I want to install multiple Linux to try them out. I have an external 1GB SSD.
I wanted to force myself to use each for sometime - so don’t want to just run off a USB stick to try out.
It seems as though this is not a simple process for a few reasons. Installing Fedora for example has different complexities because it uses different boot methods apparently.
ChatGPT and Claude have suggested using Ventoy to manage the installing.
I thought I’d ask for advice here on the best strategy for installing multiple Linux OS.
I’m afraid this is not quite the right place for these kinds of questions, because of the focus on Ubuntu. Try a more distro agnostic forum, e.g. unix.stackexchange.com.
I have many systems here used for various purposes, and I’d be hard pressed to think of any of them that have only a single OS on them; with most machines having 3 OSes installed in dual boot.
The machine booting is controlled by its firmware, which is what is run on the machine getting power; as that is machine specific; it’s the most important consideration, and NOT the OSes you plan to run, ie. Fedora/Ubuntu/OpenSuSE/Debian/Windows matter far less than the machine’s firmware itself. Internal or external drive makes little to no difference usually; outside of the firmware specifics of the box you’re using (so seeking advice about the OSes is missing what to me is the most important issue).
I tend to just install the OS I’m adding and IGNORE whatever was on the machine beforehand; either using install alongside OR replace partition type of install; though in more cases where it’s a machine that is important to me, I’ll be using the manual partitioning options provided by the installer & actually just tell the installer what I want to install & where, then let it install… I tend to ignore the bootloader part of the install & let it do whatever it wants, then FIX the bootloader myself post-install, so it’s me that is returning control to whatever OS on that machine that I want to control boot.
GRUB defaults change across versions; esp. before 2.06 & later in dual boot; this is a timing issue, and whilst Ubuntu carries patches that keep the older/easier behavior where dual boot is detected at install time, I tend just ignore this anyway; as it’s on a single edit of a file post-install to change that anyway… for a newbie this maybe seen as differences between distros, where it’s changes in timing between them mostly (ie. versions of the software used).
I have systems here with every OS I mentioned in dual boot.. There are complications with some, eg. the file-systems can add extra complications; eg. I used to use BSD more than I do now (now almost never), and it used fs that made my dual booting more complex; so I just handled that via scripts (ie. simple file of required commands that did what I needed to regularly do).. Some GNU/Linux systems are the same too, eg. btrfs I found more complex with Ubuntu as its not a default here; yet it was the default of OpenSuSE. These differences weren’t hurdles, but did make it more involved if you just selected ‘defaults’ instead of selecting options that made it easy for you (pitfalls that will likely hit a newbie).
My internal SSD has 3 Ubuntu installs. I typically have Kubuntu current LTS and another / for previous which then becomes the next / partition. Data is always separate.
My external SSD has several installs of Ubuntu. My 1TB HDD has two Ubuntu, Debian & just now Fedora. I keep space for / (root) relatively small with /home, but have all data in a shared ext4 data partition. After install, I booted into Fedora as it became default and used efibootmgr to reset to my preferred Kubuntu install.
For Fedora, you have to partition in advance with an ext4 partition which is my normal procedure anyway. Fedora seems to want its own /boot, own ESP and use encryption. I reused ESP, deleted /boot from installer options. It then was just another install on drive.
Important to have ESP - efi system partition on external drive. If external booted from same drive as install you have name used to install. But if you want to boot from another system, you have to boot just like you boot live installer using /EFI/boot/bootx64.efi or drive type entry. The bootx64.efi will be a copy of last installs .efi boot files, if you use grub for all installs. If you do not like have grub as menu, you can use rEFInd to give a gui type menu.
All my Ubuntu installs are now Kubuntu. And then I use the KDE versions of Debian, and Fedora for consistency. And to see minor differences as versions not same.
Ooops, sorry if the subject wasn’t allowed. Ubuntu is the number one choice for me - but just want to be familiar with others and really run with them instead of a just 5 min play about.
1GB SSD? Silly me
I meant 1TB. (Can you even get 1GB SSD? LOL)
Fedora causes complications I think, so a little planning needed.
I’ll post elsewhere as suggested to get more clued up.
EDIT: just wondering… those who replied that you run many different Linux… why do you run many different? Just asking out of interest.
You’d originally posted in the Support and Help area which is for Ubuntu only. As a result, it was moved by a moderator to where it is now, the Lounge, as the Lounge has a more open source nature and isn’t limited as much to supported releases of Ubuntu only as Support and Help is.
For myself, the first GNU/Linux I used back in the second half of the 1990s was Debian GNU/Linux, and I’ve never stopped using it… My network files right now sit on a Debian file-server; though on desktop systems I decided Ubuntu was much much easier; so I’m mostly using Ubuntu when using a desktop. For servers I still lean towards Debian where I started though.
I’m involved with a Ubuntu flavor, and when exploring some bugs, its often helpful for me to have other systems nearby for comparison; thus I have Fedora, OpenSuSE & Debian around in desktop format; though really I’m using Ubuntu >90% of the time.
To me they’re all GNU/Linux which is what matters and my primary desktop has run each of the mentioned OSes on my primary desktop over the years and especially before 2017 which was when it finally became a Ubuntu install, and has remained it ever since. The other OSes I mentioned now only exist on secondary/comparison desktops (with exception of servers which are mostly Debian).
So, people, what is the strategy? I will offer first steps. The obvious steps.
Research the minimum storage sizes for each distribution.
Partition the drive into appropriately sized partitions. The drive should have a GUID Partition Table (GPT) and the partitions formatted as EXT4.
Is that a good start?
Choose a distribution to be the operating system that will control the bootloader menu. Lets us suggest Ubuntu. Use the Disks utility to get the Device label of the EFI system partition. Example: /dev/nvme0n1p1.
Whenever a new distribution is installed it will take control of the boot menu by re-writing it and installing it. Whenever a distribution receives a Linux kernel upgrade the distribution will take over the boot menu by re-writing and installing its boot menu.
The solution will be to load the control operating system (Ubuntu) and running:
sudo update-grub
Followed by
sudo grub-install /dev/nvme0n1p1
That will update the Grub boot menu and re-install it.
It should be noted that if Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is the chosen control operating system then the prefix should be sudo-rs. The sudo prefix will work but Ubuntu is changing to sudo-rs.
Well, that is your lot from me. Others can add to it or argue over it. Normal service has resumed.
