How to config lilo to boot from two Hard Drives.

mlsbraves · 09-12-2004, 04:16 PM

How do I setup lilo to boot from either HD? I have the master HD with windows and the slave I am about to install slackware. The guide I'm using(http://www.bitbenderforums.com...)has two OS's installed on the same HD so its a little different and the config will be different too. The config file he's got it:

But since I'm installing on hdb lilo would be installed on it wouldn't it? So when the system boots it will auto start on hda, master(windows), unless I change bios to start slave first. So should I change bios to start slave and change the config to:

Code:

boot = /dev/hdb

Code:

root = /dev/hdb

Code:

other = /dev/hda

I'm not sure what the table value is for.

Tinkster · 09-12-2004, 05:39 PM

No, you want lilo in hda's mbr.
Otherwise you'd need to point
the windows boot-thingy to lilo
which then could boot linux.

Cheers,
Tink

mlsbraves · 09-12-2004, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tinkster
No, you want lilo in hda's mbr.
Otherwise you'd need to point
the windows boot-thingy to lilo
which then could boot linux.

Sorry just a little confused. I am installing slackware on my slave hd. During the slack installation when it ask which mode to install, if I choose simple meaning to automatically install should that do the trick? This guide is for installing on the same hd. If I choose simple will it reconize that windos is on the master hd and allow me to boot from it as well? Also since I choose to install on the hdb when it comes to option install to mbr, won't it install on the hdb's hd?

Tinkster · 09-12-2004, 06:38 PM

It will, and lilo will never be touched since the
BIOS will boot of the first hdd ...

I don't know whether it will pick up you windows
install, it may :)

Cheers,
Tink

Bruce Hill · 09-13-2004, 09:16 PM

Here's a little LILO tutorial that I copied from another thread:

Quote:

NB: At any time during the liloconfig process, tabbing to Cancel
and pressing Enter will cancel and not make any changes to your system.
So, should you "hit a brick wall," don't panic, just cancel and get the info
you need and then start over.
NB: This was written for someone with a system already up and running,
but it works the same on the initial install of Slackware. The only difference
is you don't login and start liloconfig because that's done by the installer.

As a normal user, open a console, then login as root and issue
# liloconfig
And it's a simple little gui app...
Choose expert - Use expert lilo.conf setup menu
Choose Begin - Start LILO configuration with a new LILO header
Optional LILO append="<kernel parameters>" line
(If you have a CD-RW or DVD+/-RW you add it here.
/dev/hda = master drive on primary controller
/dev/hdb = slave drive on primary controller
/dev/hdc = master drive on secondary controller
/dev/hdd = slave drive on secondary controller
If you don't have one, just enter)
Configure LILO to use frame buffer console
(usually best to kept default - I use 1024x768x256)
Select LILO target location - MBR
Confirm location to install LILO - /dev/hda
(almost always with a dual boot and Windoze installed first,
if not, you'll know where and why you put Windoze elsewhere)
Choose LILO timeout - 5 seconds
(personal preference - easily changed later via lilo.conf timeout)
Back at the Expert LILO Installation screen
Linux - Add a Linux partition to the LILO config
(below that is DOS - the first one you add will be the default)
Select Linux partition
(this is your Linux / partition - if you don't know issue
# /sbin/fdisk -l from a console - lower case L)
Select Partition Name
(this is what you will call each one you boot, i.e.
Slackware
Windoze
and this first one will be your default choice,
which helps if you just want to boot while you're
fixing coffee and return to the machine)
Back at the Expert LILO Installation screen
DOS - Add a DOS/Windoze FAT partition to the LILO config
(NB: this doc is very old - FAT32 and NTFS probably weren't
out when it was written, but they will boot also)
Select DOS/Windoze Partition
(the bootable Windoze part will have an * under boot,
just in case you don't know which one to choose - yours will
be /dev/hda1)
Select Partition Name
(I'm partial to Windoze, WinDOHs, or anything else
that helps me remember what it actually is - even WinXP)
Back at the Expert LILO Installation screen
Install - Install LILO
(the stuff below is if you're installing LILO after you've
done the Slack install. If this is the initial install, disregard below...
Installing the Linux Loader...
and before you realize it, against the blue background
you should notice your shell prompt show up, so type
# /sbin/lilo
and you will see something like
bash-2.05b# /sbin/lilo
Added Slackware *
Added Windoze
bash-2.05b#

Now you must reboot your shiny new Linux system,
which you may do at that # prompt by issuing
# reboot