Multi OS boot in Lilo

lilsirecho · 2003-12-15 23:55:04

Literature on the multi-boot OS of Linux-windows covers the linux standard hard drive ID system hda, hdb, etc.

With devfs the nomenclature involves using disc designators.

If one desires to multi-boot 3 or more OS systems on separate drives, what ID system is required to enable all systems to boot with lilo?

One such reference refers to the linux system using:
boot=/dev/hda
prompt

image=/boot/vmlinuz
root=/dev/hdb1
label=arch

When using Arch, such a statement seems not effective with devfs..

Suppose one starts out with such a statement in Slackware which doesn't use devfs. How does one then refer to arch?

Perhaps:
other=dev/discs/disc1/part1
label=arch
table=/dev/discs/disc1

Then continuing for OS windows:

other=/dev/discs/disc2/part1
label=win98
table=/dev/discs/disc2

OR: should it be...
other=/dev/hdc1
label=win98
table=/dev/hdc

AND:

other=/dev/hdb1
label=arch
table=/dev/hdb

Perhaps one cannot mix linux terms with devfs?

Using slackware as hda, arch as hdb and win98 as hdc what lilo is correct for an hda boot-up?

Conversely, what is right and correct if arch is the primary,slackware slave and win98 as secondary slave(CD in secondary primary slot}?

Perhaps none of the above?

marc · 2003-12-16 03:56:57

I'm booting 3 os on my system: Mandrake , Arch and windows. I'm using lilo which has been setup on the Mdk partition. Mdk mounts the Arch partition and lilo boots it via the /mnt/arch/boot dir. Here's my lilo.conf

boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
vga=normal
default="ArchLinux"
keytable=/boot/us.klt
prompt
nowarn
timeout=100
message=/boot/message
menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw
image=/boot/vmlinuz
    label="Mandrake"
    root=/dev/hda9
    initrd=/boot/initrd.img
    append="devfs=mount hdc=ide-scsi acpi=ht resume=/dev/hda10 splash=silent"
    vga=788
    read-only
image=/boot/vmlinuz
    label="linux-nonfb"
    root=/dev/hda9
    initrd=/boot/initrd.img
    append="devfs=mount hdc=ide-scsi acpi=ht resume=/dev/hda10"
    read-only
image=/boot/vmlinuz
    label="failsafe"
    root=/dev/hda9
    initrd=/boot/initrd.img
    append="failsafe devfs=nomount hdc=ide-scsi acpi=ht resume=/dev/hda10"
    read-only
other=/dev/hda1
    label="windows"
    table=/dev/hda
other=/dev/fd0
    label="floppy"
    unsafe
image=/mnt/archroot/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.23ehci
    label="ArchLinux"
    root=/dev/hda5
    append="devfs=mount hdc=ide-scsi"
    read-only

I would assume that if you were using lilo/grub residing in Arch to boot other os's, you would use the /dev/discs/ format for all entries instead of /dev/hda/

lilsirecho · 2003-12-16 05:21:38

Gladdaseeya! Thanks marc:

It can be a confusing setup with all the versions...about 130 versions of linux alone and then windows with four or five majors.

My mobo permits four hdd plus cdrom and floppy for boots which is standard x86.

I also assumed that I had to be consistent with the devfs if I used arch for the MBR.

The coding seems complex and will be studying how to adopt it for my purposes.

One thing for sure, it is pertinent to my post and I appreciate that in particular.

If I don't make the grade before christmas, have a merry holiday!!

lilsirecho · 2003-12-16 20:00:26

Tried many ways to boot other drives with arch hdd in lilo.

Still comes up with only arch, no win98 or slackware boot options.

Do I need to boot map? No info from googling.

lilsirecho · 2003-12-16 20:42:04

This is my present lilo.conf: !!!!!
#
# /etc/lilo.conf
#

boot=/dev/discs/disc0/disc
# This line often fixes L40 errors on bootup
# disk=/dev/discs/disc0/disc bios=0x80

default=arch
timeout=50
lba32
prompt

image=/boot/vmlinuz
label="ArchLinux"
root=/dev/discs/disc0/part3

append="devfs=mount hde=ide-scsi ide=reverse"
read-only

other=/dev/discs/disc1
image=/boot/vmlinuz
label="slackware9.1"
root=/dev/discs/disc1/part3
append="devfs=mount hde=ide-scsi ide=reverse"
read-only
other=/dev/discs/disc2/part1
label= "win98"
table=/dev/discs/disc2

# End of file

It doesn't boot but just arch OS

teun · 2003-12-16 23:05:18

Hi,

It looks to me as if you did not run the lilo program. Lilo does not use the lilo.conf file when booting, instead it is read when you run /sbin/lilo and lilo writes the requested boot menu to the boot record. By the way, if you already know this, don't feel insulted

So boot arch, run (as root) lilo -v and if your config file is allright (it seems allright to me) you will get some messages about added menu items.

Good luck.

lilsirecho · 2003-12-16 23:32:48

The /sbin/lilo -v has been run so many times it may have burned out!!!

The return statement in lilo caused me to rerun many, many times trying to eliminate the "fatal error: open : /boot/vmlinuz ....

Tried to find vmlinuz, then tried to generate it...to no avail.

Was afraid to restart for fear it was ..."fatal"
Rebooted after four hours of futility and it rebooted!!

Subsequent googling leads me to believe that only i386 arch kernels have vmlinuz arrangements...there are no references to i686.

Consequences of devfs are mentioned but not defined or demonstrated by concrete examples .
Mixtures of devfs and linux are not defined.

The example given on this post refers to .."devfs=mount" is the only place where the devfs system is referenced.

My approach is to use the MBR
on the arch hdd to do the booting, not a partition of the arch install.

After that, a similar setup on slackware to boot arch and win98 along with two versions of slackware.

Slackware boot had a ...dos option at boot time. I have only arch in arch boot.

Something isn't right with devfs.

Dunno how to address it in Slackware.

Lilo is blind to OS'es except ..get the devfs right!

Thanks for the encouragement teun!!!!!

lilsirecho · 2003-12-16 23:36:45

ILO version 22.5.6.1, Copyright (C) 1992-1998 Werner Almesbe
rger
Development beyond version 21 Copyright (C) 1999-2003 John Co
ffman
Released 03-Jul-2003, and compiled at 1

Reading boot sector from /dev/discs/dis
Using MENU secondary loader
Calling map_insert_data

Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz
Fatal: open /boot/vmlinuz: No such file
[root@n6re root]#
This is /sbin/lilo -v

undeadpenguin · 2003-12-17 00:00:24

Whenever I've dual-booted Linuxes I've had to use a bootloader for each. One bootloader on the MBR (Arch's), and then another to load Slackware on Slackware's partition (I make it load automaticaly, no prompt).

lilsirecho · 2003-12-17 00:14:51

Thanks for info, undeadpenguin!!
As you may surmise, I am trying to use MBR for all boots without the term "dual Boot" which seems to have more than one connotation.

In my case...three or four OS boots on four HDD from one MBR boot.

undeadpenguin · 2003-12-17 00:23:39

I think it is possible that way... I just have never been able to get it to work doing that and I really don't mind having to install a boot loader to each OS's boot partition (I only have two on at a time anyway - Arch and the OS I'm reviewing.

lilsirecho · 2003-12-17 03:31:28

Gents: First of all...Merry Christmas!!

If you look back at my posts, I mention a ..Fatal error..open vmlinuz...no such file or directory.

If a ...fatal error occurs....in /sbin/lilo.... how can the system boot?

It boots.
I am not able to find any vmlinuz and understand it is generated by renaming
another file ( at least that is the googling info).

Where do I find the file to rename? It is not in /usr/src /arch...etc

I need to get the Fatal out of /sbin/lilo to accomplish my goal.

Arch Linux

#1 2003-12-15 23:55:04

Multi OS boot in Lilo

#2 2003-12-16 03:56:57

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#3 2003-12-16 05:21:38

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#4 2003-12-16 20:00:26

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#5 2003-12-16 20:42:04

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#6 2003-12-16 23:05:18

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#7 2003-12-16 23:32:48

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#8 2003-12-16 23:36:45

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#9 2003-12-17 00:00:24

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#10 2003-12-17 00:14:51

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#11 2003-12-17 00:23:39

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

#12 2003-12-17 03:31:28

Re: Multi OS boot in Lilo

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