LILO, Dual Booting, LILO.CONF... :(...
 

Hi all!

I'm new to the linux community and am currently on my third distro... Vector Linux (older hardware) and am finding the experience to be very interesting... i've run into a problem tho, before i was using GRUB which i had no problem with... but now i'm trying to dual boot linux and windows xp from seperate harddrives with no success (through lilo)
heres the setup

hda - vector linux
hdb - windows xp

and here is what i get when i open up lilo.conf

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda
default = linux
prompt
timeout = 1200
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
reset
bitmap = /boot/bitmap/boot.bmp
# 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
# Partition 1 : DOS/Windows
other = /dev/hdb
label = Win
table = /dev/hdb

# Partition 2: Linux GUI mode
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda1
label = linux
append = " "
read-only

# Partition 3: Linux TUI mode
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda1
label = linux-tui
append = "2 "
read-only

# Partition 4: Linux GUI mode
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda1
label = linux-gui
append = "4 "
read-only

The lilo menu appears at boot and lists "win" as an option but when chosen the screen goes black with just the words "loading "win"... then it stays that way... forever :(... vector on the other hand boots just fine and has since install... i've atempted to modify lilo.conf myself (just on intuition:P)... with no success... but i did notice something odd while doing so... i only altered "partion 1" (the windows entry)... and when i did i changed the label from "win" to "Windows XP"... and i SAVED it... HOWEVER when booting up lilo next time it STILL said "Win"... as if my modification(s) had no effect whatsoever...I'm perplexed,,, please help in any way possible if you can...

Many thanks in advance,
Charles W

As I can see you haven't specified on which partition of the hard drive Windows are. You just have /dev/hdb. On the Linux entries you can see it's /dev/hda1.
After modifying the lilo.conf you should run lilo, /sbin/lilo to take the go over the configuration file again and apply the changes.

Hi!

Thanks for the quick reply!
You mean to specify on both the "other" and "table" listings?

Charles Winston

Hey, I modified lilo.conf accordingly and ran /sbin/lilo through terminal...(with "1 warning"... "Warning: LBA32 addressing assumed"



# Partition 1 : DOS/Windows
other = /dev/hdb1
label = Windows
table = /dev/hdb


Still to no avail tho... it still hangs/locks up at "Loading Windows"... (I also tried setting the table listing to "hdb1" but /sbin/lilo shot out an error at me about "unknown partition."...

Thanks again,

Charles Winston

Charles,

Two things to fix your issue.
1. Use GRUB, it requires less maintenance. LILO requires you to reinstall the boot loader (by running /sbin/lilo) every time you rebuild the kernel or make changes to /etc/lilo.conf.
2. Windows likes to be installed on the first hard drive. You can install GRUB there as well. Linux doesn't really care were it gets installed.

Digital Diablo

How can I install GRUB (i know that will work) with lilo already installed? can I do this while linux is running or am i going to need to make a boot disk... or?

Charles Winston

You can install grub while running your current session, but I dont recommend it. If you can reboot then a boot disk is the way to go. Here is a good link with instuctions: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...-natively.html

Digital Diablo