Hi,
I have DOS, WIN98 and linux in that order. I want to use either a boot loader like bootmagic or LILO for multi-boot. So I run /sbin/LILO with the following lilo.conf

boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout=50
linear
default=linux

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.2.14-5.0
label=linux
read-only
root=/dev/hda5

other=/dev/hda1
label=dos

other=/dev/hda4
label=win

So I change the 'boot' option depending on whether I want to use
bootmagic or LILO as the primary loader. In either case my machine freezes after showing "LI". That is, this happens irrespective of whether LILO is installed on the MBR ( after cleaning with fdisk /mbr) or on the linux' boot partition. What is wrong?
bye,
Mohan

Hi mohan

LILO is not installed properly or is not getting installed properly on the MBR, it is failing in the second stage of booting thats why you get that LI and the PC freezes

Have you created a boot floppy, try booting with that, also try FDISK /MBR and see if UR DOS partion boots properly, there could be some boot sector problems and virus infection

Hope this helps

Hi,
Exactly what I already did. DOS boots properly. I used FDISK /MBR already. /sbin/lilo -v doesn't report problems. LILO was previously booting WINDOWS and linux properly. Bootmagic boot DOS and WINDOWS except linux. I am using DOS FDISK.
bye,
Mohan

The only occasions that I've had the "LI", and it freezes, is when I've had lilo installed, but the partition on which the files (boot.b and vmlinuz-2.2.14-5.0, or whatever) were kept had been erased (i.e. I was trying to uninstall Linux - I didn't have enough space).

You say that Lilo previously booted Linux/Windows OK, but what errors do you get now? Why do you want to swap between Lilo and bootmagic?

If I were you, I'd boot from either your bootfloppy (you did make one, didn't you?) or your install CD (it should also have a 'rescue' mode) and rerun lilo and put it into the MBR (/dev/hda).

If you don't have a bootfloppy, or your distro doesn't have rescue mode on it's install CD (what distro is it, BTW?), you can download tomsrbt.

I agree wih Thymox- if Lilo worked for you before, why add another layer of complexity to the boot process by installing Boot Magic? Lilo alone will do the job, and I don't see where one would need to switch between the two.

As you know- if you want to have Boot Magic as your primary loader, you'll need to install Lilo on your Linux / partition, not the MBR. For Lilo to be your primary loader, it will need to live on the MBR. That makes for an awful lot of unecessary rewrites of the MBR, with is something that just begs trouble.