Windows won't boot from LILO

Ekuliak · 01-21-2006, 01:04 AM

Hi
I have two hard drives. One is for Mandriva, one is for Windows XP. I had to reinstall Windows XP today. The problem is, when I pick windows from LILO, it doesn't boot.
The LILO bootloader is on the windows drive, also.

I need help configuring LILO so that I can boot into windows again.

Also, I have another question related to this. Is it possible to remove LILO from that hard drive (in this case, the one Windows is on) if I no longer wanted it to use LILO on that drive?

DanTaylor · 01-21-2006, 01:36 AM

I'm not sure why Windows won't boot from Lilo, but if you run a low-level format on your drive, you will wipe your MBR so you can start over clean.

saikee · 01-21-2006, 04:37 AM

You can remove Lilo with Windows' MBR.

You can ask Lilo to boot any system up to a maximum of 27 images.

Think you may be confused by the disk order in the booting queue if you didn't get it right.

Have a look at my signature on "To install Linux and keep Windows untouched like a virgin". Section A was written for 2-disk owners.

To restore a boot loader in the MBR is fully documented in the "Just booting tips", also in my signature.

nitinatindore · 01-21-2006, 06:51 AM

You should install an external bootloader like XOSL or GAG, that will solve your problem

Ekuliak · 01-25-2006, 12:05 AM

All seems well now. Thanks

Randux · 02-11-2006, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekuliak

All seems well now. Thanks

What did you do?

Ekuliak · 02-11-2006, 11:42 AM

I read the links in Saikee's signature.

I'm thinking it wasn't pointing to the right place (wrong partition, maybe) to boot into windows at first. I just changed a few settings and I was able to boot into windows again.

Randux · 02-11-2006, 11:58 AM

Maybe you should explain a little what you did to solve the problem so that the next guy doesn't have to get his butt kicked for asking the same questions?

saikee · 02-11-2006, 01:18 PM

For a person with 2 disks there isn't much a problem in dual booting as one disk can be used for MS system while the other for Linux.

Windows MBR is keep in one and a Linux boot loader in the other.

Once the Linux disk is arranged to boot first the dual boot will happen automatically because one can always use Lilo (or Grub) to change the disk order temporarily whenever Windows is booted.