Why does my 32 bit slackware insist that it's 64 bits?

indubitableness · 09-17-2009, 04:47 AM

Okay. So I've tried multilib and it just wouldn't run anything 32 bit. (Specifically I used http://alien.slackbook.org/dokuwiki/...kware:multilib)

So I said screw it and I've installed along side it a Slackware 12.2 with the intention of dual booting. I added it to my lilo.conf and it boots up fine.

The problem is when I try to run any apps I get an error about how "This is an x86_64 platform" and it will not run any of the 32 programs.

Is it because my lilo is 64 bits? Is it loading the wrong kernel?

The 32 bit install uses a root partition at /dev/sda1 and the 64 bit is /dev/sda4 with a /home partition at /dev/sda3. At first I tried to share the /home partition between the two but I assumed it was causing the problem, but the problem persists even after using /dev/sda1 as the exclusive partition for slack12.2

I also tried using the lilo installed during the setup of 12.2 I was able to then load my 32 linux and play some wine games but I couldn't get back into my 64 bit install.

Is this normal? Shouldn't it be possible to dual boot 32 and 64 bit slackwares? Should I try grub?

mlangdn · 09-17-2009, 06:23 AM

Yes - you can dual boot. I suspect something wrong in lilo.conf. Post lilo.conf here and we can all have a look. It may just be a syntax error. I do those a lot.

indubitableness · 09-17-2009, 07:11 AM

LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
# Append any additional kernel parameters:
append=" vt.default_utf8=0"
boot = /dev/sda

# Boot BMP Image.
# Bitmap in BMP format: 640x480x8
bitmap = /boot/slack.bmp
# Menu colors (foreground, background, shadow, highlighted
# foreground, highlighted background, highlighted shadow):
bmp-colors = 255,0,255,0,255,0
# Location of the option table: location x, location y, number of
# columns, lines per column (max 15), "spill" (this is how many
# entries must be in the first column before the next begins to
# be used. We don't specify it here, as there's just one column.
bmp-table = 60,6,1,16
# Timer location x, timer location y, foreground color,
# background color, shadow color.
bmp-timer = 65,27,0,255

# Standard menu.
# Or, you can comment out the bitmap menu above and
# use a boot message with the standard menu:
#message = /boot/boot_message.txt

# Wait until the timeout to boot (if commented out, boot the
# first entry immediately):
prompt
# Timeout before the first entry boots.
# This is given in tenths of a second, so 600 for every minute:
timeout = 1200
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
reset
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda4
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda1
label = linux32
read-only

-------------------------------------------------------------

I've removed a large section of comments "vga = 7**" but other than that this is my current lilo.conf. I've also tried it with "table = /dev/sda" included in the linux32 section with the same problem.

When I run lilo I get "One Warning issued" but I don't know where to look to check for the specific warning.

I'm trying multilib again. I'm hoping I just missed something last time (but I know I didn't) and that it'll magically work. This is driving me nuts. I need 32 bit support but the performance difference between 32 and 64 bit is substantial enough on this laptop that having a 32 OS as my main system isn't good enough.

mlangdn · 09-17-2009, 07:32 AM

There are probably different ways to do this, so I will show you the way I do this. Since lilo is installed from your 32bit install, you need to make a directory in /mnt and add an entry for the 64bit to /etc/fstab:

To make the dir:

Code:

# mkdir /mnt/Slackware64

Entry for fstab, change the filesystem type to suit your system:

Code:

/dev/sda4        /mnt/Slackware64   ext4        defaults         1   1

Change the entry in lilo.conf to this:

Code:

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /mnt/Slackware64/boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda4
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

Lastly, run this command as root:

Code:

# lilo

Now you should be able to boot either with the proper kernel.

onebuck · 09-17-2009, 07:32 AM

Hi,

It looks like you are using the same kernel (image = /boot/vmlinuz) in each stanza of your '/etc/lilo.conf'.

mlangdn · 09-17-2009, 08:33 AM

I left out one very important command BEFORE running lilo:

Code:

# mount /mnt/Slackware

Then run lilo. I hope my omission has not caused you a headache this morning.

swiger · 09-17-2009, 09:28 AM

You were booting the same kernel.

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda4
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

# Linux 32bit bootable partition config begins
image = /mnt/Slackware/boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda1
label = linux32
read-only
# Linux 32bit bootable partition config ends

-Sam-

hitest · 09-17-2009, 09:44 AM

I dual boot Slackware 13.0 and Slackware-current. I install Slackware-current's lilo to its root partition and use Slackware 13.0's lilo.conf to boot both distos. This lilo.conf set-up from my Slackware 13.0 partition works. My home partition is mounted on sda3.

Code:

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/root
  label = Linux
  read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# Current
other = /dev/sda4
label = Current

piratesmack · 09-20-2009, 01:42 PM

Install lilo to the superblock of the slack32 partition, then chainload it

Code:

other=/dev/sdxx
label linux32

EDIT:

Didn't see hitest's post