Boot with ELILO

thecarlosfilipe · 05-12-2018, 03:03 PM

Hello guys! I migrated yesterday from Arch Linux to Slackware in order to learn more about Linux in general. My notebook has two boot modes: LEGACY and UEFI. I installed Slackware in UEFI mode and every time I start it appears here is image: https://prnt.sc/jbn9yv. Is this normal? I think it could be some mistake or something. What do you think? Can I change something to appear normal? If nothing is wrong, I apologize for the noob question I asked. Thank you for your attention. I hope I can enjoy the most of this unique and well-spoken distro.

The_Dark_Passenger · 05-12-2018, 03:28 PM

That's not normal. What's the model of the notebook, and are you using 14.2 or current?

thecarlosfilipe · 05-12-2018, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Dark_Passenger

That's not normal. What's the model of the notebook, and are you using 14.2 or current?

My laptop is the Lenovo G40-70 and I'm using Slackware Stable (14.2).

kingbeowulf · 05-12-2018, 04:25 PM

The Lenovo web site lists several GPU options for your laptop.

Quote:

Graphic memory chip

Integrated / AMD Jel LE / AMD Jel Pro / nvidia N15S-GT /
nvidia N15V-GM

Which one do you have? It could be any number of issues with the GPU module (intel, nv, nouveau, or whatever the heck AMD Jel uses) or framebuffer selected. Boot into the install media. Then

Code:

mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

(assuming your laptop bootable partition is sda1. Adjust as needed). Now

Code:

cd /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/Slackware/

You should see these files: elilo.conf and elilo.efi. NOTE: for Slackware64 x86_64 elilo.efi should be the same size as /mnt/boot/elilo-x86_64.efi. Take a look at your elilo.conf - I'll use mine as an example. Note that I have entries to both the generic and huge kernels. You may just have one stanza.

Code:

chooser=simple
delay=1
timeout=1
#
image=vmlinuz-generic
        label=Slackware
        initrd=initrd.gz
        read-only
        append="root=/dev/sda2 vga=normal ro"

image=vmlinuz-huge
        label=Slacksafe
        read-only
        append="root=/dev/sda2 vga=normal ro"

Does your append line have "vga=normal"? if not add it (I think vi is available when booting from the install media), save and try booting again. After editing the elilo.conf, you do not need to run eliloconfig. If that doesn't work, go back in and try

Code:

append="root=/dev/sda1 vga=normal nomodeset ro"

thecarlosfilipe · 05-13-2018, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingbeowulf

The Lenovo web site lists several GPU options for your laptop.

Which one do you have? It could be any number of issues with the GPU module (intel, nv, nouveau, or whatever the heck AMD Jel uses) or framebuffer selected. Boot into the install media. Then

Code:

mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

(assuming your laptop bootable partition is sda1. Adjust as needed). Now

Code:

cd /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/Slackware/

You should see these files: elilo.conf and elilo.efi. NOTE: for Slackware64 x86_64 elilo.efi should be the same size as /mnt/boot/elilo-x86_64.efi. Take a look at your elilo.conf - I'll use mine as an example. Note that I have entries to both the generic and huge kernels. You may just have one stanza.

Code:

chooser=simple
delay=1
timeout=1
#
image=vmlinuz-generic
        label=Slackware
        initrd=initrd.gz
        read-only
        append="root=/dev/sda2 vga=normal ro"

image=vmlinuz-huge
        label=Slacksafe
        read-only
        append="root=/dev/sda2 vga=normal ro"

Does your append line have "vga=normal"? if not add it (I think vi is available when booting from the install media), save and try booting again. After editing the elilo.conf, you do not need to run eliloconfig. If that doesn't work, go back in and try

Code:

append="root=/dev/sda1 vga=normal nomodeset ro"

My elilo.conf was thus https://prnt.sc/jhcmq2, then I followed your tip and put in that file what you recommended and gave boot error. I had to reinstall the system again.

PROBLEMCHYLD · 05-13-2018, 01:06 PM

I was afraid of having to do a clean install so I didn't even attempt it. I'll wait for a quick and simple solution to switch from lilo to elilo without issues. Topic is interesting nonetheless, I was going to start one of my own regarding the same issue.

yvesjv · 05-13-2018, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecarlosfilipe

My elilo.conf was thus https://prnt.sc/jhcmq2, then I followed your tip and put in that file what you recommended and gave boot error. I had to reinstall the system again.

Hello,

Don't reinstall yet... unless you really want to :-)
I've seen something similar to this before and that was to do with the bmp background image (I tried to modify) displayed when the elilo chooser appears.

Your circumstances could be different but as a test try to boot the latest/current slackware-live from a usb stick or other media first.
If you're successful booting with the live media, the issue can be easily worked out.

vino29 · 05-13-2018, 05:12 PM

i have the same problem with my HP 640p laptop. i found the link below which seem to explain the issue but i did not have time to explore the fix.

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ot-4175479719/

good luck!

kingbeowulf · 05-13-2018, 09:14 PM

thecarlosfilipe,
If you can boot the install media you do not have to reinstall to fix up booting issues. You can always use the install DVD/usb as a boot disk to boot into your installation to fix stuff.

Interesting discussion in the link vino29 posted. I've not had to fiddle with efifb settings on 3 systems here. The laptops and small compact systems I have all have intel embeded GPU's - mostly still legacy BIOS. The few EFI systems worked OOTB but then they never had Windows 8 etc, or other, install. Maybe OP has a weird UEFI implementation?

Basically, I would just keep using lilo and legacy boot it if the UEFI motherboard allows it. EFI is a pain. That said, since the OP was running Arch (and the efifb ran fine there), I see no reason why Slackware couldn't use the same boot settings. Go into the UEFI settings and restore factory defaults and clear out everythng. Then run eliloconfig to set everything to Slackware defaults.

Also, the OP did nto say what embedded GPU he has. On Lenovo there have been boot screen issues if the shared graphics memory is >512MB.