Bootloaders; Dual-Booting SuSE and Windows XP

from JoeUser Forums
Ok, Ive been using SuSE for a couple of years now, and it shares a drive with my XP installation. Ever since I installed SuSE, I've allowed the GRUB bootloader to handle which OS to boot into.

I'm thinking to load SuSE 10.1 onto my notebook, and I'm thinking I might find a better, 3rd party bootloader. I'm going to be honest, I can run SuSE under the KDE front-end fairly well; thats to say I can surf, burn and what have you. However, I'm hardly proficient with Linux, and have some difficulty at times know which softwares I want to use. Typically I search the various forums and talk to folks here and there for their advice. Well, now I'm here for your advice:

What is a good 3rd party bootloader? What bootloader do you use, and why?

What bootloader do you recommend me trying to dual-boot Win XP and SuSE Linux on my Compaq Presario notebook?

TIA guys :)
49,908 views 17 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
p.s. Windows is already installed
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
On a desktop, I prefer installing Linux on a separate hard drive, and then choose which to boot into from the BIOS. On a laptop I've always just used GRUB or LILO.

If you poke around on Sourceforge.net you're likely to find something.

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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Drop SuSE since they crawled in bed with the enemy. Try FC!

As far as bootloaders I use GRUB. Never has it let me down.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
If you poke around on Sourceforge.net you're likely to find something.


I've poked around quite a bit, and seen plenty, I just want to know what people use, and what makes their bootloader better than the rest.

Drop SuSE since they crawled in bed with the enemy. Try FC!


I'm not going to drop one of the greatest Linux distros because they have some enterprizing agreement with MS. I do not consider MS the enemy by any shape or form. In fact, I really enjoy MS products. I've been using them for many many years, and am rarely disappointed.

In case you do not know it, Oracle, the worlds 2nd largest software developer, is currently in the process of a hostile takeover of the RedHat project. Look forward to seeing MS entering the Linux game soon. I am.

I've used GRUB as well, always. It's never let me down either, but I'm looking for a 3rd party bootloader.

Hopefully somebody who is very proficient in Linux will have some reasonable suggestion....Mason?
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hopefully somebody who is very proficient in Linux will have some reasonable suggestion....Mason?


So are you thinking I'm just a Linux noobie? I'm not.

I'll look into that Oracle thing. I doubt what your saying.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
So are you thinking I'm just a Linux noobie? I'm not.


I never said aas much. If you feel that I implied as such, please forgive me.

In my OP I asked for folks to recommend a 3rd party bootloader. You nor anybody else has done this thus far. But I do thank you for your opinion.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
No worries. I'm sure Mason will know.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
No worries. I'm sure Mason will know.


He may or may not. He may even use GRUB or LILO himself. But he is the only user I am familiar with online that regularly uses Linux, so I do hope he sees this post.

I'm not all that familiar with all you guys from WinCustomize, and I really do look forward to your recommendations.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
He may or may not. He may even use GRUB or LILO himself. But he is the only user I am familiar with online that regularly uses Linux, so I do hope he sees this post.


LILO is what I would recommend.  I never had a problem with it.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have used GRUB most of the time. I personally prefer it to LILO. You can easily edit the GRUYB menu in the BOOT directory on the system partition of your Linux installation. Specifically it is usually in \boot\brug\menu.lst. Another option I have taken to using lately is to use the Windows boot nemu and a program called bootpert.exe that will build a boot file from your Linux install and then edit the BOOT.INI file in the root of the Windows system partition. You can find it at http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm

I switched to this method when I put Vista on my laptop. Since the Linux boot as already configured for XP's nemu when I then added Vista to the mix it just picked up the configuration and added it. So I now have Vista, XP, and Suse 10.2 triple booting all from the Vista boot menu.

There are a lot of other options out there with various degrees of autmated or manul configuration. I've also found some interesting ideas and guiidance on the websites dedicated to making OSX run on generic X86 hardware, and dual booting with XP. These are often more manual methods but do illustrate quite well the multitude of options out there.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Kona, the Oracle Red Hat story is on Linux Watch: Link

Red Hat's take is of course different and can be found at Link

Xythe, I don't have any personal recommendations, but check out: Link
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I doubt Oracle will succeed.
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
I doubt Oracle will succeed.


Kona, you say some of the strangest things. What makes you say that, or is this one of your infamous off the cuff flaps?

Xythe, I don't have any personal recommendations, but check out: Link


Thanks Larry

I've also found some interesting ideas and guiidance on the websites dedicated to making OSX run on generic X86 hardware,


I've done this.

I have used GRUB most of the time.


Me too. This seems to be the general consensus
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Kona, you say some of the strangest things. What makes you say that, or is this one of your infamous off the cuff flaps?



I just doubt Oracle could take down the biggest linux outfit out here. That's all. If it happens no big deal.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
I just doubt Oracle could take down the biggest linux outfit out here.


Well to be honest with you, RedHat is tiny as compared to Oracle. Anyhow, time will tell.