Dual booting
 

which one of these do i copy into my /etc/lilo.conf so i can boot 2 distros. i am trying to add sabayon 3.1 to lilo, im running slackware 11 as my primary distrodrwxr-xr-x 3 root root 520 2007-01-01 17:52 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 424 2007-01-01 17:52 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 2007-01-01 17:52 .keep_sys-boot_lilo-0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1647699 2007-01-01 17:52 System.map-genkernel-x86_64-2.6. 18-gentoo
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 1 2007-01-01 17:52 boot -> .
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 62712 2007-01-01 17:52 config-kernel
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 17932 2007-01-01 17:52 diag2.img
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 608 2007-01-01 17:52 grub
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 3497028 2007-01-01 17:52 initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.1 8-gentoo
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4265040 2007-01-01 17:52 kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.18-g entoo
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 254844 2007-01-01 17:52 xen-3.0.0.gz
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 12 2007-01-01 17:52 xen-3.0.gz -> xen-3.0.0.gz
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 12 2007-01-01 17:52 xen-3.gz -> xen-3.0.0.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 589104 2007-01-01 17:52 xen-syms-3.0.0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 12 2007-01-01 17:52 xen.gz -> xen-3.0.0.gz
root@localhost:/home/future# /sbin/lilo


this is what my /etc/lilo.conf looks like


# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/sda
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
prompt
timeout = 0
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
reset
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# Normal VGA console
# vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/sda
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
prompt
timeout = 0
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
reset
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# Normal VGA console
# vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda5
label = Linux
read-only
image = /boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.18-gentoo
root = /dev/sda8
label = sabayon
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends
root@localhost:/home/future#
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda5
label = Linux
read-only
image = /boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.18-gentoo
root = /dev/sda8
label = sabayon
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends
root@localhost:/home/future#

I have also tried
image = /boot/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.18-gentoo
root = /dev/sda8
label = sabayon
read-only

when i /sbin/lilo i get an error message........can somebody tell me what im doing wrong sorry for the long post

Althought I can't
 

Although I can't directly answer your question, I do have a question for you. Why are you using LILO instead of GRUB? GRUB (from my experience) is much easier. Perhaps your distro only has LILO available?

I wish I could be more helpful. However, if you do have the chance to try GRUB sometime, try it. When I used Windows / Mandrake 9.2 dual boot LILO was the only option, but with Windows / Mepis GRUB is the only option and I like it much better.

I know it feels funny, but make the switch to grub:) it really is better, and yes I'v used both extensively. Go back to the live dvd of Sabayon, and it will give you an option to just update the boot loader. It will also give you the option to insert your slack into grub. works like a charm. hope you like Gentoo!

Yes, please use grub. Both boot loaders are quite out of date as it is, but lilo is simply archaic, and possibly prone to problems.

This article may be of assistance:

gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Quick_GRUB

I would absolutely disagree with that statement. Both bootloaders do the job they are designed to do. Bootloaders don't evolve at the pace of desktop software hence they may seem archaic. Certainly, age of software doesn't equate to bugginess of software. Most bootloader problems are not software problems but are mostly a misconfiguration. I use grub exclusively but I've used Lilo too occasionally. Although Lilo may be old, it is neither archaic nor buggy as far as I know. Veteran Lilo users will probably agree with me.

Tux,

I wouldn't call myself a "veteran" lilo user, but I agree. I use it, and always have. It does exactly what I want it to do, in exactly the way I want it to. It's very easy too.

John

In that case, I apologize. The only reason I at first believed lilo was not of high quality was that the GNU project often speaks very negatively of it:

http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/gru...aq.en.html#q12

is one example. However, I really should have tried lilo myself before judging the quality of the software.

Another can of worms open! Heres the deal. I actually prefer the direct control I get over Lilo, and it is indeed a perfectly good bootloader, and in fact for certain applications it is better! For what noonmid27 is trying to do, it has been my personal experience that grub serves this purpose better for it's ability to auto read the images. Also, while lilo is the default for Slackware, the Sabayon DVD download has integrated Grub as the default loader, and due to the way Sabayon boots, it's just easier to use. ;)

Personally I use grub but have tried distributions with both grub and lilo but my personal preference is grub. This is for it's simplicity and the fact that I have had to reinstall Linux several times when using Lilo and because of that personal bad luck I have chosen to steeer clear of distributions that use Lilo as their default boot loader.