Running Multiple Operating Systems

MINIX 3 can coexist on a hard disk with Windows or Linux. The hard part is figuring out how to choose which OS to boot. Here are a few hints:

• Using the MINIX boot monitor to start other operating systems (May be outdated)

GRUB 2 stores its configuration in a file called grub.cfg (usually /boot/grub/grub.cfg) but you shouldn't edit it directly as it is generated with the information given in /etc/default/grub and the files in /etc/grub.d.
To boot MINIX 3 with GRUB 2 there's two alternatives:

Edit /etc/grub.d/40_custom (you will probably have to be root to do so) and add the following code:

menuentry "MINIX 3" {
        set root=(hdX,Y)
        chainloader +1
}

Here are some examples of GRUB's naming convention for the disks and partitions:

• (hd0,1) - first primary partition on first hard disk
• (hd0,2) - second primary partition on first hard disk
• (hd0,3) - third primary partition on first hard disk
• (hd0,4) - fourth primary partition on first hard disk
• (hd1,1) - first primary partition on second hard disk
• (hd1,2) - second primary partition on second hard disk
• and so on

<!> Note: GRUB 1 and GRUB 2 have different naming conventions for partitions.

Alternatively, if you want to use GRUB to boot MINIX directly:

The entry should have this shape:

menuentry "Minix Latest" {
        set root=(hd0,3,1)
        multiboot /boot/minix_latest/kernel rootdevname=c0d0p2s0
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod01_ds.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod02_rs.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod03_pm.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod04_sched.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod05_vfs.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod06_memory.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod07_log.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod08_tty.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod09_mfs.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod10_vm.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod11_pfs.gz
        module /boot/minix_latest/mod12_init.gz
}

Edit /etc/default/grub and change GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0 to # GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0.
(You can also press shift during GRUB's startup to show the boot menu.)

Run grub-mkconfig as root to rewiew the new configuration.
Run grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg as root to overwrite your old grub.cfg with the new configuration.
(change the path to your grub.cfg if it differs from the one given above)

To have GRUB1 boot MINIX, you can just add the following lines to your GRUB config file (typically /boot/grub/menu.lst):

title Minix
rootnoverify (hdX,Y) # (hdX,Y) is the disk and partition where you install Minix
chainloader +1       # tells GRUB to call Minix's boot loader

Here are some examples of GRUB's naming convention for the disks and partitions:

• (hd0,0) - first primary partition on first hard disk
• (hd0,1) - second primary partition on first hard disk
• (hd0,2) - third primary partition on first hard disk
• (hd0,3) - fourth primary partition on first hard disk
• (hd1,0) - first primary partition on second hard disk
• (hd1,1) - second primary partition on second hard disk
• and so on

<!> Note: GRUB 1 and GRUB 2 have different naming conventions for partitions.

If you don't want to use a multiboot loader, you can use a MINIX 3 boot floppy or the MINIX 3 CD-ROM to boot MINIX.

Don't forget to change the Boot Order in your BIOS if necessary. You want to boot from the floppy/CD before booting from disk.

<!> The following instructions are relevant to MINIX 3.1.x; the new boot loader uses a different syntax (and there are no boot floppy any more).

• Insert the MINIX 3 CD-ROM and boot
• Login as bin
• Type shutdown to get back to the MINIX 3 boot monitor
• Now type:

boot c0d0p0

to boot from the operating system image file on controller 0, drive 0, partition 0. Of course, if you put MINIX 3 on drive 1 partition 2, sub-partition 0, use:

boot c0d1p2s0

and so on.

If you have a legacy floppy disk drive, you can boot MINIX 3 by inserting your new boot floppy and turning on the power.

• Booting MINIX on a PC with WinNT or Win2K Installed (May be outdated)