Re: LILO Boot Options(2nd attempt)

[Ramon Gandia <rfg nook net>]

Shawn Lewis wrote:
> 
> I've been trying to setup my machine as a dual-boot system:  95/Linux
> I got 95 on there no problem, then, finally, got Linux on there, also.
> Chose to have LILO boot both, so now when I boot, I get ten seconds at a LILO boot option prompt and
> then it just boots 95.  I'm thinking I can have LILO boot Linux with some option at that prompt,
> but can't track down the full list of options.
> I know almost nothing about Linux...is this approach faulty from the get go, or is there actually an option
> that will allow me to boot Linux?

At the LILO prompt just type the word  "linux" (no quotes).  If that
does
not work, then at the LILO prompt hit the TAB key and it will tell you
what
things you can type in there to boot.  Usually two things will show up,
dos and linux.

In the /etc/lilo.conf file you will see several things.  There is the
boot delay statement, which is set to 100 for 10.0 seconds.  Then there
are two stanzas, one for dos (windows) and one for Linux.  The FIRST
one listed there is the one that will boot by default if you type
nothing at the LILO prompt.  You can certainly reverse these with your
editor (vi or pico).  Manually or cut-n-paste.  

If you change ANYTHING in /etc/lilo.conf, you have to run the lilo
program in order to make the changes effective; that is, be written to
the boot sector.

prompt# lilo

That will take care of it.

May I also make a suggestion here.... before you get carried away making
any changes to /etc/lilo, make sure you have a boot floppy and make
sure it WORKS.  Test it.  This is vital.  If you make one little bitty
winnie tinsie spelling mistake in /etc/lilo.conf you may well end up 
with a system that will not boot either Win95 or Linux.

My second suggestion is that you copy your working /etc/lilo.conf file
first to a backup file.  Like this:

prompt# cp /etc/lilo.conf  /etc/lilo.conf.bak

Then if you botch up, and you have to revert to the original file which
you know works, do this:

prompt# cp  /etc/lilo.conf.bak /etc/lilo.conf

and you are back in business.  Do not forget to make the change
effective
by running the

prompt# lilo

Welcome to Linux, and have fun!


-- 
Ramon Gandia ==== Sysadmin ==== Nook Net ==== http://www.nook.net
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