OSS problems with multiple linux distros...HELP

How do I install multiple linux distros and have OSS detect them and work properly? I have been emailing Acronis support, but have not gotten the info I need to get the OSS working properly. Below is additional info from the emails I have sent.



COPIES OF EMAILS BELOW:




Things seem ok with the linux distros up to 3, after that things become problematic. I am NOT well versed on using shell script.....Most the new distros require very little, PCliuuxOS is pretty much a point and click linux distro. If I had more ability to configure grub, which I know is perfectly capable to handle the task of my multibooting, I would be using it for no cost.

I was looking for something more familiar with a simple graphical environment to use to manage my HD partitions from Win XP.

I found Acronis products, and downloaded your trial version of DDS 10.0 and was Impressed enough to buy it rather than use the various versions of disk partitioners that come with the linux distros. I really didn't want to screw my HD and Win XP up.

Attached is the report you wanted. I executed it from within windows running, it seemed to work fine. I wan't into burning a CD to boot from if it wasn't necessary.





************************************




As I stated, I do have a bootable Win Xp os and have one of my linux os, Linux Mint 4.0 up bootable. I have a Super Grub Disk 0.9673 that I occasionally use to get a linux distro to boot. However, it does not help with my current situation. I have had 5 distros bootable at times, but my Acronis Os selector seems to no longer detect linux distros. Os selector worked great with the first two or three distros installed. The problems began when I would add or delete a distro after that. I began using the Super Grub Disk with initial success, but the problems got worse over time. I have deleted several linux os,s (reformatted partitons) and did fresh installs, but still having problems with booting linux distros.

I currently have OS selector deactivated and I am using grub to boot linux and windows. I performed the following from a shell (live linux cd) to get things working this last time. I got Mint to boot, but no luck with the others.

.....grub> find/boot/grub/stage1.........grub> root (hd1, ......grub> setup (hd0)

I tried similar commands for my other distros, and although all seemed good in the shell, upon rebooting and trying to get into the other distros would take me to a weird blue background grub boot selection page where the long repeating list of os's were not bootable....got some error....15? that said can't boot, hit any key to return.

So here is more info:

Windows XP pro MCE
PC Angel recovery system

Ubuntu 7.10
Linux Mint 4.0
Linux Mint 3.5
Mepis 6.5
Mepis 6.0
Mandriva 2008
PC linux OS 2007
Fedora 8.0
Sues 10.2
Sues10.3
Tried a few older distros
from a book set of DVD's




*********************************




Perhaps it would be easier for you to explain to me in detail how I should be installing my live Linux distros and specifically, how to configure the bootloader when given options during the installation, and how to include Acronis OS detector during the process if possible.

I have 2 hard drives, both ata, #1is hda for linux and (hd0) for grub 160 gig.
#2 is hdb for linux and (hd1) for grub 80 gig.

I believe I have a handle on the preparing the partitions for the install. I create a 5 gig partition for a "/" (root), a 5gig for "/home" for each distro, and a shared 2g swap file on hard drive 2.

I will gladly reformat and fresh install all the linux distros if it will help trouble shoot the problems with Acronis OS Detector.

I may very well be doing something improper during the installs causing the problems. If you give me a detailed install process, I may identify the problem with no further investigation.

Thank you,

Jeff