[SOLVED] slackware reinstall lilo

JackHair · 02-25-2014, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielxs

@JackHair I tryed to install lilo without using pkgtool but I failed. I think it requires advanced knowledge or something, but don't be so harsh, after all when a beginner first install slackware will also install lilo in mbr.. /dev/sda by default, and until I didn't crushed windows boot loader with some kind of antyspyware application I had no problem booting in both systems. Even though, with a crushed windows I could have boot slackware. So, if it works and if the team who develop the way to install lilo in slackware in /dev/sda think it's ok, then it's ok for a beginner like me either. I don't know if it counts but my windows boot partition is /dev/sda1 and lilo is installed in partition table /dev/sda. Perhaps there is a difference.

Lilo is pretty well documented you might wanna read into it. It's not that hard. In Slackware it's assumed people know what they're doing. That's why lilo just installs to the MBR of /dev/sda.

colorpurple21859 · 02-25-2014, 10:54 AM

This wouldn't happen to be a Uefi/efi system.
edit: nevermind misread where it was fixed.

danielxs · 02-25-2014, 01:30 PM

"In Slackware it's assumed people know what they're doing. That's why lilo just installs to the MBR of /dev/sda." I can't help my self not to continue your last sentence: AND THAT IS WRONG IS IT?

moisespedro · 02-25-2014, 01:57 PM

Installing lilo on MBR isn't wrong, it is just a choice

danielxs · 02-25-2014, 03:02 PM

Now this is odd... This evening I decided to change lilo.conf again just to see if I can install lilo in my /boot partition, and it did functionally. I don't understand why I couldn't do that when I used chroot, becouse I also changed lilo.conf boot path in chroot with my linux boot partition. Maybe pkgtool lilo install script fixed some problems from lilo package, else... I don't see any other reason.
I have also read, that when I use 2 systems in lilo boot manager the best choice is to not install lilo in mbr. I guess JackHair is right. Anyway pkgtool has 2 install choices: 1. installing in mbr 2. installing in root partition, but now lilo it's where it should be.

JackHair · 02-26-2014, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielxs

Now this is odd... This evening I decided to change lilo.conf again just to see if I can install lilo in my /boot partition, and it did functionally. I don't understand why I couldn't do that when I used chroot, becouse I also changed lilo.conf boot path in chroot with my linux boot partition. Maybe pkgtool lilo install script fixed some problems from lilo package, else... I don't see any other reason.
I have also read, that when I use 2 systems in lilo boot manager the best choice is to not install lilo in mbr. I guess JackHair is right. Anyway pkgtool has 2 install choices: 1. installing in mbr 2. installing in root partition, but now lilo it's where it should be.

There really isn't a best way, it all depends on how your system is configured. I have an abnormal partition setup:
/dev/sda=Windows
/dev/sdb/c=a RAID 0 array for my Windows stuff.
/dev/sdd=/dev/sdd1=/boot, /dev/sdd2=swap, /dev/sdd3=/usr, /dev/sdd4=/home
/dev/sde=/dev/sde1=swap, /dev/sdd2=/
My boot disk in the BIOS is set to /dev/sdd.
This is the reason why I have to make an /etc/lilo.conf and install lilo by hand. I do install lilo to the MBR, but the MBR of disk /dev/sdd. After editing my lilo.conf, I 1st do "lilo -M /dev/sdd MBR" after that I run "lilo" to make sure the lilo.conf is installed correctly.
My lilo.conf looks like:

Code:

### Start Lilo Configuration
boot = /dev/sdd1
vga = normal
default = Slack64
prompt
timeout = 80
bitmap = /boot/slack.bmp
bmp-colors = 255,0,255,0,255,0
bmp-table = 60,6,1,16
bmp-timer = 65,27,0,0,255
# Failsafe boot
image = /boot/vmlinuz
	root = /dev/sde2
	label = Failsafe
	read-only
# Custom kernel
image = /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.5-mikel.1
	root = /dev/sde2
	label = Slack64
	read-only
# End Linux images
append = "vt.default_utf8=1"
# DOS bootable partition
other = /dev/sda1
	label = Windows8.1
	table = /dev/sda
# End DOS bootables
### End Lilo configuration

danielxs · 02-26-2014, 02:15 AM

@JackHair It's very interesting and instructive. Are you using 3 hard disks, or you partitioned a hard disk in 3 partition tables?
I came to the conclusion, that when you installed slackware, you omitted the lilo script running in the end, after that you rebooted your pc with slackware livecd in it, then chroot in your fresh installed system, you changed with vi editor lilo.conf, setting with lilo the right partition table in mbr, and finally executing lilo. That's a lot of work.

I have got one more question: is this "lilo -M /dev/sdd MBR" command necesary only if you want to mention a partition table to mbr, or it make sense using it to a partition from a partion table that allready is mentioned in mbr, becouse I know now that boot path in lilo.conf can be changed to / or /boot partition, should I suppose that in mbr is mentioned /dev/sda (partition table), though at boot path in lilo.conf I have let's say /dev/sda7? I mean if you still changed your partition table in mbr, instead "lilo -M /dev/sdd MBR" is it possible to have "lilo -M /dev/sdd1 MBR"?

danielxs · 02-26-2014, 03:12 AM

@JackHair I'm sory for bothering you, nevermind my second question about mbr thing. I admit I didn't know exactely what that was, so I searched and I found this: "The MBR, the most important data structure on the disk, is created when the disk is partitioned." After all I admit I am a beginner but I am learning, though.
Therefore I answered to my questions before with that particulary sentence, and I found you have 3 hard partitioned disks, and the fact that lilo can be installed in the special partition of every hard disk called mbr (but only if it's configured for lilo, so lilo will know is mbr), or in any other partition as choice.
Thanks again, and I hope I will not bother you again in this thread.

JackHair · 02-26-2014, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielxs

@JackHair I'm sory for bothering you, nevermind my second question about mbr thing. I admit I didn't know exactely what that was, so I searched and I found this: "The MBR, the most important data structure on the disk, is created when the disk is partitioned." After all I admit I am a beginner but I am learning, though.
Therefore I answered to my questions before with that particulary sentence, and I found you have 3 hard partitioned disks, and the fact that lilo can be installed in the special partition of every hard disk called mbr (but only if it's configured for lilo, so lilo will know is mbr), or in any other partition as choice.
Thanks again, and I hope I will not bother you again in this thread.

The MBR is the Master boot Record. It's a reserved space on every hard disk for the boot loader. And yes you can install lilo to any harddisk. In my example I have the MBR on disk /dev/sda used for Windows and on my 4th disk (I have 5 hard disks) I've installed lilo to the MBR aswell. The MBR doesn't have to be configured though. You can install lilo to either the MBR of a disk or into a partition. When you install lilo on a partition it reserves some space for itself.