Hi everyone, I tried to install the new Debian jessie on a second HD that I want to use only for Linux.
I have configured everything from HDMediaToolBox correctly, I go into the installation and do everything I need, but once the partitions are formatted and the installation procedure starts, it tells me that the a1boot partition must be located after the Workbench partition.
So you can not use an HD for Linux only?
If I create an empty and bootable SFS partition before a1boot, could this partition conflict what I have on the sata HD dedicated only to AmigaOS?
What I wanted to do was to use the sata HD only for OS4.x and the PATA on the onboard XE for Linux and decide from Uboot whether to boot from the 3112 controller or the integrated one of the A1.

@ghillo

The installer does a few checks against what is known to be a requirement for a bootable Linux system to our knowledge. And does this before the installation to save you the trouble of installing a whole system that won't boot. I'm sure it is less annoying finding out before you install the system that it won't be able to boot rather than after. Thus saving you redundant reinstalls.

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So you can not use an HD for Linux only?

Technically you can, but you need to be aware of one thing. The SLB needs to be installed on the same HDD as Linux is; specifically the boot partition. So if you did this, installed the SLB on the Linux HDD only, and then removed your Linux HDD then OS4 wont't boot off the other.

You can install the SLB to both drives as a safety net, to avoid the above condition, in case you wanted it removable. But you need to make sure that UBoot will read off the Linux HDD first.

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If I create an empty and bootable SFS partition before a1boot, could this partition conflict what I have on the sata HD dedicated only to AmigaOS?

It shouldn't. SLB will skip it without a Kickstart. To skip it in AmigaDOS just set the HDD boot priority to alower number like -10.

I suggest installing SLB on the Linux HDD if it isn't already and that blank partition. UBoot should read from the PATA first as it is onboard.

Sometimes I wonder about the requiments and if they really are that restrictive. I'd lke to take them down a notch if I could. The SLB locates the boot volume and reads the Linux menu off it then adds it to the existing OS4 menu.

@Hypex


If I did not get it wrong then or I go on like now that I have slb installed on the two HDDs, I add a partition in bootable sfs with priority of -10 on disk for Linux before a1boot, then from uboot specific as the first boot device the disk pata with Debian (slb then reads the partitions bootable on all devices connected to the system? even if they do not have slb installed?), or I keep only the hdd slb with Linux and always from uboot the same hdd as the boot.

@ghillo

Just to note in case I caused confusion. If you have no intention of removing any drives in normal use then it is fine to install the SLB to only the Linux HDD.

Your description sounds fine to me. The SLB should have no trouble finding your other Amiga partitions. Though not SATA, I did have two PATA drives attached to my A1. Only one contained SLB which was where my a1boot was installed also. All my Workbench volumes between both drives were bootable from SLB.

So there should be no problem having the SLB installed to only on the drive with a1boot.

Last edited by Hypex on 17-Feb-2019 at 04:59 PM.

@Hypex

Ok thanks for your advice, another idea that came to me might be to have a clean installation of OS4.1 Final on the Linux HD, in order to have an installation to be able to use recovery for any problems on the HD sata.
In this case when I load the 4.1 from sata on the desktop I would also see the installation on the pata? At this point would it be enough for the Workbench Prefs to make the partition invisible?

@ghillo

The other Workbench would show up yes. You can use Workbench Prefs to hide the volume on the Workbench

Setting up a dual boot is slightly complicated on the A1. However if your recovery partition used the exact same kernel files then you could just chose it from the early boot menu. And it would be sitting there to boot off in case of emergency.

BTW, in case it wasn't obvious, the only bootable partition you need for Linux is the a1boot partition. You can keep your root partiton and other related Linux partitions anywhere you want.

You could keep a1boot and Linux on PATA with SLB. Or you could even just store Linux on PATA and stick a1boot on SATA. They don't need to go together on the same HDD.

@Hypex

Many thanks for all your advice, you have been very kind.

@ghillo

You're welcome.

Since I put together the installer script I felt I should share some knowledge.