Fixing LILO?

PitViper401 · 05-06-2008, 12:50 AM

I just installed Slackware onto one of three SATA drives I have in my case. Windows XP is on another drive, the third is personal files, and I have one IDE hard drive for my music.

While installing Slackware, I had the installation program automatically install LILO onto my IDE hard drive and set my system to boot from that drive. It seemed to work fine and when I restarted after a successful installation, I got a Slackware prompt allowing me to choose between Windows and Linux.

I was able to boot into Slackware with no problem and go about my business, but when I restarted my system again I selected Windows and I got an error message saying "NTLDR not found" or something to that effect.

I'm assuming this is just LILO trying to boot from an incorrect hard drive or partition, but I have no idea how to get to a configuration menu or file for LILO.

Is there a configuration program or file I can use or do I have to reinstall Slackware and do the manual configuration of LILO?

Nylex · 05-06-2008, 01:01 AM

LILO's configuration file, lilo.conf, can be found in /etc.

T3slider · 05-06-2008, 01:03 AM

Edit /etc/lilo.conf in Slackware and, after editing the file, run `/sbin/lilo` as root to write the changes to your MBR. A proper Windows XP stanza (stolen from Eternal_Newbie) is shown below:

Code:

# Windows bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/hda1
  label = Windows
  table = /dev/hda
# Windows bootable partition config ends

It should go just above or below the entry for your Linux kernel loading. Note that you have to replace /dev/hda1 with the location of your Windows partition.

vadkutya · 05-06-2008, 07:39 AM

if it still does not work consider the following. windows requires to be the first partition on the first disk! makre sure the partition/hd with windows is set bootable (you can examine/alter this with fdisk) and if it still doesn't work you maybe have to write lilo not in MBR of your ide but the hd with windows...this should fix it...i hope

vadkutya

bgeddy · 05-06-2008, 10:04 AM

Another thing to try , if still no joy, may be adding

Code:

boot-as=0x80

to the lilo definition of you windows disk. Obviously then rerun lilo.

Not tried this though but I have had problems when Windows is not the primary partition. I usually leave Windows on the first partition if setting up a dual boot system and let lilo detect it and write to the the MBR of that disk leaving that as the bootable partition.

This works fine and lets lilo boot to either Windows or Slackware.

Finally if all else fails you could reset the Windows disk as primary bootable and try to boot up to Windows - if needed rescue it with FIXMBR from Windows rescue console (Windows CD). Then boot using Slackware CD1 (the instructions are shown to boot to an already installed Slackware installation) and rerun lilo to make it possible to boot to both Windows and Slackware.

Hope I haven't confused you with all that and none of it is necessary !

BTW setting up mutli boot systems can be a bit tricky till 'it clicks' - usually Windows not playing well with other OS's and insisting on being the 'main' OS.

Oh - and another thing - make sure anything on your Windows disk is backed up if needs be. Any of these actions could possibly trash your disk and loose all your data. I've managed to wipe my / partition before today !!