changing from grub to lilo

[nikhil]

Hi,

I have a redhat 9 system...kernel-2.4 with grub as my bootloader.
Any ideas as to how to change it to lilo? what steps are required
and is it worth the effort?

Thanks,
Nik

[Hellmasker]

i havetn used grub much, IMO it is easier to pass extra kernel parameters etc, lilo is more colourful... and in general jsut looks better.

to switch. make sure lilo is installed, then edit/set up the /etc/lilo.conf file so it lists all the different kernels u have etc. (should have a example or something. if it doesnt i will post mine up)

then run /sbin/lilo to make it install to MBR.

[nikhil]

could you please post your lilo.conf file so that i can setup mine accordingly.

Thanks.

[Dolda2000]

May I ask why you do not want to use GRUB? GRUB is far better than LILO in almost every way.

[nikhil]

lol..cause I have kind of worked with lilo before and I know most of the syntax, when I saw the grub.conf file I saw quite a no of new terms in there, so was just wondering if it would be ok to change to lilo.
plus i modified lilo.conf to boot frm diff kernels and am pretty comfortable with it versus grub.conf.

[Dolda2000]

Well, that is a reason, I guess. However, GRUB has a vast number of major advantages over LILO (a.k.a. the boot loader that everyone uses but noone likes), so you might want to consider learning it instead; it's not very hard when everything comes around. It comes with great texinfo docs; just run "info grub".

[Hellmasker]

i sort of agree with dolda on this one, it probably is better if u learn how to use grub (unlike me, who knows nothing about it really).

but as promised, here is my /etc/lilo.conf file

boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
vga=normal
default=2423-5.2mdk
keytable=/boot/us-latin1.klt
prompt
nowarn
timeout=100
message=/boot/message
menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw
ignore-table

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.23-0.rc5.2mdkcustom
	label=2423-5.2mdk
	root=/dev/hda7
	read-only
	optional
	vga=normal
	append=" quiet devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi hdc=ide-scsi acpi=off dxs_support=1"
	initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.23-0.rc5.2mdkcustom.img

other=/dev/hda1
	label=windows
	table=/dev/hda

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22-6mdkcustom
	label=2.4.22-6custom
	root=/dev/hda7
	read-only
	optional
	vga=normal
	append=" quiet devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi hdc=ide-scsi acpi=off"
	initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.22-6mdkcustom.img

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.19-16mdk
	label=2.4.19-16mdk
	root=/dev/hda7
	initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.19-16mdk.img
	append="quiet devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi"
	vga=788
	read-only

image=/boot/vmlinuz
	label=linux-nonfb
	root=/dev/hda7
	initrd=/boot/initrd.img
	append="devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi"
	read-only

image=/boot/vmlinuz
	label=failsafe
	root=/dev/hda7
	initrd=/boot/initrd.img
	append="failsafe devfs=nomount hdd=ide-scsi"
	read-only

other=/dev/fd0
	label=floppy
	unsafe

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.0-0.test9.5mdkcustom
	label=260-0test95c
	root=/dev/hda7
	read-only
	optional
	vga=normal
	append=" quiet devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi hdc=ide-scsi acpi=off dxs_support=1"
	initrd=/boot/initrd-2.6.0-0.test9.5mdkcustom.img

its pretty self explaitory, the default thign on abotu the 5th line is the one the will be be booted after the timer runs out. it boots whatever label is written beside default.

kernel arguements are put in the append line.

if u wan tto know more about anythign in it reply back or type
man 5 lilo.conf

[bpark]

The syntax difference doens't look too different. It's only a matter of learning it for future references. I too will suggest sticking with GRUB.

[Dolda2000]

If there is something you need to have explained about GRUB, do feel free to ask it.

[nikhil]

ok...lookin at the vast majority of replies that support grub I guess I'll try my hand at it...thanks for all the replies.