[sf-lug] Multiboot

[Michael Paoli]

> From: "Rick Moen" <rick at linuxmafia.com>
> Subject: Re: [sf-lug] (forw) Re:  SF-LUG meeting notes for Sunday 02022020
> Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2020 09:34:14 -0800

> Multiboot is an accident waiting to happen except in the hands of
> (rare) methodical people who take great care to not step on its inherent
> fragility -- and that is where the hypervisor/VM alternative steps
> entirely around that pitfall.

Yup, it's relatively fragile, and typically requires very careful
handling to not seriously break it.

I've done it* ... but relatively rarely and only when I had quite
compelling reasons* to do so.  I wouldn't recommend it for most
nor in most circumstances.

Some of the many hazards, are updates on either/any installed OS,
there's always significant risk of it screwing things up - most
notably for the other OS, but, egad, sometimes even for itself!

So, yeah, generally not recommended, and with the case mostly being
currently discussed, I've yet to see an overwhelmingly convincing
argument that justifies it.

Now, if it really is a TEST machine, and you really don't care
about any OS on there breaking anything and/or everything on there
at most any time - and especially with installs, updates, or
upgrades, ... hey, if you wanna go that route, have "fun" ...
but don't say I (and others) didn't tell 'ya so.

*I'll skip detailing the relatively exceptional reasons, but keep in
mind, let's see, I've been doing Unix/Linux for ... well, if we
just count >=sysadmin thereof ... about 35 years(!).  And in all that
time, how many times have I set up and managed, among *all* those
systems, any as a (>=) "dual boot" system on any of 'em?
Only a grand total of thrice - on exactly 3 systems.
The first was an interim bridge strategy - going from one
OS to the other.  Done for some month(s) or so, increasingly
running Linux, pulling data, etc. over from Unix (on one single hard
drive for both), until I had all the critical+important functionality
achieved on (Debian) GNU/Linux, after which, no more dual-boot,
and I blew ye olde SCO Unix away.
Second case was a work laptop, for a while, years ago.  Most of the time
ran some yucky required for work closed source crud operating system.
But sometimes really needed Linux for some tasks/troubleshooting, etc.
that said crudy OS just couldn't do.  So, had both and would
occasionally boot Linux.  (2nd laptop would've been preferred,
but wasn't option).
Third time was a laptop with the Microsoft tax and unfortunately
key bits of support kind'a dependent upon that OS ... so, shrunk
that down and kept it around (though rarely used), 'till the
hardware was out of warranty - the blew away that Microsoft gunk.
That's it so far ... 35 years, ... did it a grand total of thrice.
So, yeah, generally dual/multi-boot, not the way to go.