I discovered this during 32 bit time and I gradually wean myself off through, Puppy Linux, Peppermint, SuSe, Redhat, PCLinuxOS and finally Gnome of Debian.
I was a Window's guy to begin with and used Partition Magic to divide the my PC Hard Disk to 15 Partitions, the maximum those days.
I had huge books on Linux and I used to Edit the Boot Loader to suit me. There something called Primary partition and extended partition.
There is a limit for Orimary Partition for 4. That means I can have only 3 Linux Distributions and First one was Reserve for Microsoft by default.
1. Boot Windiws.
2. Install Partition Magic
3. Make the 4th partition Extended to accommodate Logical partition so one can have upto 15 in total. In other words I could have had 15 Linux Distribution in one hard disk.
If I have 2 hard disks
1 primary and 1 Extended
1 primary and 1 Expended
theoretically I can have 29 dustributios distributed over 2 hard disks.
I used the First Hard Disk for my work including Microsoft Windows and the second hard disk was used for testing Linux Distribution.
This the time I decided to test 100 Linux Distribution but it went well beyond 200.
I did not like live Sessions.
I wanted them installed.
MB
This was the Master Boot Record ERA with above restrictions.
Since, Partition Magic went commercial I discovered GPT.
I was into Gnome Partition Tool and GPT Partiion Table very early. That saved me enough headache booting multiple Linux Distributions in one PC.
I had network of 16 IBM computers all discarded from America and Canada but in trim wirking conditions. They were all 32 bit compuers and 32 bit computers were gradually phased out. I disvarded the except one and quickly moved to 64 bit compuers.
Coming back to AI and UEFI,
EFI stands for Extensible Firmware Interface. U stands for Unified System.
All these are determined by Intel and big companies that manufacture hardware.
Linux guys were skeptical about EFI but slowly adopted it since this firmware extended the capabilty of Linux without a hitch. In other words expandee its scope.
Befire the half and hour discussion with AI I had a narrow view about evolving technology. If my system works, I do not bother investigsting new frontiers.
Then, comes a crazy Idea.
I would boot 10 Linux Distributions in my NUC and Old Laptop.
I have 11 distributions in each but 3 are multiple instances of Debian.
So I stopped at 8 and not 10.
Getting there I had lot of problems.
Partly due to poor vision and partly due to lack of sleep.
Problems were
FAT partition
EFI
Type if File systems
Linux Distributions have there own approch to evolving technology but very little dialogue with the User.
Some of them begin to think you got to take what we give you Microsoft attitude.
While doing this multiple installation I git a bright idea.
I would boot Linux Distribution from a EXT4 partition and I achieved it.
MANJARO ❤️ is now booting from an EXT4 partition but after bit of fiddling.
Outcome
Three types of Linux Distributions.
1. Linux Distribution that bumsuck to Microsoft strategy.
UBUNTU, Bodhi and almost all Ubuntu derivatives.
I hate these distributions.
2. Linux Distributions that use EFI and GRUB.
DEBIAN was the first Linux Distribution to adopt EFI but would boot without Windows in the system.
MX Linux and MX derivatives.
3. Linux Distribution indifferent to bith FAT and EFI.
MANJARO
ARCH Linux Gamer is SUPERB.
BlueStar star is the most beautiful KDE Desktop.
Probably Linux MINT but I did not try it.
Only once and it got the GRUB configuration WRONG.
Strangely, MANJARO comes first.
BIG Linux second.
CachyOS nowhere
It can live with Debian but never with another ARCH especially Manjaro and I ditched CachyOS to versatile BIG Linux with a Beautiful Plymouth. CachyOS thinks it is the only Linux Distribution that landed on this Planet.
I won't try any more.
I'll settle with MANJARO and MX Linux.
Spe❤️cial Mention
ELive Linux.
But kernel is pretty old but comendate by having a lot including Blender.
I have a copy on my Laotop.
AI Advice
1. Do the installation in daytime after a good night sleep.
2. Used multiple instances of EFI
One for Debian
One for Testing distributions.
Fully agreed but won't try since the things are wirking OK in both NUC and Laptop with esch having 11 distributions
3. Try rFind init
4. Write down the Partition Table in a Note Book. I have been doing that all my life. Since with age becoming a handicap It is (writing down) is the default l.
5. Ask them before plunging into big ideas.
I am very happy with its technical advice I would consult them in advance.
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