Preparing for a Multiboot Environment
If you are installing OpenSolaris 2008.11 as part of a multiboot environment, review
the following multibooting specifications for various operating systems.
Note - If you choose to mount the OpenSolaris OS in a VirtualBox, see the
instructions for Running OpenSolaris Using VirtualBox. If you are installing on a system that is running
the Mac OS X, and you have installed Parallels, see Installing on a Mac OS X System and Parallels.
Table 2-2 Multiboot Environments
Existing OS |
Description |
|---|
Microsoft Windows |
If you have Windows installed, and you set up enough space to
install the OpenSolaris OS, the installation should be straightforward. All versions of the OpenSolaris
OS release use the GRUB bootloader. These OpenSolaris releases recognize Windows and ensure
that the Windows partitions remain unchanged by default. When the OpenSolaris installation is
finished, the GRUB menu gives you the option to boot either the Windows
system or the OpenSolaris system. If you are using VMware, see Test-driving OpenSolaris 2008.11 (B99) With VMware Workstation 6. See
also Getting Started With OpenSolaris Using VMWare. |
Linux, or Windows and Linux |
If you have Linux installed, or Linux
and Windows installed, and you are currently booting through GRUB, save and print
out your /boot/grub/menu.lst GRUB menu file from the Linux system before installing
the OpenSolaris OS. You must replace this information in the /boot/grub/menu.lst file when
you finish booting. See grub(5) man page.
Note - If you are installing the OpenSolaris
OS on a multiboot system that also contains the Linux OS, the Solaris
partition must precede the Linux swap partition.
|
Solaris 10 OS |
The installer cannot be used
to multiboot the OpenSolaris OS. However, the installer can be used to replace
instances of Solaris 10 1/06 and later, and instances of Solaris Express, in
an existing multiboot Solaris system. |
Extended Partitions |
If you have another OS on an
extended partition, the existing extended partition is not changed and is not lost
during an OpenSolaris release installation. Existing extended partitions are not visible
during the OpenSolaris release installation, but the primary fdisk partition in which the extended
partition resides is visible. No data in these partitions is lost due
to the installation. The OS on an extended partition is not displayed on
the GRUB menu. To update the GRUB menu, see the GRUB overview
at x86: Administering the GRUB Bootloader. See also menu.lst file specifics at x86: Booting a Solaris System with GRUB. |
