Lilo trouble (can't load other OS)

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laite
Posts: 4
Joined: 8. Oct 2011, 14:42

Lilo trouble (can't load other OS)

Post by laite »

Hi, I installed Salix just today and it seems really nice! However, LILO doesn't seem to recognize my previous OS (Arch Linux) at all.
I tried adding it with Lilo Setup, but always ended up with error: "Fatal: First sector of /dev/sdb1 doesn't have a valid boot signature"
fdisk -l shows sdb1 as bootable.

Here's the config I tried:

Code: Select all

# LILO configuration file
# Generated by LiloSetup
#
# Start LILO global section
# Append any additional kernel parameters:
append = "vt.default_utf8=1 "
boot = /dev/sdb

# Boot BMP Image.
# Bitmap in BMP format: 640x480x8
bitmap = /boot/salix.bmp
# Menu colors (foreground, background, shadow, highlighted
# foreground, highlighted background, highlighted shadow):
bmp-colors = 255,20,255,20,255,20
# Location of the option table: location x, location y, number of
# columns, lines per column (max 15), "spill" this is how many
# entries must be in the first column before the next begins to
# be used.  We do not specify it here, as there is just one column.
bmp-table = 60,6,1,16
# Timer location x, timer location y, foreground color,
# background color, shadow color.
bmp-timer = 65,29,0,255

# Standard menu.
# Or, you can comment out the bitmap menu above and 
# use a boot message with the standard menu:
# message = /boot/boot_message.txt

# Wait until the timeout to boot (if commented out, boot the
# first entry immediately):
prompt
# Timeout before the first entry boots.
# This is given in tenths of a second, so 600 for every minute:
timeout = 50
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
reset

# Normal VGA console
vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1600x1200x16m
# End LILO global section
#
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz-huge-2.6.37.6
root = /dev/disk/by-uuid/bdf98b0a-b02f-43ee-8706-54fc7d8285dd
label = Salix
read-only
other = /dev/sdb1
label = Arch
# Linux bootable partition config ends
Any help would be appreciated, since I'm not very experienced with linux.
djemos
Salix Warrior
Posts: 1466
Joined: 29. Dec 2009, 13:45
Location: Greece

Re: Lilo trouble (can't load other OS)

Post by djemos »

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz-huge-2.6.37.6
root = /dev/disk/by-uuid/bdf98b0a-b02f-43ee-8706-54fc7d8285dd
label = Salix
read-only
other = /dev/sdb1
label = Arch
# Linux bootable partition config ends
I suppose that your arch system has been installed in /dev/sdb1 partition

then
Using a console in Salix
1.- mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/arch ( you have to create first as root /mnt/arch folder)
2.- cd /mnt/arch/boot
3- cp kernel26.img vmlinuz26 /boot (change kernel26.img and vmlinuz26 with the real names which are in /mnt/arch/boot folder)
3.- Add to /etc/lilo.conf
image = /boot/vmlinuz26 (change vmlinuz26 with the real name which is in /mnt/arch/boot folder)
root = /dev/sdb1
label = arch
read-only
initrd = /boot/kernel26.img (change kernel26.img with the real name which is in /mnt/arch/boot folder)

put a # in front of other = /dev/sdb1

4.- run, lilo
5.- Reboot and select arch
laite
Posts: 4
Joined: 8. Oct 2011, 14:42

Re: Lilo trouble (can't load other OS)

Post by laite »

Thank you, djemos, that was a fast reply! Unfortunately for you I just installed grub2 instead of lilo as a workaround, but I see what my error was now, so next time I don't have to go that way :)
djemos
Salix Warrior
Posts: 1466
Joined: 29. Dec 2009, 13:45
Location: Greece

Re: Lilo trouble (can't load other OS)

Post by djemos »

Grub2 is also a solution. :)
User avatar
Akuna
Salix Wizard
Posts: 1038
Joined: 14. Jun 2009, 12:25

Re: Lilo trouble (can't load other OS)

Post by Akuna »

To help me debug LiloSetup (if applicable) would you mind giving me a couple infos?

1- Are all your bootable partition correctly detected by LiloSetup and correctly displayed in its main window?

2- If so, could you generate a new configuration file by setting all labels and clicking on the "Edit configuration" button? (So long as you do not click on the "Install LILO bootloader" your current Grub2 setup won't be tempered with). Then could you please post the last part here? (from '# Linux bootable partition config begins' unto the end)

3- Could you also paste the output of 'blkid' (to be executed in a terminal as root)

Thank you very much :)
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What really matters is where you are going, not where you come from.
laite
Posts: 4
Joined: 8. Oct 2011, 14:42

Re: Lilo trouble (can't load other OS)

Post by laite »

Akuna wrote:To help me debug LiloSetup (if applicable) would you mind giving me a couple infos?
Sure :)
Akuna wrote: 1- Are all your bootable partition correctly detected by LiloSetup and correctly displayed in its main window?

2- If so, could you generate a new configuration file by setting all labels and clicking on the "Edit configuration" button? (So long as you do not click on the "Install LILO bootloader" your current Grub2 setup won't be tempered with). Then could you please post the last part here? (from '# Linux bootable partition config begins' unto the end)
No, only /dev/sda2 (where Salix is) is visible in main screen, and nothing else.
Akuna wrote:3- Could you also paste the output of 'blkid' (to be executed in a terminal as root)

Code: Select all

root[laethe]# blkid
/dev/sda1: UUID="73acb2a5-950a-413f-b082-644c85a29f4a" TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/sda2: UUID="bdf98b0a-b02f-43ee-8706-54fc7d8285dd" TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/sdb1: UUID="2736b2e5-aaf2-43e7-9686-8bab79096de4" TYPE="ext2" 
/dev/sdb2: UUID="9f13c1d4-55a9-4819-ab4d-9d0c648d3f5e" TYPE="swap" 
/dev/sdb3: UUID="8002ea99-600d-454a-873e-1c10738c2865" TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/sdb4: UUID="1219da48-b6ae-4187-a454-6aae96f9339f" TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/root: UUID="bdf98b0a-b02f-43ee-8706-54fc7d8285dd" TYPE="ext4" 
User avatar
Akuna
Salix Wizard
Posts: 1038
Joined: 14. Jun 2009, 12:25

Re: Lilo trouble (can't load other OS)

Post by Akuna »

Ok, thank you very much, I'll install Arch & see why it doesn't get detected.
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What really matters is where you are going, not where you come from.
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