WinXp Linux boot loader help...

Fr!tz · 09-29-2004, 06:17 PM

Does anyone hav idea how to configure the Linux lilo bootup to default to Linux and windows as secondary?

I installed Windows XP after SUSE Linux and now i cant see an option to boot linux.(where has the linux screen gone?). It straight away go to windows XP.

I hav both Windows and Linux in totally different partition.

Pls advice me.

psisquare · 09-29-2004, 06:57 PM

The standard location for lilo is the so-called MBR at the start of your disk. Windoze setup overwrites this without asking, that's why you don't see the menu any more.
Your SUSE setup CD should offer a rescue mode or at least give you a root shell (consult manual).

From there you can do
# mount /dev/<your_linux_partition> /mnt
# chroot /mnt
# lilo
# exit
# umount /mnt
and reboot.

That should return your lilo menu and boot into linux. You still have to add WinXP to your boot menu

95se · 09-29-2004, 08:57 PM

Make sure you check out your /etc/lilo.conf and look for a line which says boot=/dev/xxx. If you want it to write to your MBR (that's where you want it) make sure it says boot=/dev/hda , not /dev/hda1 or /dev/hda2 or something (if on your first disk, or /dev/hdb or whatever, whichever disk is booted first.