Arch Linux

PAPPPmAc

Member

From: Kentucky

Registered: 2003-07-07

Posts: 21

LILO to partition?

I'm trying to install arch on a laptop as the 3rd OS (Win2k,BeOS, Linux).  I used to have SuSE as the Linux distro, but that was just too sluggish, so I decied to try something else, and arch's description fit the bill.  I use bootman as my boot manager, and would prefer to keep it that way.  Bootman however, can only chainload Linux.  The problem I've encountered is that as far as I can see Arch doesn't allow you to install LILO to a partition like most other distros.  I've been looking for a way to get it to do the LILO install, and can't seem to find one. Anyone know how to either 1. force the installer to put LILO either in the main Arch partiton, or in a /boot partition arrangement, or 2. otherwise get LILO onto a partition and able to boot Arch. I'd prefer to keep bootman as my bootloader, but if someone knows of another one that I will be able to work on from an OS other than Linux (I'm not really good about keeping Linux installs healthy) or is a standalone I'd be interested in that too.  Just as a sidenote, itd be nice to add the option to install to partition to the installer utility.

Gyroplast

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2002-09-03

Posts: 166

Website

Re: LILO to partition?

Well, simply configure your lilo.conf accordingly, as described in the lilo.conf manpage:

boot=<boot-device>
              Sets the name of the device (e.g. a hard  disk  partition)  that
              contains  the  boot sector. [...]

ie. change the boot= line to /dev/hda3 or whatever the partition is you want to write the bootsector to, then run "lilo" at the prompt to actually write the boot sector to the partition you specified in the config file.

As to the installer support for this.. all the installer does is offering you to edit the lilo.conf. If you want the boot sector to be written to /dev/whatever, enter it like that and everythings dandy. I don't quite understand your complain, I'm afraid. Maybe I'm totally misunderstanding you?

Greets,
  Dennis

---

"That's the problem with good advice. Nobody wants to hear it."
-- Dogbert

PAPPPmAc

Member

From: Kentucky

Registered: 2003-07-07

Posts: 21

Re: LILO to partition?

d'oh. yeah. I forgot you could specify the write location from within the LILO.conf file, I've been dealing with SuSE's GUI for too long.