly. I'm pretty sure i just installed it to (/). Whatever I did it wrote the grub boot loader to the MBR. I have come across many references stating that if I want to reboot into vista I need to make sure the Grub is installed to the root of the linux partition but not to the MBR, but nothing instructing how this can be done.
Any further input would be greatly appreciated.

[Qqmike]

Re: What will happen when I select no on "install grub boot loader to MBR"

On 8.04, the Live CD (Kubuntu installer), early on, select the Manual partitioning method (it's the last one listed).
Then, watch for Step 6, lower right, Advanced button, press it and that's where you have a chance to put GRUB; i.e., in the same partition that you specified for Kubuntu root.
But you must know the GRUB notation (hdx,y) for that partition BEFORE you even start the Kubuntu Live CD installer.
One easy and safe way to do that is to do all your partitioning beforehand and separately using the GParted Live CD.
After setting up your partition(s) for Kubuntu, then run the Kubuntu Live CD as a live CD (not to install Kubuntu). In your Live CD session, open K > System > Konsole, and see where the partitions are * in GRUB notation *:
sudo grub
that gives a grub> prompt.
grub> geometry (hd<press the TAB key now>
and that shows you the partitions in (hdx,y) notation.
(so you type geometry, then a space, then the ( then hd, then press TAB key.)
Note the partition you intend to use for Kubuntu root (/), and that will be the partition for GRUB (in Step 6, Advanced). Of course, as you know, the Kubuntu installer in Step5 will refer to all partitions using Linux notation, like sda3, sdb1, and so on. But you'll be able to see what is where at show time.
Hope this helps.

[Peter Andrew]

Re: What will happen when I select no on &quot;install grub boot loader to MBR&quot;

Thanks again.
What a bad time to realize I'm out of blank cds, the stores just closed. I just finished making GParted bootable from a flash drive (hope this works). I figure I'll give it a shot this way, couldn't hurt to try.

[Qqmike]

Re: What will happen when I select no on &quot;install grub boot loader to MBR&quot;

that should work ok from UFD

[Qqmike]

Re: What will happen when I select no on &quot;install grub boot loader to MBR&quot;

just in case, i did that in my how-to @
How To Make GRUB Thumb Drive
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081748.0
Super Grub Disk, GRUB, GParted & Puppy on a flash drive Reply #10

[Peter Andrew]

Re: What will happen when I select no on &quot;install grub boot loader to MBR&quot;

Following up - I couldn't get my flash drive formatted as udf, but I got the GParted Live disc, and figured it all out. Now that the os is set up I'll be moving on to hardware driver installation. Thanks for all your help.