[SOLVED] how to run generic kernel?

travis82 · 01-03-2015, 04:04 AM

hi
I'm not a linux guru and just installed slackware 14.0 on virtualbox to learning it. according to Slackbook after installation i tried to change my dfault kernel from huge.smp to generic.smp. I made a initrd.gz using mkinitrd and added the corresponding section to lilo.conf by vi editor and saved it. then I installed lilo again by lilo command and reboot slackware. but it seems that nothing has changed. i dont have any option in boot time for switch between huge or generic kernels. is it normal? how can i find out that my slackware is running by generic kernel?
sorry for my english

sycamorex · 01-03-2015, 04:33 AM

Can you post your /etc/lilo.conf (please wrap it in the code tags) and the output of the command 'lilo -v' as root?

bassmadrigal · 01-03-2015, 03:56 PM

On top of what sycamorex wrote, keep in mind, if you do have everything set up correctly but have too short of a timeout (or removed prompt) that it won't give you the time to select a different kernel.

travis82 · 01-05-2015, 11:28 PM

I don't know how to copy shell outputs and paste to windows notepad. so I typed it
here is the final section of my lilo.conf

Code:

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/sda1
  initrd = /boot/initrd.gz
  lable = linux
  read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

and this is the output of lilo -v command

Code:

Warning: LBA32 addressing assumed
reading boot sector from /dev/sda
using BITMAP secondary loader
Calling map_insert_data
Mapping bitmap file /boot/slack.bmp
Calling map_insert_file

boot image: /boot/vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-huge-smp-3.2.29-smp
Mapping RAM disk /boot/initrd.gz
The initial RAM disk will be loaded in the high memory above 16M.
Added linux + *

writing boot sector.
/boot/boot/.0800 exists - no boot sector backup copy made.
One warning was issued.

allend · 01-06-2015, 01:28 AM

The user friendly way to make an initrd is:

Code:

/usr/share/mkinitrd/mkinitrd_command_generator.sh

Quote:

/boot/vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-huge-smp-3.2.29-smp

That symlink is wrong for the generic kernel.

Code:

bash-4.3$ ls -l /boot/vmlinuz
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 31 Dec 26 11:28 /boot/vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-generic-smp-3.2.29-smp

Quote:

Warning: LBA32 addressing assumed
...
The initial RAM disk will be loaded in the high memory above 16M.

Those warnings can be suppressed by adding to the global section of /etc/lilo.conf

Code:

lba32
large-memory

_peter · 01-06-2015, 04:27 PM

as allend stated, the root cause of your problem is the symbolic link on the file /boot/vmlinuz inside your /etc/lilo.conf file
you should point (ln -s command) to the generic one vmlinuz-generic-smp-3.2.29-smp not vmlinuz-huge-smp-3.2.29-smp
or add a new *linux bootable partition config* entry in your /etc/lilo.conf file

Quote:

Originally Posted by travis82

Code:

boot image: /boot/vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-huge-smp-3.2.29-smp

if it helps here is a snippet of my /etc/lilo.conf, don't copy-n-paste blindly

Code:

image = /boot/vmlinuz-generic-smp-3.2.29-smp
  initrd = /boot/initrd.gz
  root = /dev/sda1
  label = generic
  read-only
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/sda1
  label = huge
  read-only

travis82 · 01-06-2015, 11:43 PM

It worked, thanks to allend, I added "lba32" and "large-memory" to global section of lilo.conf and changed "image" line from /boot/vmlinuz to /boot/vmlinuz-generic-smp-3.2.29-smp and then removed all of other kernels from /boot/vmlinuz (is it safe?). now I have some questions, forgive me if they are so amateurish.
1- what is lba32?
2- in my previous installations some beautiful sentences appeared before or after login (I don't remember now) but now it just writes "you have mail" how to enable this feature by default? dose it need to instal special packages?

sorry for my english

allend · 01-07-2015, 12:41 AM

Quote:

1- what is lba32?

If you have to ask, then you do not need to know, as you have never dealt with the alternative. As you will find in 'man lilo.conf'

Quote:

Use of 'lba32' is recommended on all post-1998 systems. Beginning with LILO version 22, 'lba32' is the default disk addressing scheme

Quote:

2- in my previous installations some beautiful sentences appeared before or after login (I don't remember now) but now it just writes "you have mail" how to enable this feature by default? dose it need to instal special packages?

That sounds like MOTD (message of the day). Many people ask how to turn that off!
Actually, I do not know how you have managed to suppress it.Perhaps search this forum.

Didier Spaier · 01-07-2015, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travis82

2- in my previous installations some beautiful sentences appeared before or after login (I don't remember now) but now it just writes "you have mail" how to enable this feature by default? dose it need to instal special packages?

You miss the package bsd-games. It's included in a full installation of Slackware, in the y series of packages. Install it or reinstall it.

Strictly speaking, you also need the package etc, but you should have it else you couldn't use your system.