[Techtalk] lilo dual boot

[Conor Daly]

On Wed, Oct 20, 2004 at 09:41:37AM +0100 or thereabouts, Noir wrote:
> > A look at your /etc/lilo.conf would be helpful.
> > Conor
> 
> Here's my lilo.conf. Should I do the thing you
> suggested in your previous mail?
> 
> boot = /dev/hda2

It looks like your lilo is still there.  The clue is in your previous post
where lilo says: 
	"Partition 2 on /dev/hda is not marked active"
lilo is still installed to /dev/hda2 and won't have been overwritten by XP.
What has happened is that XP has made /dev/hda1 'active' (or bootable) so
/dev/hda2 is no longer active.  You can fix this thus:

o boot from CD in rescue mode
o fdisk /dev/hda

Command (m for help): p
 
Disk /dev/hda: 20.0 GB, 20020396032 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2434 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
 
   Device Boot    Start       End    Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1             1         2     16033+  83  Linux
/dev/hda2             3       394   3148740   83  Linux

Note how there is no '*' under the 'Boot' column.  There'll be one opposite
/dev/hda1 on yours.  You need to change that to /dev/hda2.  Type 'm' for
help:

Command (m for help): m
Command action
   a   toggle a bootable flag

So use 'a' to set the active partition:

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-6): 2
 
Now see what's changed:

Command (m for help): p
 
Disk /dev/hda: 20.0 GB, 20020396032 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2434 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
 
   Device Boot    Start       End    Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1             1         2     16033+  83  Linux
/dev/hda2   *         3       394   3148740   83  Linux

Now the '*' is opposite /dev/hda2

Command (m for help): w

to write changes and exit.

Now reboot.

This will either fix matters or else neither linux nor XP will boot.  If
that's the case, repeat the above but set /dev/hda1 active this time.  The
option then is to instal lilo to the MBR (/dev/hda).  To do this, edit the
lilo.conf after the 'chroot /mnt' stage detailed earlier and change the
'boot = /dev/hda2' line to read 'boot = /dev/hda'.  Save and run 
'/sbin/lilo -v -v' to install.

If you want to change the default choice of system so that linux boots
first, either add the line 'default=Linux' above the 'prompt' line or move
the Linux 'stanza' (everything from 'image=' to 'read-only' inclusive) above
the DOS one.  Don't do this until you have your system back though...

> message = /boot/boot_message.txt
> prompt
> timeout = 1200
> # Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the
> partition table:
> change-rules
>   reset
> # Normal VGA console
> vga = normal
> other = /dev/hda1
>   label = DOS
>   table = /dev/hda
> image = /boot/vmlinuz
>   root = /dev/hda2
>   label = Linux
>   read-only

Do tell how it went..

Conor
-- 
Conor Daly,                   Please avoid sending me 
Met Eireann, Glasnevin Hill,  Word or PowerPoint attachments.
Dublin 9, Ireland             http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
Ph +3531 8064276 Fax +3531 8064247


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