How to change bootable partition in linux.

[success1124]

Hi ,
I need help in changing the bootble parttion in linux using lilo. Presently when i boot the system i will be booting from primary partition(/dev/sda1) . Is there any command to to change the bootable partition to secondary(/dev/sda2) ? Please help me.

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

Are you using Lilo of distro installed in /dev/sda1? Do you want to add another distro installed in /dev/sda2? Or do you want to re-install Lilo of /dev/sda2 and use /dev/sda1 for other purpose?

[success1124]

Hi and Welcome !

Are you using Lilo of distro installed in /dev/sda1? Do you want to add another distro installed in /dev/sda2? Or do you want to re-install Lilo of /dev/sda2 and use /dev/sda1 for other purpose?

My set up is such that, i have one OS on /dev/sda1(primary partion) and another on /dev/sda2(secondary partition). On both both partitions i have linux OS, only but different versions. how do i switch to another partiton using commands.

[devils casper]

Which Linux distros have been installed in both partitions? Are you planning to setup dual boot?

You can add an entry of other OS in Lilo menu. Post the contents of /etc/lilo.conf file here. Post the output of fdisk -l command too.

[success1124]

Which Linux distros have been installed in both partitions? Are you planning to setup dual boot?

You can add an entry of other OS in Lilo menu. Post the contents of /etc/lilo.conf file here. Post the output of fdisk -l command too.

I am using carrier grade edition linux , i need a tool(or command) such that if i am in primary partition(/dev/sda1) after executing that command, for next reboot i need to login to other partition(/dev/sda2) .

The contents of /etc/lilo.conf is
boot=/dev/sda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
disk=/dev/sda
bios=0x80
lba32
verbose=0
timeout=40

prompt
default=Primary
read-only

image=/boot/bzImage
label=Primary
root=/dev/md0
append="reboot=t md=0 ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"
read-only

image=/boot/bzImage
label=Recover
root=/dev/sda3
append="reboot=t ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"

image=/boot/bzImage
label=SecRoot
root=/dev/sda2
append="reboot=t ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"


Output for fdisk -l is

Disk /dev/hda: 2048 MB, 2048385024 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 249 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x3db012b3

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 5 40131 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 6 31 208845 83 Linux
/dev/hda3 32 36 40162+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda4 37 62 208845 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sda: 146.8 GB, 146815737856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 17849 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6274237a

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 2 1021 8193150 fd Linux raid autodetect
/dev/sda2 1022 2041 8193150 fd Linux raid autodetect
/dev/sda3 2042 3061 8193150 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 3062 17849 118784610 8e Linux LVM

Disk /dev/md0: 8389 MB, 8389656576 bytes
2 heads, 4 sectors/track, 2048256 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8 * 512 = 4096 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/md0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-0: 4194 MB, 4194304000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 509 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-1: 7340 MB, 7340032000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 892 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-1 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-2: 2097 MB, 2097152000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 254 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-2 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-3: 1048 MB, 1048576000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 127 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-3 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-4: 8388 MB, 8388608000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1019 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-4 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-5: 12.5 GB, 12582912000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1529 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-5 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-6: 7516 MB, 7516192768 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-6 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-7: 4294 MB, 4294967296 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 522 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-7 doesn't contain a valid partition table

[devils casper]

An entry for Second partition (/dev/sda2) is available in lilo.conf file already. Set its label as default.

boot=/dev/sda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
disk=/dev/sda
bios=0x80
lba32
verbose=0
timeout=40

prompt
default=SecRoot
read-only

image=/boot/bzImage
label=Primary
root=/dev/md0
append="reboot=t md=0 ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"
read-only

image=/boot/bzImage
label=Recover
root=/dev/sda3
append="reboot=t ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"

image=/boot/bzImage
label=SecRoot
root=/dev/sda2
append="reboot=t ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"

Make sure to execute lilo command as root after editing lilo.conf file.

[success1124]

An entry for Second partition (/dev/sda2) is available in lilo.conf file already. Set its label as default.

boot=/dev/sda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
disk=/dev/sda
bios=0x80
lba32
verbose=0
timeout=40

prompt
default=SecRoot
read-only

image=/boot/bzImage
label=Primary
root=/dev/md0
append="reboot=t md=0 ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"
read-only

image=/boot/bzImage
label=Recover
root=/dev/sda3
append="reboot=t ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"

image=/boot/bzImage
label=SecRoot
root=/dev/sda2
append="reboot=t ip=off panic=5 quiet console=ttyS0,115200n81"

Make sure to execute lilo command as root after editing lilo.conf file.

Is there any other way of doing this other than modifying the lilo.conf file?