trouble updating lilo after installing current kernel (OK)

[mimosa]

Here is the log file:

Code: Select all

Reading boot sector from /dev/sda
Using MENU secondary loader
Calling map_insert_data
Mapping message file /boot/boot_message.txt
Calling map_insert_file

Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-huge-smp-3.2.7-smp
Fatal: Setup length exceeds 31 maximum; kernel setup will overwrite boot loader

As a temporary fix, I'm booting with grub, but I'd prefer to go back to Lilo. lilo.conf was generated by lilosetup, then I tried liloconfig with the same result.

Lilo works fine if set up to boot only the Salix on another partition, so the problem seems to have something to do with my kernel upgrade.

[MOrava]

I just guess, but according to the message I would try just to rename the new kernel file to some short filename. Have you tried?

BTW, can you provide the current kernel? What is necessary to change in Salix OS to upgrade to the current kernel? Could you please kindly provide more information, e.g. step-by-step guide? Thank you very much in advance.

[mimosa]

Regarding the procedure, have a look around the second page of this thread - another user is working through the question:

http://www.salixos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3297

Basically it seems as though it should be straightforward: just download the packages, install, and update your bootloader. You can also retain the old kernel as a separate boot option; I rather wish that's what I'd done, now!

Regarding the bootloader, I'll certainly give your suggestion a try - I didn't know you could just rename the kernel. But I think the old kernel actually had a longer name!

EDIT

Yes, the old name was three characters longer.

[MOrava]

Thanks. Regarding the kernel filename, if I am not mistaken, you can rename the kernel to whatever (e.g. "vmlinuz") provided you point lilo to the file by including the new filename in you lilo.conf (and certainly running "lilo" in order to update map). I hope this will help you.

[mimosa]

In fact, the entry in lilo.conf just points to 'vmlinuz'. /boot/vmlinuz is a symlink to the kernel.

Given that this is the case, I don't understand why it was even necessary to update lilo. Or perhaps it interprets the symlink and puts the name of the actual kernel file in the MBR?

[MOrava]

Oh, this I do not know exactly. However, the difference between lilo and grub is that grub points to the kernel file while lilo does not. By running "lilo" a map is created and the boot loader in fact points directly to the place on the disk, not to the file AFAIK.
Thanks for pointing me to the discussion of the current kernel. Do I understand it correctly that it is enough to install new kernel files (kernel, modules, firmware, sources,...)? Isn't it necessary to update any other packages? Did you just installed new kernel files and your Salix was running OK (not mentioning the lilo issue)?

[mimosa]

Yes, the kernel upgrade was essentially straightforward. I got into trouble because I carelessly downloaded the wrong kernel-modules package, but downloading and installing the correct package and rebooting fixed the problem. Note that kernel headers and source, if you need them, are in different subdirectories - /d and /k I think. (There's a file packages.txt or something like that at the head of the tree which tells you where to find everything.)

I expect I'll need to do something to make VirtualBox work with the new kernel; at the moment I'm seeing related error messages during boot. Indeed, that's one area where I hope to see palpable performance improvements.

[mimosa]

Resolved by updating Lilo to the latest version, which fixes what seems to have been a bug that affected some people.