[vox-tech] GRUB Puzzle

[Bob Scofield]

On Tuesday 09 December 2008, Cam Ellison wrote:
> 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).

Thank you for the message.  I now can see that I was not clear enough.

I am not trying to use a single kernel for both distributions.  I'm using two 
separate kernels for each.  Right now Debian's GRUB gives me the option to 
boot kernel  2.6.26-1-486 for Debian, or kernel 2.6.22-14-generic for 
Kubuntu.  I am simply trying to change the Kubuntu option to 
2.6.24-22-generic.  

But for some reason changing Debian's menu.lst for Kubuntu from 2.6.22-14 to 
either 2.6.24-19 or 2.6.24-22 results in a boot that hangs.

Bob