LILO wont detect windows partition

InfidelLewis · 04-28-2005, 01:20 PM

hmmm another problem, LILO wont seem to detect windows. Heres how it goes.

10gb HDD

first 6GB is slack 10.1 and everything works fine
second 500mb linux swap partition
remaining 3.5GB windows 2000

All of this works fine, but i have to keep changing the bootable partition in fdisk and its really kind of annoying.

LILO works but it only shows the linux partition......

any ideas?

P.S when setting up, i cant remember which option i chose, but it was NOT for LILO to change the master boot record (setup didnt recommend it for newbs like me :P)

P.S.S im using EXT3 for the linux partition and FAT32 for the windows 2000 partition

masand · 04-28-2005, 01:35 PM

add these line to ur lilo.conf

other = /dev/hda1
label = Windows
table = /dev/hda

i have windows in hda1 so i am using this

and re run

lilo

also post the O/P of

fdisk -l

regards

InfidelLewis · 04-28-2005, 02:55 PM

Ok i tried that, and editing lilo.conf seemed to make no difference what-so-ever...... here is my lilo.conf:

"
# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda1
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
other = /dev/hda1
label = Windows
table = /dev/hda
prompt
timeout = 1200
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
reset
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
vga = 771
# 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
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda1
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends
"

i added in the lines you said, and i noticed that the windows location (/dev/hda1) was the same as the linux location. but it made no odds anyway because when i restarted, it didnt even add the new label into LILO, its still just "linux" displayed there.....

also, i tried doing "mount /dev/hdax" where x was 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

1 was already mounted and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 were not found (if thats any help)

P.S im a total linux noob, only been using it today so please excuse any noobness on my part :P

masand · 04-28-2005, 02:57 PM

change ur wind0ws partition to
hda2,hda3

whatever it is

and as i mentioned above u need to re run lilo

lilo
after editing the lilo.conf

regards

tw001_tw · 04-29-2005, 09:10 AM

InfidelLewis,

As for an explination - /etc/lilo.conf holds your lilo settings, but it NOT used when the
system boots. As mentioned earlier in this posted, when you run (as root or 'su') :

Code:

lilo

at the prompt, the changes that you made to lilo.conf are written to (usually) the
MBR (master boot record of your hard drive) and that is what boots your computer.

So, you can edit lilo.conf all day long, but until you rewrite it to the MBR, you will
not see your changes.

hope this helps.
-tw

InfidelLewis · 04-29-2005, 01:52 PM

Ugh... ok i did as instructed, and when i do the do "lilo" on the konsole, heres what it tells me:

"Syntax error at or above line 34 in file '/etc/lilo.conf'"

i dont understand whats up with the lilo.conf, i did as instructed..... i think lol....

heres my lilo.conf, any suggestions?

"
# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda1
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
prompt
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# 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
# Linux bootable partition config begins

root = /dev/hda1
label = Linux

other = /dev/hda3
label = Windows

table = /dev/hda
# Linux bootable partition config ends
"

gbonvehi · 04-29-2005, 02:03 PM

If you compare the new lilo.conf with the older you'll see that you omited some lines... that makes a difference (I changed the comments):

Code:

#This is where your lilo will be
boot = /dev/hda1

#The message displayed when lilo comes up
message = /boot/boot_message.txt

#Ask to choose a OS
prompt

#Wait 120 secs until for input, if none default is chosen
timeout = 1200

#Reset all the rules
change-rules
reset

#Use frambuffer at 800x600x256
vga=771
#If you want a normal text-mode screen, uncomment vga=normal
#and comment vga=771
#vga=normal

#Your kernel location, default / dir, label, and start with read-only to check
#for errors in partition, it will be remounted as read-write later
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda1
label = Linux
read-only

#Your "other" system, Windows at hda3 with the label and specify
#to take the partition table from there (Windwos needs this).
other = /dev/hda3
label = Windows
table = /dev/hda

Now run: /sbin/lilo -v -v -v
And you should have it (the extra -v s just tells to be more verbose when running lilo).

InfidelLewis · 04-29-2005, 03:29 PM

Thanks for all the help guys, everything sorted now :P

im amazed how friendly the linux community is :P you guys are geniuses