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What I want to do is create the following testing environment on an "old" eMachines EL1850G-42w with a second hard drive, without USB or CDs/DVDs. I do not have any USB sticks, or any DVDs. I do not have the funds to purchase them until I get this test server up to finish some software development. Catch 22. Yay!

Hardware: Intel Celeron E3400, 2GB DDR3, Primary HDD 200GB - ATA Maxtor 6L200M0 - Firmware BACE1G01, Secondary Bootable HDD 320GB - ATA HDS721032CLA362 - Firmware JP1C70HE3HPT4K

Bios: No option for UEFI

Desired Software / HDD Configuration: Primary -> |32GB Swap|20GB UbuntuStudio 18.04|128GB Storage|20GB OS Backup/Recovery|

Secondary Bootable -> |16GB Swap|20GB Ubuntu 18.04 Server|40GB Storage for 18.04|20GB Ubuntu 16.04 Server|40GB Storage for 16.04|20GB Ubuntu 14.04 Server|40GB Storage for 14.04|20GB Debian 9.5 Server|40GB Storage for 9.5|64GB Universal Storage|

I was able to install UbuntuStudio desktop onto the primary partition as described with uNetbootin, then I tried to install the server versions onto the Secondary Bootable. That's when the SHTF. I could not get any of the Ubuntu server versions to recognize partitions, or each other's installations, they insisted that the secondary drive was not partitioned, yet it was partitioned using Ext4, as described above. Needless to say the first attempt failed, ending in the whole secondary drive, including the swap, being wiped. Oh, Debian 9.5 didn't even recognize the ISO that uNetbootin had prepared. Total buzz-kill.

So, I've been reading for three whole days about how to install multiples on a second hard drive. Everything eluded to disabling UEFI. I can't find any UEFI settings in Bios.

Could someone, please, for my sanity, outline a step by step "tutorial" on installing this configuration?

My gratitude and excitement would be epic.

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  • I put another partition on each drive for ISO, and use that to install in other drive. And you do not need large swap, but both swaps may get auto mounted, make sure unmounted before installing. askubuntu.com/questions/1025656/… & askubuntu.com/questions/845192/… ISO Booting with Grub 2 from Hard drive help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/ISOBoot Examples help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/ISOBoot/Examples
    – oldfred
    Oct 9, 2018 at 16:57
  • Thank you for the response/comment. I just read that I can't have as many partitions as I have proposed in this post. Apparently, including swap, I can only have 4 partitions, unless I use extended partitions. Ubuntu server (regardless of version number) is still not recognizing any previously defined partitions and wants to install along side, or format/repartition entire drive on installation. Maxes at two. WTAF? I just don't get the point of partitioning if the next installer is going to wipe everything the previous install created or try to buddy to only a single previously installed OS.
    – Ethan Aaron Vandal
    Oct 9, 2018 at 19:30
  • Oh, and why do the new partitions need to be "owned"? There's no such thing as multiple stand alone installs with separate partitions?
    – Ethan Aaron Vandal
    Oct 9, 2018 at 19:30
  • I switched to gpt back in 2010 to avoid the 4 primary partition limit. But with MBR you have to have an extended partition as a container for as many logical partitions as you want. I normally partition in advance and create multiple 25GB partitions. Now you can use Something Else and just choose (change button) the / partition you created. Not sure exact screens you see with server installer. Several years ago I did a server install just to see difference, but they now changed it.
    – oldfred
    Oct 9, 2018 at 20:38

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