Re: dual boot with lilo
On Wed, 2004-06-09 at 08:46, Mike M wrote:
> I have a laptop that I am trying to dual boot.
should be easy :)
Step 1: create a GRUB boot disk.
Step 2: learn to boot from your grub boot disk.
Step 3: boot from your grub boot disk.
It will save your life (well, at least your sanity). It can be used to
boot any kernel installed anywhere on your hard disk, and also to
chainload an alternate partition.
Did I mention GRUB will save your life?
> I have the following partitions shown with qtparted
> under a Knoppix boot:
>
> 01 /dev/hda1 ntfs active 20GB
> 02 /dev/hda2 fat32 2GB
> 03 /dev/hda3 extended 33GB
> 04 /dev/hda5 linux-swap 1GB
> 05 /dev/hda6 ext2 15MB // for /boot
> 06 /dev/hda7 ext2 33GB // for /
>
> Will lilo as installed by Debian Woody 3.0r1 be capable
> of finding /boot where it is shown above?
Dunno.
If, at the boot prompt, you run /bin/lilo, it will tell you which
kernels/ chainloaded-partitions it has successfully installed. And you
can run it in test mode so you know it work before actually installing
it.
> I read that lilo need LBA support to get beyond the 1024
> sector. Does lilo on Woody support LBA?
Yes. Has for years. Such doco really needs to be removed.
> I read that grub supports LBA out of the box. I thought
correct, but so does lilo
> about installing woody without a boot loader and
> hand installing grub. I am not so sure about that
> possibility.
install grub on a floppy (perhaps it can be installed onto a bootable CD
if you don't have a floppy drive, if so, that will be just as useful).
Booting off a floppy or CD, with grub, is an excellent experience that
knowing it will save you digital life one day (and by the sound of it,
that day might be today :).
> The ntfs OS is booting just fine (still) and I'd like
> it to stay that way if possible. I've done my
> backups just in case.
Three gold stars! It's rare to hear that someone backs up :)
As long as lilo is configured to chainload to your ntfs partition,
you'll be fine. Lilo has almost never failed me, except through my own
ignorance years ago.
man lilo.conf
:)
> Woody is installed but I bailed out of the install
> where it asks about making the system bootable. I am
> not opposed to reinstalling and choosing lilo in the MBR
> if that's right thing to do here.
Shouldn't have to reinstall if you've already installed. Just install
lilo/ grub.
Oh, and grub is more flexible - highly recommended. It might even save
your virtual life one day.
> I could really use some pointers on how to proceed.
man grub
:)
cheers
zen
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