Reccomend me a boot manager!

[micolithe]

Reccomend me a boot manager! Here's what I have that I need it for:

I'm currently downloading an ISO of SuSe 9.3, because I'm a computer nerd. I want to install it to my other hard drive, which is IDE. My Windows XP hard drive is SATA. So technically the IDE one is set to boot first in the BIOS because it's the C drive... However, this is all going to have to wait until after a reformat because Windows doesn't see the IDE drive (strange, yes.) What's a good program to use for a situation like this? Something free, preferrably, but I'm open to any suggestions for programs.

[micolithe]

Come on, just rattle off some names. I want to format my computer and dual boot.

[peat moss]

OSL2000, Gag, Smartboot, google has more. Some can run off a floppy aswell.
Major Geeks is a good site to compare.Just type in Drive Utilities .



http://www.majorgeeks.com/OSL2000_Boot_Manager_d2165.html

[fkdup74]

Suse has a boot manager (Grub) that works quite well
in fact, it worked better than any 3rd party crap I ever tried

[tesco]

yes, i agree with FKDUP74.
I used to have Suse installed and Grub (which is installed by default with Suse) worked fine. :)

[Snee]

Grub is all you need.

Just make sure to follow the regular install-order, ie: windows first, then linux.

If you are going to install more than one version of windows, you put the oldest windows version first, and still all windows-installations before linux.

And remember that formatting your c: drive will kill grub and the windows boot-manager if you've got more than one windows, meaning you'll have to re-install grub/repair the bootsector (backing it up may be good). Re-installing windows on c: may kill grub, leaving only the windows boot.


I actually managed to kill grub very recently (corruption due to nb overheat, I think), but it was easy as pie to sort everything out, it can either be repaired using the suse disc, or you can boot from knoppix or something, save any files you may need on the linux partitions, and then remove the partitions. That reverts you to the windows boot, thus letting you make new linux partitions and install everything again.