Hi Marcus, hth means hope this helps.
Obviously I did not really explain what exactly happens to the /etc directory during an upgrade. You are right that it is changed to reflect the settings of latest versions of "Myapps". Programmes such as gimp,mutt,ssh,tin store their system setting in /etc. Network and ppp settings are preserved so you don't have to setup the hostname and addresses again. Since you have plenty of disk space it is probably easier to just "install" the 7.3 and 8.0 RH distros on different partitions.I think this is what you mean when you mention installing "beside" the already installed RH partition. When making an install you have to define the partition that / will be installed to. This is known as the "target" partition. To obtain an RH8.0 install "on top" of an already installed partition (eg RH7.3 on /dev/hda2) you would have to use Disk Druid to specify /dev/hda2 as the / target for the install and select not to "format" that partition. RH8 would be written over RH7.3 and /etc settings lost. iirc Since the RH-8.0 upgrade has removed the RH 7.3 kernel it looks like you will have to copy the RH-7.3 kernel into the /boot directory (vmlinuz-2.4.16 ?) and add a stanza (section) to grub so it boots that kernel. I have no idea how the previous "move" that you did kept an old kernel other than choosing not do format the partition when asked by Disk Druid. multi distro system ------------------- Sorry I have no experience with grub or installing the boot loader in /dev/hda1. I have always installed to /dev/hda (mbr) Your setup with /dev/hda1 partition as /boot and /dev/hda1,hda2... as / targets for each distro should work thou provided you do not format /dev/hda1 or set up grub/lilo with each install of the other distros. I have no experience with this so I recommend that you do a search on http://www.google.com for more info. Admin ----- "Myapp" versions such as mozilla should be the same or similar across all the distros so you can use mc to copy config files for proggies across each partition. Bookmarks, colour and window manager setups usually work ok but don't bother tring to copy anything from or to debian as debian is full of so many hook and call scripts that makes it incomparable to the other distros. It is posslibe to copy files basic /etc files such as dircolors from RH to other distros but in general the /etc directories of both RH and debian are exclusive so generally it is not possible. I admitt that Slackware and SuSE /etc directories are exclusive too however they tend to be easier to work with with very well commented scripts and fewer calls. Installing ---------- Yes you can define another partition to install to. Use Disk Druid to set the other partitions as the target for the install of /. During the final stage of the install (after hostname setup and before X configuration stage iirc) RH should ask you if you want to configure grub or lilo. Either of them will also ask if you want to add already installed os'es such as OS/2 or RH7.3 to the grub/lilo stanzas. If you want to use grub/lilo of a previously installed distro just select "no -do not set up grub" and after the install has completed boot back into the first distro (RH 8.0?) and run the grub configuration from there. Don't know the name of the programme but it should be in a "Utilities" or 'setup' menu somewhere. cheers, keith. On Sat, 30 Nov 2002, Marcus Liddle wrote: > (what does hth stand for?) > okay ...a little confuzzzed > /etc is left alone ...but still changes particular settings?
