LinuxQuestions.org
Visit Jeremy's Blog.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Slackware
User Name
Password
Slackware This Forum is for the discussion of Slackware Linux.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 02-25-2006, 03:21 PM   #1
Dudeking
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Location: UK, Midlands
Distribution: Fedra
Posts: 22

Rep: Reputation: 15
Question Dual Boot


New to this forum and newish to linux.
I downloaded Slackware 10.2 Last year some time and not used it much.
I installed it and ran it for about a mounth but it killed windows XP when it installed.

I am now learning Python and want to use a linux enviroment rather than windows.
What would be the best way to setup the dual boot?

I asked on Cybertechhelp (cant post a link) about this and will probily go with there sugestion but the slackware homepage pointed me here and thought id get a second oppion as I can't risk XP dieing again.

Thanks Dudeking
 
Old 02-25-2006, 03:44 PM   #2
187807
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2003
Location: North Carolina, USA
Distribution: Slackware 11
Posts: 174

Rep: Reputation: 30
First, Welcome to LQ!!

Here is one method I used when dual booting XP and linux (which will use the Windows bootloader instead of lilo or grub):

I installed WinXP (which wrote Windows' bootloader to MBR, as usual). I installed WinXP onto FAT32 filesystem, not NTFS.

I installed my Slackware into a partition I had created for it. When installing lilo in the install process, I told it to install to the superblock of my slackware partition (/dev/hdb2 in my case) instead of the MBR (this leaves Windows bootloader on MBR).

Only thing left is to tell Windows bootloader how to boot linux. The command (run in linux):
Code:
dd if=/dev/hdb2 of=bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1
will do make a 'bootsect.lnx' file that we need (this command must be re-run whenever you change lilo.conf and note that my example uses if=/dev/hdb2 since that is my linux partition).

Just copy this 'bootsect.lnx' file to your Windows C:\ (again, I used FAT32 for this).

Then in C:\boot.ini you can add a line so it might look like:
Code:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
c:\bootsect.lnx="Slackware"
This method does work, although you may choose a different route.

[Edit: typo] [Edit2: typo again]

Last edited by 187807; 02-25-2006 at 03:50 PM.
 
Old 02-25-2006, 05:01 PM   #3
cwwilson721
Senior Member
 
Registered: Dec 2004
Location: In my house.
Distribution: Ubuntu 10.10 64bit, Slackware 13.1 64-bit
Posts: 2,649
Blog Entries: 1

Rep: Reputation: 68
Can also use lilo, too, as long as XP is on first HDD. Use 'Expert' option, and have it install to MBR. Whichever OS you choose first will be the default boot choice in lilo.
 
Old 02-25-2006, 05:19 PM   #4
syg00
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Australia
Distribution: Lots ...
Posts: 21,418

Rep: Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197
I'd be surprised if you actually did kill XP.
Go with cwwilson721 advice - should work fine.

If you have trouble with XP, ask here first before re-installing anything. The solution is likely to be a quite simple update to the lilo conf file.
 
Old 02-26-2006, 03:53 AM   #5
Dudeking
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Location: UK, Midlands
Distribution: Fedra
Posts: 22

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Humm im thinking of going with 187807's idea.
It looks quite simple and makes sence.
Last time I install slackware I told it to add to the Primary partitions MBR.
Which Killed XP.
 
Old 02-26-2006, 04:15 AM   #6
IceChant
Member
 
Registered: Jan 2006
Location: Israel
Distribution: Windows Xp, Slackware
Posts: 316
Blog Entries: 3

Rep: Reputation: 30
You can add linux to to your windows bootloader by using bootpart within windows.
 
Old 02-26-2006, 04:15 AM   #7
syg00
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Australia
Distribution: Lots ...
Posts: 21,418

Rep: Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197Reputation: 4197
Should work o.k., however, I'm willing to bet you didn't kill XP, you merely lost the ability to load it. Easily fixed.

You will (eventually) get sick to death of redoing the copy every time you run lilo.
Actually, you'll probably get sick of forgetting - and finding Slack non-bootable.
Pat really has to rethink the decision of only offering lilo as a bootloader option - grub only needs this copy operation done once. One of it's many advantages.
Best option is a (any, even lilo) Linux loader in the MBR, but the choice is yours.
 
Old 02-26-2006, 07:39 AM   #8
Randux
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Siberia
Distribution: Slackware & Slamd64. What else is there?
Posts: 1,705

Rep: Reputation: 55
I don't know guys, I'm new to linux and lilo, and after I got the hang of it, it couldn't be easier. This stuff just works great, absolutely no problems. Install lilo in the MBR and just start enjoying your system.

Rand
happily multi-booting with lilo
 
Old 02-27-2006, 05:40 AM   #9
Dudeking
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Location: UK, Midlands
Distribution: Fedra
Posts: 22

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Tryed what 187807 said and it didnt work.
Gave me the option to boot from slackware but when selceted just said disk read error.
XP still boots fine.

Will this work:-
Post 18

ht tp://www .cybertechhelp .com/forums/showthread.php?p=559730#post559730 -(remove all the spaces first)

Thanks dudeking
 
Old 02-27-2006, 08:11 AM   #10
mikieboy
Member
 
Registered: Apr 2004
Location: Warrington, Cheshire, UK
Distribution: Linux Mint 19.1 Xfce
Posts: 555

Rep: Reputation: 33
I recommend you read everything syg00 wrote and then go and read a good tutorial on Grub. It is easily the best bootloader for a dual boot system. I say that as one who has had Lilo foobar my MBR! Grub rocks.
 
Old 02-27-2006, 01:22 PM   #11
Alien_Hominid
Senior Member
 
Registered: Oct 2005
Location: Lithuania
Distribution: Hybrid
Posts: 2,247

Rep: Reputation: 53
Lilo automatically sets windows booting ability during slackware installation. Just use it.
 
Old 02-27-2006, 04:44 PM   #12
Randux
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Siberia
Distribution: Slackware & Slamd64. What else is there?
Posts: 1,705

Rep: Reputation: 55
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alien_Hominid
Lilo automatically sets windows booting ability during slackware installation. Just use it.
Just make sure you have only one disk drive, and no usb key plugged in, and no BIOS MBR protection...and...and...and...

A lot of guys are having problems with the liloconfig script not working. Lilo does work fine, but it is not without a little confusion sometimes.
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Installing dual Boot 98/Linux - WONT 'LILO' Dual Boot !? L1nux3d Linux - Laptop and Netbook 15 02-11-2006 05:36 AM
Do dual boot systems need dual instalations of programs (GIMP, Firefox etc.) madsporkmurderer Linux - Newbie 2 12-05-2005 12:45 PM
Fedora Core 3 Dual Boot, Dual Hard drives, Grub Boot Loader Denali03 Linux - Newbie 1 03-04-2005 01:44 PM
hOw to dual boot linux suse with a dual boot win98/xp pc walterkai SUSE / openSUSE 1 12-14-2004 05:04 PM
Advice (and some) Needed: Dual-HDD, Dual-Boot - Linux, WinXP elnomadkvn Linux - General 1 03-28-2004 10:11 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Slackware

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:26 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration