Public SourceMage Discussion List

[John T Copeland <johnc AT neto.com>]

Thanks Adam.
I have read all the  info I can find on lilo(did a google search and 
read the man pages), and my attempts to boot more than one Linux 
partition with lilo installed in the MBR all fail.  The doc implies that 
if you supply a root=/dev/blah(or root=/devices/discs/disc0/partx)for an 
image block, it overides any global root=.  When I attempt this and run 
/sbin/lilo I get: unable to find kernel 2.4.20, for example.  If I copy 
the said kernel into the /boot directory of the default boot partition, 
everything then works(boots) OK.  Therefore if I had on my system, a 
partition which had in it only kernels, and mounted said partion on all 
root directories at /boot, then this works just fine.

I don't know if this is the way lilo is designed, or if it is a bug 
which ignores the specification of the root= parameter on an image block 
as far as the kernel is concerned.

Anybody got any idea about this.
Adam Clark wrote:

> True, and if one is doing a many-boot system, I would think they should get
> *really* familiar with a bootloader.  lilo has no problem booting a kernel
> image on pretty much any partition.  One does not need a /boot *partition*
> at all.
>
> As far as I can tell, your problems with Lilo are due strictly to not being
> familiar with it.  There's lots of LILO How-To's & other documentation
> available online.
>
> On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 20:30:31 -0600
> John T Copeland <johnc AT neto.com> wrote:
>
>  
>
> > I don't agree with placing lilo in the MBR.  I never do.  I have a 
> > primary booter, BootMagic from Power Quest in the MBR.  lilo has 
> > problems booting multiple Linux partitions(it seems to want all the 
> > kernels in one partition, /boot, and the first one it sees.  maybe a 
> > bug).  Also, boot PC-DOS, Win2K, and even RedHat.
> >
> > If one only uses Linux, and only one partition of Linux, lilo in the MBR 
> > is AOK.
> >
> > Whatever we do, we should do a very good job of explaining what is going 
> > on with lilo and booting during the install.  This is a very confusing 
> > issue with many people, especially newbies.  If one understands lilo, 
> > linux, etc and is experienced, lilo presents no problems.
> >
> > JohnC
> >
> > Adam Clark wrote:
> >
> >    
> >
> > > Hey Wyatt,
> > >
> > > I agree with you on the point that I never put LILO outside of the MBR
> > > either.  Maybe we should take a poll somewhere, as I'd personally like to
> > > change it to disc too.
> > >
> > > Regarding jfs - before we even consider the alterations that would need
> > > to be done, why the jfs kick from 'ya all of a sudden?  We already have
> > > several journalling FS options built in, with the supporting software. 
> > > Personally, I would consider getting Raid support going during install a
> > > higher priority than adding in jfs, and even that is fairly low on the
> > > list, as I'd like to get a 'net install going very soon.  I think a lot
> > > of benefits can come by the work needed to get an okay net install done.
> > >
> > > But anyhow, let me know your thoughts... I like having pretty good
> > > reasons behind feature bloat.  =)
> > >
> > >
> > > On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 15:05:52 -0800 (PST)
> > > "Wyatt Draggoo" <wyatt AT draggoo.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >      
> > >
> > > > > Out of curiosity, is this option even necessary?  Ie, if, after doing
> > > > > the kernel install, you go and edit lilo.conf (which the menu option
> > > > > presents you with) and you put in the appropriate 'disc' instead of
> > > > > 'part', doesn't that re-do the MBR properly?  If it does, is this
> > > > > something that should be made clearer in the install guide?
> > > > >
> > > > > If not, why not?
> > > > >
> > > > > Obviously, I'd like to try and curb this kind of problem.
> > > > >     
> > > > >
> > > > >          
> > > > Maybe we should find out if we should switch the default to disc instead
> > > > of part.  I have *never* put LILO on anything but the MBR, and have to
> > > > change it during the install every time.  If the majority of the folks
> > > > installing SMGL are the same, we could change the default lilo.conf, and
> > > > add a notice saying we did so to the installer.
> > > >
> > > > Speaking of installer, Adam, do you have any plans for 2.4.20-based ISO?
> > > >        
> > > >
> > > > I'd really like to be able to install on JFS, and could patch the
> > > >        
> > > current>install system to give that option, but I would need the 2.4.20
> > > kernel>with jfs support, and the jfsutils on the ISO...
> > >      
> > >
> > > > Wyatt
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Wyatt Draggoo
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > SM-Discuss mailing list
> > > > SM-Discuss AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/sm-discuss
> > > >   
> > > >
> > > >        
> > >
> > >
> > >      
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> >    
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