2. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Readers have questions. Thus, this FAQ section has been included for answering some of the most obvious questions from the reader's point of view. All readers are requested to read through this section for finding answers to their personal questions.
After reading through this FAQ entirely, if the reader feels that he/she still has a "question" or two to ask, please feel free to drop a line at
[email protected].
- What is the aim/purpose of this Guide?
- Why have you used "3" operating systems for this guide?
- Did you yourself try out the steps mentioned in this guide? What are the configurations of the computer system on which you tested all the material mentioned in this guide?
- All your installations are "CD-ROM" based installation types. What about "Ethernet", "FTP", "HTTP", "NFS" installation types?
- Why would anyone ever need to run 3 operating systems on the same hard disk of a computer? I want to run 3 operating systems on 2 separate hard disks. What is the big deal with this guide anyway?
- Why Red Hat? Why NOT Debian GNU/Linux, Slackware, Caldera, SuSE, TurboLinux and others?
- Why FreeBSD and OpenBSD? Why NOT NetBSD, BSD/OS, Darwin, Irix, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, IBM-AIX and others?
- Which Kernel version have you used for GNU/Linux?
- I installed 3 operating systems in my computer as you have illustrated in this guide. And then unfortunately, something went wrong somewhere.
- You used the GNU GRUB for booting all the 3 operating systems. May I know the reason why? Why not use the popular Linux Loader (LILO) or FreeBSD or NT
boot loader for this purpose?
- I have older Red Hat, FreeBSD and OpenBSD distributions and/or releases. Will they work?
- I would like to have access to good resources on Linux and FreeBSD. Could you suggest a few?
- I have a few suggestions, new ideas and exciting comments. Can I send them to you?
- I have "installation-specific" questions/queries or something "failed" or "this quite didn't work"? Can I send these reports to you?
- Will you be updating this guide from time to time? Will
"my" problems be listed here?
- Does this guide have any newest version on the Internet?
- (For people living in and around Moscow, Russia) I have a computer system and I would love to install 3 operating systems on them. Would you be kind enough to come to my place and do the installation and configuration?
- (For people of Russia) We love Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD and OpenBSD operating systems. But
"why" have you NOT used the common Russian GNU/Linux distributions? I mean "ASP Linux", "Black Cat Linux", "ALT Linux" and others?
- What is the aim/purpose of this Guide?
This guide can be used by anyone for installing and configuring 3 operating systems (OSes) on the same hard disk of a computer. First, a Microsoft Windows operating system (according to the choice of the reader) is installed, then FreeBSD 4.7-RELEASE or OpenBSD 3.2-RELEASE is installed and finally, we round-off the guide by installing Red Hat Linux 7.3. Though I always use this particular order, the reader can install in an order comfortable to him/her.
- Why have you used "3" operating systems for this guide?
The current scenario is such that Microsoft Windows operating systems rule the desktops, with GNU/Linux distributions and *BSD releases (FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD) competing for "total world domination" in the server markets, thus, I thought it would be the absolute best to include all of them in this guide. The first OS is a Microsoft Windows OS, the second one belonging to the *BSD family and the last one a commonly used GNU/Linux distribution (Red Hat). Thus, the number of OSes ended up with "3". A section on installing NetBSD could be added later.
- Did you yourself try out the steps mentioned in this guide? What are the configurations of the computer system on which you tested all the material mentioned in this guide?
I assure everyone that I tested each and every step mentioned in this guide on my personal computer systems. Later they were tested successfully on other computers with varying configurations as well. My computer has a 266 MHz Intel Pentium 2 processor, 64MB Physical DIMM RAM, a single 20.0 GB Maxtor IDE HDD and other usual accessories which runs Microsoft Windows 98(SE), FreeBSD 4.7-RELEASE and Red Hat Linux 7.3. The other one with pretty much the same configuration runs FreeBSD 4.7-RELEASE, OpenBSD 3.2-RELEASE and Red Hat Linux 7.3. The general rule of the thumb is: "Better the resources, better the performance of the computer".
- All your installations are "CD-ROM" based installation types. What about "Ethernet", "FTP", "HTTP", "NFS" installation types?
I decided to keep the guide as simple as possible. And since most of us usually use CDs from local CD-ROMs for installing operating systems, I have assumed that the reader undertakes a CD-ROM based installation for installing the covered operating systems. Moreover, this guide is intended for all types of users, ranging from
intermediate Linux users to the experienced Unix experts. Since, NFS, HTTP, FTP and other such installation types usually require networks with servers running, which is impossible for an ordinary home-user to access, I have only covered the CD-ROM based installation types. Sorry for the inconvenience caused to the "network" lovers.
- Why would anyone ever need to run 3 operating systems on the same hard disk of a computer? I want to run 3 operating systems on 2 separate hard disks. What is the big deal with this guide anyway?
For lots of reasons. Fun, for learning new installing and booting methodologies, for gaining inside knowledge of "multi-booting", partitioning schemes, boot loaders and so on, or simply because you just cannot afford 2 separate 40.0 GB hard disk drives for the 3 different operating systems you want to tinker with. As for me, I guess the last reason
"suits" the best.
Lastly, if you do want, you can always install and configure your computer system with 3 varying operating systems installed in 2 separate hard disks.
- Why Red Hat? Why NOT Debian GNU/Linux, Slackware, Caldera, SuSE, TurboLinux and others?
Since most of my past Linux projects and work in general had been related to the Red Hat Linux distribution; continually installing, configuring and administering Red Hat Linux personal desktops and workstations. Currently, Red Hat Linux is
"the" leading Linux solutions provider in the world, with big corporate real-time systems being implemented using the Red Hat
operating system software. Moreover, Red Hat documentation and support are easy to find. Thus, Red Hat Linux has been chosen. The other distributions, namely Debian GNU/Linux,
Slackware and Mandrake are good, and I will probably add more sections covering other Linux distributions later.
- Why FreeBSD and OpenBSD? Why NOT NetBSD, BSD/OS, Darwin, Irix, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, IBM-AIX and others?
I personally have networking and source-code hacking experience on FreeBSD and OpenBSD
boxes. And, more recently have access to Sun Microsystems' SunOS operating
system in the Solaris Operating Environment. I do "not" have any experience working with Irix, Ultrix,
Minix, HP-UX, IBM-AIX, Darwin and others. Thus, FreeBSD and OpenBSD have been chosen.
- Which Kernel version have you used for GNU/Linux?
Linux Kernel 2.4.18-3 has been used for the Red Hat Linux distribution (Valhalla). The latest Kernel at the time of writing, is Kernel 2.4.20.
- I installed 3 operating systems in my computer as you have illustrated in this guide. And then unfortunately, something went wrong somewhere. My computer crashed and I lost all the data. Would you be kind enough to take the responsibility for all this mess?
Well, first my "deepest" condolences on your data-loss and for all this apparent mess. I would love to take all the responsibility, but as it is, I have enough problems of my own to handle. Thus, I am
"not" ready to take the responsibility for anything that goes wrong anywhere. At the least, I can say, that all the steps and methods mentioned in this guide have been tested thoroughly on a number of systems with varying configurations, and
no problems have been noted so far.
- You used the GNU GRUB for booting all the 3 operating systems. May I know the reason why? Why not use
the popular Linux Loader (LILO) or FreeBSD or NT boot loader for this purpose?
As known to everyone, boot loaders play a very vital role while configuring
multiple-booting systems where you can use any suitable boot loader which is capable of booting multiple operating systems. I chose GRUB in this
guide for three specific reasons: 1) GNU GRUB is the "default" boot loader in Red Hat distribution releases currently. 2) As mentioned in the 'Release Notes' of Red Hat Linux 8.0, the use of LILO is deprecated and the package would be removed from one of its future releases. 3) GRUB is a very powerful (x86) PC-compatible
boot loader which supports a number of operating systems "directly" and other proprietary ones too via "chain-loading" for booting them. Thus, GRUB is used instead of other
boot loaders.
- I have older Red Hat, FreeBSD and OpenBSD distributions and/or releases. Will they work?
I am sure they would with a few modifications at places. All steps mentioned should behave in a normal manner if you are using Kernel 2.2.x or higher (for Linux). For FreeBSD users, if you are using not earlier than 4.X-RELEASES, there should not be any problems whatsoever. Just take a deep breath, and start doing as given in this
guide. If in case, at some place it does "not" work, make sure you are using the right step and commands etc. Most times, it is human error rather than computer-related error which lets big servers and networks down. Always remember this!
- I would like to have access to good resources on Linux and FreeBSD. Could you suggest a few?
Yes, definitely I could. There is a lot of very good information on all the "free" operating systems out there on the Internet. For Linux, make sure you often visit
http://www.linuxgazette.com, http://www.linuxfocus.org, http://www.linux.com and a host of others. Besides,
"The Linux Documentation Project" provides excellent resources on all topics related to GNU/Linux. As for printed books, these are some of my absolute favorites: Red Hat Linux 8.0 Bible, Understanding the Linux Kernel, Modern Operating Systems,
Linux Kernel Programming, The FreeBSD Handbook at http://www.freebsd.org, The Design of the UNIX Operating System. That would be enough for the time-being.
- I have a few suggestions, new ideas and exciting comments. Can I send them to you?
Without asking, please do. Only by hearing from others, I can make this guide a better one in the near future. So, drop a line if you want to.
- I have "installation-specific" questions/queries or something
"failed" or "this quite didn't work"? Can I send these reports to you?
Of course do. But please be patient, cause I am busy with lots of things at my university; tests, exams, assignments, dating my "infinitely patient FreeBSD-compatible rock-stable girlfriend", maintaining this guide, other Linux assignments etc. So, I cannot promise to get back to you immediately. I need some time solving your problems.
- Will you be updating this guide from time to time? Will
"my" problems be listed here?
Yes, I would definitely update this guide from time to time with changes, updates, fixes, additions
and so on.
- Does this guide have any newest version on the Internet?
As of now, no, it does not. This is the only place where it will be updated from time to time.
- (For people living in and around Moscow, Russia) I have a computer system and I would love to install 3 operating systems on them. Would you be kind enough to come to my place and do the installation and configuration?
If you do live in Moscow, or on the outskirts of Moscow; drop me a line. I would come down to your place and do everything that is required for
free. Cannot help others living far.
- (For people of Russia) We love Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD and OpenBSD operating systems. But
"why" have you NOT used the common Russian GNU/Linux distributions? I mean "ASP Linux", "Black Cat Linux", "ALT Linux" and others?
All the above-mentioned GNU/Linux distributions are basically Red Hat-based Linux distributions. They heavily rely on Red Hat for package installation procedures, Kernel hacking, Kernel updates etc. I have used ASP Linux 7.2 myself, and though it does offer a few new and exciting features, but I personally prefer working with Red Hat Linux.
I have "no" experience using Black Cat and ALT GNU/Linux distributions.
