[vox-tech] GRUB Puzzle

[Cam Ellison]

Bob Scofield wrote:
> I have two Linux versions on this computer; Debian testing and Kubuntu.  
> Debian is my main system.  Kubuntu is a backup system.
>
> Debian's GRUB controls the boot process.
>
> Like any other Debian based system, Kubuntu updates the kernel.  I now have 
> these kernels in Kubuntu:  2.6.22-14-generic, 2.6.24-19-generic, and 
> 2.6.24-22-generic.  Debian's GRUB boots the 2.6.22-14 kernel.  I would like 
> it to boot 2.6.24-22.
>
> Debian's menu.lst has the following entry pertaining to Kubuntu:
>
> title           Kubuntu (on /dev/hdb3)
> root            (hd1,2)
> kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=/dev/hdb3
> initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
> savedefault
> boot
>
> If I use vi to change 2.6.22-14 to either one of the two newer Kubuntu 
> kernels, it doesn't work.  What happens is that the boot process starts, but 
> hangs.  It hangs before it gets to the message about initiating scripts.
>
> If I go back and use vi to change Debian's menu.lst back to the 2.6.22-14 
> kernel, then Kubuntu can then once again boot.  (In other words I haven't 
> totally mangled things with vi.)
>
> I checked Kubuntu's /boot/grub and all of the kernels have the same 
> permissions.  I just can't get Debian's GRUB to boot the newer Kubuntu 
> kernels.
>
>   

You can't do it this way.  If you are going to use one kernel in both 
distributions, you need to have the kernel, modules, and related files 
in both.  If you have a common partition, you could copy the .deb of the 
desired Kubuntu kernel into it, reboot in Debian, and then install the 
kernel.  That should work.  You need to think of the two systems as 
completely distinct: you wouldn't expect to do what you are trying to do 
with Kubuntu and Windows; no more can you mix Kubuntu and Debian (or 
anything else).

HTH

Cam