lubuntu-desktop team mailing list archive

[Yorvyk <yorvik.ubunto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:34:11 +0100
Phill Whiteside <phillw@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> As requested, the sender's details have been removed,
> 
> Any comments / Is it worth editing for the Advanced / Expert users section ?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Phill.
> 
> 
> Hi,
> As requested an email summarising how to do it (as discussed with
> bioterror).  If you decide to use any of this please respect my
> anonymity.
> 
> 
> Outline of Circumstances and Objectives.
> Various older/low spec machines are in use here that are
> at/approaching the end of their life.
> Objective 1: Extend useful life.
> Resolution - Move to a Linux distro specifically designed to require
> few demands on system resources.
> 
> Machines are unable to satifactorily run current commercial OS's and apps.
> Objective 2: Employ lightweight OSS OS and apps.
> Resolution - Lubuntu
> 
> Users here are non-expert and do not want to understand "why", only to
> know "how".
> Objective 3: Users not to be exposed to technicalities.
> Resolution - Inherrent in Lubuntu design.
> 
> Users are reluctant to move from what they know.
> Objective 4: Employ familiar uncluttered GUI.
> Resolution - Inherrent in Lubuntu design.
> Objective 5: Offer similar/like-for-like apps.
> Resolution - Extensive range of apps in Ubuntu repositories.
> Objective 6: Reduce fear factor by demonstrating both old and new
> side-by-side
> Resolution - Enable multi-boot of new and existing OS/apps on current
> machines.
> 
> Machines have differing abilities to boot from a range of devices/sources
> Objective 7: Provide a common means of booting to enable the same
> booting ability at each machine.
> Resolution - Employ PLOP boot manager.
> 
> 
> Outline of Setting-up Lubuntu and PLOP
> PLOP is a boot manager that requires the presence of a bootloader
> (GRUB) to load the OS.
> In a multi-boot set-up GRUB is not to be placed in the MBR (ref PLOP web
> site).
> The following was found to produce a working multi-boot set-up.
> 
> 1: When installing Lubuntu from the CD-ROM choose to manually partition the
> disk
> 2: Create a small primary partition (250MB) and set its mount point as
> "/boot"
> 3: Create an extended partition for Lubuntu (anything above 3.5GB) and
> set its mount point to be "/"
> 4: On the same page is an option to choose the location of the
> bootloader (GRUB).  Set this to point at "/dev/sdXX" i.e. "/boot"
> 5: The installation then continues as normal and when GRUB is
> installed to "/boot" it also scans for other bootable OS's and adds
> them to the list of boot options in the GRUB menu.
> 
> Currently, the test-rig PC is started with PLOP on a floppy disk.  It
> offers to boot from various hard disk partitions.  Selecting the one
> created as "/boot" displays the usual GRUB menu which includes all the
> OS's on the hard disk.  The only step left now is to move PLOP from
> floppy to the hard disk, however the proof of concept is complete.
> 
What’s the point of PLOP?  It appears to have no use to me, just another layer to go wrong.
Am I missing something?

-- 
Steve Cook (Yorvyk)

http://lubuntu.net