Re: Using Debian to manage a multiple OS machine

On 8/17/24 5:16 AM, Marc Haber wrote:

"186282@ud0s4.net" <186283@ud0s4.net> wrote:

On 8/14/24 9:31 AM, The Doctor wrote:

So far, I am liking it.
>
I can use Debian to Boot Between Debian and FreeBSD.
>
Can Debian grub look after other systems?

>
   GRUB can work multi-boots ... most any Linux will
   install GRUB and you can add on from there. GRUB
   is not Linux, not Debian, its own app.

 A big part of grub is building the configuration, which is done by
scripts that come from the respective distribution. And yes, there are
differences in those scripts.

   I noticed that when trying to put Linux on laptops
   with the early nvram 'disks'. At the time most GRUBs
   would not recognize them properly, you couldn't boot
   from them. However the GRUB that came with MX Linux
   was a tad smarter. Still have MX on those old laptops,
   hell, have it on THIS newer laptop.

   Debian ... maybe you want virtual machines instead ?
   If so there's VirtualBox though some like KVM better
   (VBox IS a bit more flexible though IMHO, fewer
   config files to fool with).

 I prefer KVM/libvirt/virt-manager. Virtualbox needs out of tree kernel
modules, which can be a hassle during upgrades. I don't agree on the
flexibility point. Virtualbox caters more for the novice user because
its GUI is a bit more polished.

   KVM is perfectly good - UNTIL you want to maybe ENLARGE
   a virtual disk. Then you've gotta edit config files and
   do some other weird stuff. With VBox its just sliding
   a control and VBox does the rest. KVM also uses a custom
   kernel wheras VBox generally doesn't need that.
   All in all, I'd say the two were kinda "even".
   Also tried Xen ... but that seems to have fallen well
   behind the curve at this point and the commercial ops
   are, well, $$$ for not ALL that much extra goodness.
   Anyway, for the poster, I'm still gonna suggest he install
   in a VM on his Winders CrapBox rather than set up dual-boot.
   Tricky thing is setting up VMs on a box so each one seems
   to have its own local IP address, can talk to other machines
   and the net and vice-versa kinda on its own. Tutorials too
   often assume that you don't want to DO that, that you're
   just playin' rather than want multiple virtual servers.
   Hey, if you've got a hot i9 with gobs of ram then lots
   of usable VMs are kinda the logical step.