Adding a second hard drive for PCLinuxOS

[Raimy]

I was a long time PCLinuxOS user until I got my new laptop and ran into some sound problems. After unsuccessfully messing with it for awhile I decided to try other distros. I installed Linux Mint and the sound worked as it should out of the box - my headphones are recognized (they aren't in PLCOS) and I get sound through them and not the speakers. Now Linux Mint is nice but I want to come back to PCLOS. The problem seems to be with the PantherPoint Audio Controller and HDMI and I hadn't been able to get it working after trying the solutions I've found here on the forum and elsewhere on the net. But the fact that it does work with Linux Mint gives me hope.

Now the real point of this post is that I want to install PCLOS again to keep working with it in the hopes that a solution will eventually come but don't want to put it on my main hard drive (750gb) which currently has both Windows 7 and Linux Mint. I do have an older (3yrs-ish) Toshiba 500gb drive in my other laptop that I'd like to put in this computer and install the PCLOS there with the idea being that eventually I can uninstall Linux Mint and run Windows from the 750gb and PCLOS from the 500gb. So these are my questions:

1. Can I have the 500gb along with the 750gb or would that be too much?

2. Once the drive is added and I install PCLOS on it how does the boot thing work? I looked and read some about booting from a different drive than the MBR but it's a bit confusing to me. Would I be able to add that installation to the current boot manager so it shows up in GRUB like Windows and Linux Mint or would it have to boot differently like from a flash drive or something?

[Yankee]

I usually install PCL onto a 8GB flash drive formatted
with xfs at install to test or use.    One partition, no swap,
install grub to the flash drive only, put hd0,0 in menu.lst
for the boot partition, and select the flash drive at boot
directly at boot and it boots right up then.

Test away and be sure everything works OK.

FYI

[Raimy]

In some instances that would be good but in this case I want it installed to the hard drive, not a flash drive. I just wondered if I installed it to a hard drive that's a completely separate hard drive from the drive that contains the mbr would I need to boot it from a flash drive.

[Yankee]

In some instances that would be good but in this case I want it installed to the hard drive, not a flash drive. I just wondered if I installed it to a hard drive that's a completely separate hard drive from the drive that contains the mbr would I need to boot it from a flash drive.

Well if the drive was a USB drive the procedure would be basically
the same.   A USB flash or a USB external HD are basically the
same install procedure.   You can't have 2 HD's inside a laptop, so,
I don't know how that would happen.

If you installed PCL in your other laptop that's a normal install with PCL
being the only  OS there.   Interchanging drives should boot
normally then.   I use xfs for flash drives, works better, but to the
other HD ext4 is normally used in the install process.

I could put my USB external in my netbook and it would boot.    I could
put a HD from another computer in my netbook and it would boot,
both from the menu.lst in each, which would be called up by grub by
the /dev/sda MBR which is installed in each separate HD, one HD
for each laptop.   Each with it's own MBR waiting to boot in the laptop
the HD is installed in.

If not clear ask a question, of course.     This is grub legacy which is
not grub2, which is a more system-wide auto configuration that is done.
Grub legacy is nice for in individual partitions while grub2 configures
everything at once, which isn't always what is wanted in some cases.
PCL uses grub legacy.

   
Y

[Just17]

I was a long time PCLinuxOS user until I got my new laptop and ran into some sound problems. After unsuccessfully messing with it for awhile I decided to try other distros. I installed Linux Mint and the sound worked as it should out of the box - my headphones are recognized (they aren't in PLCOS) and I get sound through them and not the speakers. Now Linux Mint is nice but I want to come back to PCLOS. The problem seems to be with the PantherPoint Audio Controller and HDMI and I hadn't been able to get it working after trying the solutions I've found here on the forum and elsewhere on the net. But the fact that it does work with Linux Mint gives me hope.

Now the real point of this post is that I want to install PCLOS again to keep working with it in the hopes that a solution will eventually come but don't want to put it on my main hard drive (750gb) which currently has both Windows 7 and Linux Mint. I do have an older (3yrs-ish) Toshiba 500gb drive in my other laptop that I'd like to put in this computer and install the PCLOS there with the idea being that eventually I can uninstall Linux Mint and run Windows from the 750gb and PCLOS from the 500gb. So these are my questions:

1. Can I have the 500gb along with the 750gb or would that be too much?

2. Once the drive is added and I install PCLOS on it how does the boot thing work? I looked and read some about booting from a different drive than the MBR but it's a bit confusing to me. Would I be able to add that installation to the current boot manager so it shows up in GRUB like Windows and Linux Mint or would it have to boot differently like from a flash drive or something?

There will be no problems having PCLOS installed on a second drive.

You will need to make some manual edits to allow it to boot, if you do not wish PCLOS to take control of the booting.
So that will be the first decision to make, and how you do things will depend on that.

On the assumption you do not want PCLOS to control the booting, you must ensure that at the end of the install, when you are asked about the bootloader/Grub, that you select to install Grub to the MBR of the SECOND drive, and not the original drive.

PCLOS should find the other installations, but because of differences between Grub & Grub2 which Mint uses, some edits will likely be necessary to have all three booting from the one Grub menu.

So after installing PCLOS reboot ......  if you reboot into the Mint Grub then PCLOS will not yet be available.
You should do whatever is required by Grub 2 to add PCLOS to the Mint menu, and test that entry.
I believe the entry might be incorrect due to Grub2 differences, but I am sure you will find lots of info on correcting it if so.

With the PCLOS entry in the Mint menu you should now be able to boot it and do the initial set up.



EDIT:
           Of course whether you can fit a second drive into your laptop or not is only something you can tell .....  I heard of some being capable of this but never came across one.

[Raimy]

I can have 2 hard drives in the computer. It originally came with 2 and I changed it to the single (don't ask - long crazy story) so the 2nd bay is available for a 2nd drive. I was most concerned with whether or not adding a 500gb to an already existing 750gb would be too much.

I'm afraid I'm more confused now the the "grub legacy" and "grub 2" references. I wouldn't have any problems with PCLOS controlling the booting, in fact I'd prefer it. I just don't want to lose access to the Linux Mint until PCLOS is working as I need it to. The ideal setup would be to turn my computer on and when the grub screen (legacy or grub2...I'm lost there) comes up all 3 os's would be listed and I could make the choice as I needed.

Sometimes it takes me a while to catch on so if you did it in a "Grub for Dummies" way I'd be grateful.  

[Just17]

Because you have doubts about whether PCLOS will remain on your drive, I suggest for the moment you leave Mint in control of booting.
If you get things working as you wish, and want to delete Mint, then it will be easy to put PCLOS in charge before you delete Mint, and all should be OK from there.

I was most concerned with whether or not adding a 500gb to an already existing 750gb would be too much.

Apparently the laptop is designed for two drives, so there should be no problem.
The capacity of the drive should make no difference, if that is what was concerning you.

I suggest you get PCLOS installed to the second drive, making sure Grub goes on the MBR of the second drive.
At that time it will not be on the boot menu, so will need to be added.
This can be done from Mint ......  there is likely some command to run or such.
There should be something on their forums about that.

[Yankee]

1. Can I have the 500gb along with the 750gb or would that be too much?

Look in the manual and see if the power supply can handle it.    If so go ahead.

[Raimy]

1. Can I have the 500gb along with the 750gb or would that be too much?

Look in the manual and see if the power supply can handle it.    If so go ahead.

There is no decent manual and from what I can tell online it's either a 180w or 240w. Is there a way to tell for sure? I also looked on the supply itself but couldn't see where it said. Am I missing it?

Because you have doubts about whether PCLOS will remain on your drive, I suggest for the moment you leave Mint in control of booting.
If you get things working as you wish, and want to delete Mint, then it will be easy to put PCLOS in charge before you delete Mint, and all should be OK from there.

I was most concerned with whether or not adding a 500gb to an already existing 750gb would be too much.

Apparently the laptop is designed for two drives, so there should be no problem.
The capacity of the drive should make no difference, if that is what was concerning you.

I suggest you get PCLOS installed to the second drive, making sure Grub goes on the MBR of the second drive.
At that time it will not be on the boot menu, so will need to be added.
This can be done from Mint ......  there is likely some command to run or such.
There should be something on their forums about that.

Oh no, I absolutely do want PCLOS to remain on my computer...there is no doubt. I'm sure that there eventually will be a way to make to sound work as it should, drivers for that PantherPoint stuff or whatever is needed...I have faith in you guys! 

 

[Yankee]

@Raimy

Exactly what type, model, brand, etc. computer is it ?

@Just17

Following your install instructions using the configfile option
in Mint's menu.lst pointing to PCL's menu.lst should boot
this right up.   Agree ?

[Just17]

Oh no, I absolutely do want PCLOS to remain on my computer...there is no doubt. I'm sure that there eventually will be a way to make to sound work as it should, drivers for that PantherPoint stuff or whatever is needed...I have faith in you guys!  

 

In that case you can write the PCLOS Grub to the MBR of the first HDD and allow PCLOS to control booting.

If you have any difficulty booting Mint afterwards there are threads on this forum about edits that might be needed when booting 'Bunty' and its derivatives (I am not certain this is necessary but don't be surprised).

[Just17]

@Raimy

Exactly what type, model, brand, etc. computer is it ?

@Just17

Following your install instructions using the configfile option
in Mint's menu.lst pointing to PCL's menu.lst should boot
this right up.   Agree ?

Probably, but I have not done so myself and can only report what I have read on this forum about edits being needed in some config files when Grub & Grub 2 are both used.

In any case I would try it first and deal with any edits that might be necessary later - if necessary at all 

[Raimy]

@Raimy

Exactly what type, model, brand, etc. computer is it ?

It's a Dell Alienware M17X R4. I finally found the packing list that came with the system and it is a 180w. Please tell me that's okay...I might just cry if it's not.

@Raimy

Exactly what type, model, brand, etc. computer is it ?

@Just17

Following your install instructions using the configfile option
in Mint's menu.lst pointing to PCL's menu.lst should boot
this right up.   Agree ?

How would I use the configfile option and how to point it where it needs to go?

[Raimy]

Oh no, I absolutely do want PCLOS to remain on my computer...there is no doubt. I'm sure that there eventually will be a way to make to sound work as it should, drivers for that PantherPoint stuff or whatever is needed...I have faith in you guys!  

 

In that case you can write the PCLOS Grub to the MBR of the first HDD and allow PCLOS to control booting.

If you have any difficulty booting Mint afterwards there are threads on this forum about edits that might be needed when booting 'Bunty' and its derivatives (I am not certain this is necessary but don't be surprised).

So when I get to that point in the install I should leave as is? I remember trying something like this before I went down to a single drive (windows on one drive, linux on the other) and came up with a "can't find Grub" boot error. That's why I went to a single drive, it was easier.

Now to make sure I have it straight, you say that PCLOS uses Grub and Mint uses Grub 2?

[Just17]

IMO, the 'safest' method is to put the PCLOS Grub on the MBR of the second drive, thus not touching the first one at all.