WinXP/Slack (LILO)

Casket · 10-15-2005, 02:03 AM

Hey all.

Currently i have slackware 10.1, WinXP Home, WinXP Pro and Win2003 on this computer. Unfortuantly i have to keep a Windows Distro for school.

Now i am going to completely format all Win partitions and install WinXP on a 10GB partition. This will roughly free up 60 or so gigs. However, i know when i install WinXP it will overwrite the MBR with its own bootstrap. This means that Slack will be virtually inaccesible.

LILO is installed to the MBR. What steps should i take (such as putting LILO on a floppy) to ensure that when this happens ill have access to my slack partiton to re config LILO.

CWizard · 10-15-2005, 02:58 AM

DISCLAIMER: Don't do this unless you completely understands and agree

Probably not the simplest way. I would simply install Windows (on a second thought, *I* wouldn't) then boot with a slackware install cd. This will give you a Linux environment. Then I'm not too sure, but I would probably mount my old partitions, and copy the lilo.conf to /etc (perhaps modify to reflect the changes), run lilo, and hope for the best

*repeat disclaimer a couple of times*

Casket · 10-15-2005, 05:05 AM

I dont agree :P

Your sure this will work?

CWizard · 10-15-2005, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Casket
I dont agree :P

Your sure this will work?

I'm sure one could make it work. That is, the general method (install win, reinstall lilo) works, but that last step might require some tweaking. It might be as simple as booting the cd, then "mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/root && lilo -C /mnt/root/etc/lilo.conf", but it might be more complicated.

ioerror · 10-15-2005, 01:08 PM

Quote:

mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/root && lilo -C /mnt/root/etc/lilo.conf

That should work, though it's been some years since I used lilo. I prefer grub theses days.

The easiest way would be to copy your mbr before installing windows and then just copy it back again afterwards. As root,

Code:

dd if=/dev/hda of=/root/mbr.backup bs=512 count=1

Then install windows, boot up the slackware CD, mount your Linux root on /mnt and do

Code:

dd if=/mnt/root/mbr.backup of=/dev/hda bs=512 count=1

Depending on which order the partitions are in, you may need to alter /etc/fstab to reflect the changes.

xgreen · 10-15-2005, 01:30 PM

just install your window, then boot your pc using slack install cd (CD 1) & boot your slack partition from it & if i not mistaken the cmd look like this :

bare.i root=/dev/hxx noinitrd ro

after log on as root, /sbin/lilo

Eerath · 10-15-2005, 02:20 PM

Download MEPIS and use the OS Centre on the Live CD to install GRUB.

b0nd · 10-16-2005, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nazmin
just install your window, then boot your pc using slack install cd (CD 1) & boot your slack partition from it & if i not mistaken the cmd look like this :

bare.i root=/dev/hxx noinitrd ro

after log on as root, /sbin/lilo

Hello,
as there are too many different answers for your question........so i'm reiterating the way of doing it in the right manner

follow what "nazmin" has instructed.
..............
just install windows, then boot your pc using slackware 1st cd.
when you reach the prompt for the first time.......type
#linux root=/dev/hdax ro and press enter
( now here 'x' depends on the partition where you have installed the linux )......on my maching its hda9....so take care

now just do
#/sbin/lilo

thats it.

regards