Re: Is it a "user error" to use lilo?

[jidanni@jidanni.org]

> What is the recommended procedure for changing from e.g. lilo to grub?
> Since you plan to drop lilo post-lenny, I guess this will be a quite
> common question during the lifetime of lenny.  Users will notice that
> lilo is being deprecated and wonder how to switch. Maybe something to
> document in either lilo or grub? or both.

Well here's what you do as I have just made the transition myself.
First you notice that both grub and grub2 are available. Further
research shows that grub has ceased development, which has moved to
grub2. The problem with grub2 is that it is hardly documented compared
to grub, and one cannot rely on the old grub manual as grub and grub2
are apparently quite different. So, one uses trial and error. Yes,
sounds risky in that you might make your computer unbootable, but
that's what I did. Apparently one uses update-grub &&
grub-install /dev/hd[a, etc.]

I also reported /etc/kernel-img.conf being documented in a different
package, but in the end I find I can't trust it anyway, and in my
shutdown script I have

test "$(find /boot -type f -cnewer /boot/grub/core.img)" &&
  update-grub && grub-install /dev/hda

Maybe I'm being overcautious now that I'm using grub instead of lilo,
but: with some older users, being locked out of their computer might
be the straw that breaks the camels' back. They can't access the
manual about how to fix it, and they are too rural or don't live in a
country with a Linux repairman, so they give up and take up painting
instead.