[SOLVED] Lilo Bios Check

[jam12]

Hi,

Straight to the point -
When Lilo starts it seems to do a "Bios Check" which ends up taking around half, if not the majority of my overall boot time for Ubuntu.

"Lilo 22.8. Loading Linux <series of dots for around 3 lines>
Bios Check Successful!
<Ubuntu Starts>"

Is there anyway to stop this check from happening? AND, Grub poses me an even more complicated problem (which I made a thread about) so I'd rather not use that.

- jam.

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

Which version of Ubuntu are you using?
Is there any reason for using Lilo? GRUB is default boot loader of Ubuntu and latest version is using GRUB2.

[jam12]

Hi and Welcome !

Which version of Ubuntu are you using?
Is there any reason for using Lilo? GRUB is default boot loader of Ubuntu and latest version is using GRUB2.

Thanks.

I'm using the latest version of ubuntu which is 9.10. The reason I'm using Lilo is that whenever I use GRUB, my dvd drive is invisible in ubuntu and windows. There have been numerous threads about this on internet and none have come to a solution. Most people insist this problem has nothing to do with GRUB - maybe GRUB causes something else that Lilo doesn't? This issue tends to effect people with removable drives i.e. laptops. I previously could use grub without any problems but since I had to recovered my windows partition, its never worked.

Don't get me wrong, I'd prefer to use GRUB hands down since its customizable..... and thats why I now using GAG as my first bootloader and lilo in my ubuntu partition.

[devils casper]

Alright ! Add compact keyword after timeout line Global section of lilo.conf file. Execute sudo lilo command after saving editing lilo.conf.
Reboot machine and check if it works.

# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/xxx
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
prompt
timeout = 100
compact

[jam12]

I can't seem to find the global section in my lilo.conf

 Automatically added by lilo postinst script
large-memory

# /etc/lilo.conf - See: `lilo(8)' and `lilo.conf(5)',
# ---------------       `install-mbr(8)', `/usr/share/doc/lilo/',
#                       and `/usr/share/doc/mbr/'.

# +---------------------------------------------------------------+
# |                        !! Reminder !!                         |
# |                                                               |
# | Don't forget to run `lilo' after you make changes to this     |
# | conffile, `/boot/bootmess.txt' (if you have created it), or   |
# | install a new kernel.  The computer will most likely fail to  |
# | boot if a kernel-image post-install script or you don't       |
# | remember to run `lilo'.                                       |
# |                                                               |
# +---------------------------------------------------------------+

# Specifies the boot device.  This is where Lilo installs its boot
# block.  It can be either a partition, or the raw device, in which
# case it installs in the MBR, and will overwrite the current MBR.
#
boot=/dev/sda5

# Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/')
#
#root=/dev/sda5

# This option may be needed for some software RAID installs.
#
# raid-extra-boot=mbr-only

# Enable map compaction:
# Tries to merge read requests for adjacent sectors into a single
# read request. This drastically reduces load time and keeps the
# map smaller.  Using `compact' is especially recommended when
# booting from a floppy disk.  It is disabled here by default
# because it doesn't always work.
#
# compact

# Installs the specified file as the new boot sector
# You have the choice between: text, bmp, and menu
# Look in lilo.conf(5) manpage for details
#
#install=menu

# Specifies the location of the map file
#
map=/boot/map

# You can set a password here, and uncomment the `restricted' lines
# in the image definitions below to make it so that a password must
# be typed to boot anything but a default configuration.  If a
# command line is given, other than one specified by an `append'
# statement in `lilo.conf', the password will be required, but a
# standard default boot will not require one.
#
# This will, for instance, prevent anyone with access to the
# console from booting with something like `Linux init=/bin/sh',
# and thus becoming `root' without proper authorization.
#
# Note that if you really need this type of security, you will
# likely also want to use `install-mbr' to reconfigure the MBR
# program, as well as set up your BIOS to disallow booting from
# removable disk or CD-ROM, then put a password on getting into the
# BIOS configuration as well.  Please RTFM `install-mbr(8)'.
#
# password=tatercounter2000

# Specifies the number of deciseconds (0.1 seconds) LILO should
# wait before booting the first image.
#
delay=20

# You can put a customized boot message up if you like.  If you use
# `prompt', and this computer may need to reboot unattended, you
# must specify a `timeout', or it will sit there forever waiting
# for a keypress.  `single-key' goes with the `alias' lines in the
# `image' configurations below.  eg: You can press `1' to boot
# `Linux', `2' to boot `LinuxOLD', if you uncomment the `alias'.
#
# message=/boot/bootmess.txt
#	prompt
#	delay=100
#	timeout=100

# Specifies the VGA text mode at boot time. (normal, extended, ask, <mode>)
#
# vga=ask
# vga=9
#


# Kernel command line options that apply to all installed images go
# here.  See: The `boot-prompt-HOWTO' and `kernel-parameters.txt' in
# the Linux kernel `Documentation' directory.
#
# append=""
 
# If you used a serial console to install Ubuntu, this option should be
# enabled by default.
# serial=

#
# Boot up Linux by default.
#
default=Linux

image=/vmlinuz
	label=Linux
	read-only
#	restricted
#	alias=1
	append="root=/dev/sda5  "
	initrd=/initrd.img

image=/vmlinuz.old
	label=LinuxOLD
	read-only
	optional
#	restricted
#	alias=2
	append="root=/dev/sda5  "
	initrd=/initrd.img.old


# If you have another OS on this machine to boot, you can uncomment the
# following lines, changing the device name on the `other' line to
# where your other OS' partition is.
#
# other=/dev/hda4
#	label=HURD
#	restricted
#	alias=3
other=/dev/sda1
	label=Windows
#	restricted
#	alias=2
other=/dev/sda2
	label=Windows1
#	restricted
#	alias=2

Either that or I'm going completely blind.

[devils casper]

Most of Global part of your lilo.conf file has been commented out. Remove # sign before compact and execute lilo command after saving it.

# Enable map compaction:
# Tries to merge read requests for adjacent sectors into a single
# read request. This drastically reduces load time and keeps the
# map smaller.  Using `compact' is especially recommended when
# booting from a floppy disk.  It is disabled here by default
# because it doesn't always work.
#
compact

# Installs the specified file as the new boot sector
# You have the choice between: text, bmp, and menu
# Look in lilo.conf(5) manpage for details
#
#install=menu

[jam12]

Yep it works - now there are only like two dots before it says "Bios Check successful".
Thankyou!