Bootloaders; Dual-Booting SuSE and Windows XP

Published on December 3, 2006 By Xythe In Personal Computing

Ok, Ive been using SuSE for a couple of years now, and it shares a drive with my XP installation. Ever since I installed SuSE, I've allowed the GRUB bootloader to handle which OS to boot into.

I'm thinking to load SuSE 10.1 onto my notebook, and I'm thinking I might find a better, 3rd party bootloader. I'm going to be honest, I can run SuSE under the KDE front-end fairly well; thats to say I can surf, burn and what have you. However, I'm hardly proficient with Linux, and have some difficulty at times know which softwares I want to use. Typically I search the various forums and talk to folks here and there for their advice. Well, now I'm here for your advice:

What is a good 3rd party bootloader? What bootloader do you use, and why?

What bootloader do you recommend me trying to dual-boot Win XP and SuSE Linux on my Compaq Presario notebook?

TIA guys

Comments (Page 1)

Xythe

on Dec 03, 2006

p.s. Windows is already installed

tjesterb

on Dec 03, 2006

On a desktop, I prefer installing Linux on a separate hard drive, and then choose which to boot into from the BIOS. On a laptop I've always just used GRUB or LILO.

If you poke around on Sourceforge.net you're likely to find something.

kona0197

on Dec 03, 2006

Drop SuSE since they crawled in bed with the enemy. Try FC!

As far as bootloaders I use GRUB. Never has it let me down.

Xythe

on Dec 03, 2006

If you poke around on Sourceforge.net you're likely to find something.

I've poked around quite a bit, and seen plenty, I just want to know what people use, and what makes their bootloader better than the rest.

Drop SuSE since they crawled in bed with the enemy. Try FC!

I'm not going to drop one of the greatest Linux distros because they have some enterprizing agreement with MS. I do not consider MS the enemy by any shape or form. In fact, I really enjoy MS products. I've been using them for many many years, and am rarely disappointed.

In case you do not know it, Oracle, the worlds 2nd largest software developer, is currently in the process of a hostile takeover of the RedHat project. Look forward to seeing MS entering the Linux game soon. I am.

I've used GRUB as well, always. It's never let me down either, but I'm looking for a 3rd party bootloader.

Hopefully somebody who is very proficient in Linux will have some reasonable suggestion....Mason?

kona0197

on Dec 03, 2006

Hopefully somebody who is very proficient in Linux will have some reasonable suggestion....Mason?

So are you thinking I'm just a Linux noobie? I'm not.

I'll look into that Oracle thing. I doubt what your saying.

Xythe

on Dec 03, 2006

So are you thinking I'm just a Linux noobie? I'm not.

I never said aas much. If you feel that I implied as such, please forgive me.

In my OP I asked for folks to recommend a 3rd party bootloader. You nor anybody else has done this thus far. But I do thank you for your opinion.

kona0197

on Dec 03, 2006

No worries. I'm sure Mason will know.

Xythe

on Dec 03, 2006

No worries. I'm sure Mason will know.

He may or may not. He may even use GRUB or LILO himself. But he is the only user I am familiar with online that regularly uses Linux, so I do hope he sees this post.

I'm not all that familiar with all you guys from WinCustomize, and I really do look forward to your recommendations.

Island Dog

on Dec 03, 2006

He may or may not. He may even use GRUB or LILO himself. But he is the only user I am familiar with online that regularly uses Linux, so I do hope he sees this post.

LILO is what I would recommend. I never had a problem with it.

Hawkeye666

on Dec 03, 2006

I have used GRUB most of the time. I personally prefer it to LILO. You can easily edit the GRUYB menu in the BOOT directory on the system partition of your Linux installation. Specifically it is usually in \boot\brug\menu.lst. Another option I have taken to using lately is to use the Windows boot nemu and a program called bootpert.exe that will build a boot file from your Linux install and then edit the BOOT.INI file in the root of the Windows system partition. You can find it at http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm

I switched to this method when I put Vista on my laptop. Since the Linux boot as already configured for XP's nemu when I then added Vista to the mix it just picked up the configuration and added it. So I now have Vista, XP, and Suse 10.2 triple booting all from the Vista boot menu.

There are a lot of other options out there with various degrees of autmated or manul configuration. I've also found some interesting ideas and guiidance on the websites dedicated to making OSX run on generic X86 hardware, and dual booting with XP. These are often more manual methods but do illustrate quite well the multitude of options out there.

Larry Kuperman

on Dec 03, 2006

Kona, the Oracle Red Hat story is on Linux Watch: Link

Red Hat's take is of course different and can be found at Link

Xythe, I don't have any personal recommendations, but check out: Link

Mikes Daily Log

on Dec 03, 2006

I use GRUB. It works just fine so I haven't had any reason to look for another.

kona0197

on Dec 04, 2006

I doubt Oracle will succeed.

Xythe

on Dec 04, 2006

I doubt Oracle will succeed.

Kona, you say some of the strangest things. What makes you say that, or is this one of your infamous off the cuff flaps?

Xythe, I don't have any personal recommendations, but check out: Link

Thanks Larry

I've also found some interesting ideas and guiidance on the websites dedicated to making OSX run on generic X86 hardware,

I've done this.

I have used GRUB most of the time.

Me too. This seems to be the general consensus

kona0197

on Dec 04, 2006

Kona, you say some of the strangest things. What makes you say that, or is this one of your infamous off the cuff flaps?

I just doubt Oracle could take down the biggest linux outfit out here. That's all. If it happens no big deal.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!