Dual-booting on laptop (XP + Slackware 10.2)
 

Hi,

I've just installed Slackware 10.2 on a seperate partition of my Laptop's hard-drive. I didn't want to mess with the MBR because winXP will remain my primary OS while I learn and fumble my way through Linux.

As such, I choose in the setup to install LILO to the *important* root sector, not the MBR. Of course, it wasn't called the important sector, but the name left me with that impression.

I couldn't create a boot disk because the installation process, as well as the slackbook that I was using suggested that a boot disk could only be created on a floppy, which my newish compaqR3000 doesn't have. I also do not have the ability to boot from USB.

My question is this: Now that I've installed Slackware 10.2, how do I get NTloader to show slackware as a boot option? All the stuff I've found on the net seems to take for granted that you can make a boot disk on a floppy.

Many thanks,

Ted.

First of all, good choice distro ;) I started with Slack as well and I learned Linux quickly because of it. Steep learning curve but you will be able to fix/do anything with any linux system once you learn it!

Unfortunatly the Microsoft boot loader won't see your Linux partition. Microsoft does not like to share and hates Linux. It won't even talk to it. Check it out, go to My Computer and see if your extra partition shows up. Windows will not see the Linux partition. You will have to reinstall Lilo to the MBR to get this to work. Don't worry about losing Microsoft's bootloader as you will not need it because Lilo does not discriminate against other OS's and plays nicely. It will display both you Windows and Linux partitions and allow you to boot both! IMAGINE THAT MICROSOFT!! lol. If you need more help reinstalling lilo or anything just post here and I or someone else here im sure can help you through it as I have made the same mistake when i began using Slack GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!!

Fissional
 

Thanks Fissional,

That is indeed why i chose it. I'd heard that if I wanted to learn, this was the distro to use. And learning, more than functionality (at this point) is my goal.

As I understand it, you're solution requires the following:
1. Blowing out my linux partition, repartitioning, reinstalling, and this time when I come to LILO, installing it into the MBR.

I tried tossing in my cd's and just reinstalling LILO, but I couldn't get it to just reinstall LILO. Was I doing it wrong? Or am I right that I'll need to do a complete reinstal?

Many thanks,

Ted.

Haha, No youl have to completly reinstall. I was hoping that it would maybe by some miracle allow you to simply reinstall lilo, but..as I figured you will have to compelty reinstall. Should'nt take too long and practice makes perfect right? ;) lol. Hm..if thats the case maybe the fact I can go from dropping the cd in to desktop in under 15 minutes with slack is a problem....lol good luck n lemme know how it goes!

Using Linux loaders is safe - unfortunately Pat chose to only include lilo. Very poor choice IMHO. Reinstalling lilo from the install CD should be easy, but I refuse to use it, so others will have to help there.
ntldr *will* boot Linux if given the boot sector record. Unfortunately lilo makes this a PITA - grub is much better if you decide you want to do this.
Of course grub is the best choice all round if installed into the MBR.

boot your slackware by your install cd
at the boot option give line: root=/dev/hdxx ro nointrid with hdx is your linux patition(ex: hda1)
after you logon to linux, run command:
dd if=/dev/hdxx of=slack.lnx bs=512 count=1
copy slack.lnx to your windows patition(ex: c:\)
modify boot.ini add line: c:\slack.lnx="Slackware Linux"
reboot and check result

WHY?????

nhattu1986, that is WAY TOO COMPLICATED.

First, make sure that your BIOS is not protecting the MBR via a antivirus setting, or a protect MBR setting.
Then boot with CD1 as was stated before (up to the red part)

Logon

Then type 'liloconfig'

Use the 'expert' setting
Start with new lilo.conf file
Choose which OS to default boot to, goto that one first.
Then choose the other

Tell it to install to the MBR

Thats it.

If you want to use the ntldr (XP/NT bootloader) instead, follow the instructions here:http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=411379
Goto post #12, it explains in great detail how to set it up