Re: Grub - related

From: Tim (tim_at_mail.localhost.invalid)
Date: 07/11/05 

Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 21:50:00 +0930

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 13:22:42 -0400,
Adam <nospam@example.com> posted:

> I have a dual boot, with W98 on hda, and linux on hdb. I plan to replace
> the hdb with a larger drive, but don't want to lose W98 on hda.

Easy enough to do.

> However, when I remove physically hdb, I notice that LILO stalls and I can't
> boot just to W98, (LILO and W98 both on hda). Is this usual behaviour ?

Usual for GRUB, I don't use LILO to know it. GRUB does that because part
of it is in the master boot block for the drive the BIOS boots from (most
likely HDA), and the rest of it somewhere else (most likely /dev/hdb1).

> I feel my choices are;
>
> a) Install FC3 onto hdb, and hope that Grub will pick up the W98 on hda
> when it installs. (I can note the existing LILO conf for W98, to include in
> Grub later).

That's how mine worked. Quite a no-brainer, all done automatically.

> b) Install FC3 onto hdb, and change LILO to point to new FC3 on hdb. (I
> fear LILO will stall with this approach).

Could also work, providing you install it to the same partitions *and/or*
set up LILO in advance before rebooting.

> c) Replace the mbr on hda from W98, then install FC3 on hdb, and have Grub
> insert the dualboot.

Also easily doable.

> Its just that I'm paranoid about this next step, and ask if anyone has any
> comments. It seems that I can't rely on the existing LILO to remain
> operational during this process.

You don't *have* to boot from the hard drive during the install, so you
mightn't need to worry about that while installing. 

-- 
If you insist on e-mailing me, use the reply-to address (it's real but
temporary).  But please reply to the group, like you're supposed to.
This message was sent without a virus, please delete some files yourself.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Why all the futzing with boot loaders
    ... Now apt-get dist-upgrade _removes_ a working GRUB and installs a non-working LILO; ... There are a few situations, if I recall correctly, where lilo worked but grub didn't. ... IMHO, grub is a HUGE improvement over lilo, because you can have multiple boot options configured simultaneously, so if you screw up a new kernel install, you can always boot from the old one. ... Secondary loader: 19 sectors. ...
    (Debian-User)
  • Re: F8 x86_64 and i386 installs hang on Dell Optiplex 320 with Intel Pentium 2160 processor
    ... thumb drive has been used successfully to install a Dell 270. ... I have managed to get these systems to boot using grub2, ... As a side note I was absolutely dismayed by the state of grub ... I'm not sure what grub2 offers that lilo doesn't offer...lilo ...
    (Fedora)
  • Re: GRUB or LILO on NTFS?
    ... install GRUB or LILO. ... My goal is to boot into the OS on the NTFS ... I have never installed LILO ...
    (comp.os.linux.setup)
  • Re: GRUB or LILO on NTFS?
    ... install GRUB or LILO. ... My goal is to boot into the OS on the NTFS ... I have never installed LILO ...
    (comp.os.linux.setup)
  • Re: messed up mbr- unable to boot
    ... > and was able to fix it with the Woody install CD #1, ... > grub, reset the MBR with the 'update-grub' command, and rebooted. ... it sounds like you use lilo. ...
    (Debian-User)