Re: Re (2): Installing lilo in Squeeze after booting from the Lenny installer CD.
On Thu, 4 Feb 2010 14:19:06 -0500 (EST), Stephen Powell wrote:
> I can send you my lilo.conf file for comparison purposes, but
> I don't have access to it right now.
OK, I now have access to my lilo.conf file, and I will include it
inline in this e-mail for comparison purposes. Be careful not
to copy it verbatim, because it doesn't match your configuration.
But it should serve as an illustration. I have removed a lot of
comments to save space.
----------
# Allows the initial RAM file system to be loaded above the
# 16M line. Warning! The BIOS must have support for this
# for it to work! Not all BIOSes do!
large-memory
# Allows 32-bit logical block addressing to be used, which means
# that the kernel and the initial RAM file system can be read from
# locations beyond cylinder 1023. Warning! The BIOS must
# have support for this for it to work! Not all BIOSes do!
lba32
# Specifies where the boot-strap code will be written.
# /dev/hda means the master boot record of the first IDE disk .
boot=/dev/hda
# Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/')
# /dev/hda2 means the second partition on the first IDE disk.
root=/dev/hda2
# Enable map compaction:
# Tries to merge read requests for adjacent sectors into a single
# read request. This drastically reduces load time and keeps the
# map smaller. Using `compact' is especially recommended when
# booting from a floppy disk. It is disabled by default
# because it doesn't always work.
compact
# Installs the specified file as the new boot sector
# You have the choice between: text, bmp, and menu
# Look in lilo.conf(5) manpage for details
install=text
# Specifies the location of the map file
map=/boot/map
# Specifies the number of deciseconds (0.1 seconds) LILO should
# wait before booting the first image.
delay=20
# Specifies the VGA text mode at boot time. (normal, extended, ask, <mode>)
vga=779
# Boot up Linux by default.
default=Linux
# Here's the current Linux image.
image=/boot/vmlinuz
label=Linux
read-only
# restricted
# alias=1
initrd=/boot/initrd.img
# Here's the previous Linux image.
image=/boot/vmlinuz.old
label=LinuxOLD
read-only
optional
# restricted
# alias=2
initrd=/boot/initrd.img.old
----------
Notes:
(1) "boot=/dev/hda" specifies to install lilo in the Master Boot Record (MBR)
(2) "root=/dev/hda2" specifies that the root partition is the second partition
on your system, from what you've told me, it sounds like this should be /dev/hda1.
(3) "install=text" requests a pure text-mode interface, which is its original historical
behavior
(4) "vga=779" specifies the start-up video mode. This is a 132-column by 50-row text video
mode that I like to use for virtual consoles 1-6. This mode is not supported by all
video BIOS / video chipset / monitor combinations and may not work for you. You
may prefer the traditional 80x25 default VGA boot-up mode, in which case specify
vga=normal. Lack of support for this option is what originally made me switch
from grub-pc back to lilo because I like it so much. If you do use it, you will also
have to make changes to /etc/default/console-setup. Set FONTFACE="", FONTSIZE="",
and FONT="lat1u-08.psf.gz". And make sure that the console-data package is installed.
If you try it and don't like it, make sure you backout the changes to /etc/lilo.conf
*and* /etc/default/console-setup *and* re-run lilo.
(5) Note that the symbolic links in my configuration have been changed from their default
values. I like to see the symbolic links in the /boot directory, not in the / directory.
I think that's where they belong. My symbolic links are
image=/boot/vmlinuz
initrd=/boot/initrd.img
for the current (Linux) image and
image=/boot/vmlinuz.old
initrd=/boot/initrd.img.old
for the previous (LinuxOLD) image.
If you want to do the same, then here's what you do. (1) Make the four changes indicated
above (i.e. add /boot to the front of each of these "assignment statements" in
/etc/lilo.conf. (2) From a shell prompt as root, issue commands similar to the
following:
cd /
rm vmlinuz
rm initrd.img
rm vmlinuz.old
rm initrd.img.old
cd boot
ln -s vmlinuz-2.6.32-trunk-686 vmlinuz
ln -s initrd.img-2.6.32-trunc-686 inird.img
ln -s vmlinuz-2.6.30-2-686 vmlinuz.old
ln -s initrd.img-2.6.30 initrd.img.old
Adjust these commands as necessary to match your current and previous kernel and
initial RAM filesystem image names. Note also the "optional" flag in the LinuxOLD
section, so that if these symbolic links do not exist lilo will issue a warning rather
than an error.
For successful installation of future kernels, you should also check your
/etc/kernel-img.conf file. Here's what mine looks like
----------
do_symlinks = yes
relative_links = yes
do_bootloader = yes
do_bootfloppy = no
do_initrd = yes
link_in_boot = yes
----------
Note particularly the "link_in_boot" option, which tells the kernel installation script
to maintain the symbolic links in /boot instead of in /.
After all these changes, re-run lilo.
Then shutdown and reboot to test it.
Hope this helps.
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