Can Ubuntu LiveCD boot another installation?
Matthew S-H
mathbymath at aol.com
Fri May 6 04:35:30 UTC 2005
I recently have been having some problems with booting. I removed
a partition, all of the partitions got their device blocks moved down by
one (ie: /dev/hdb10 became /dev/hdb9). Anyway, more or less, things
are in shambles.
I have been getting help from someone on this list off-list to try to
solve
this problem (thanks cmorgan047 at yahoo.com).
Before I follow his advice and re-install LILO, I would like to ask 2
things:
1.
Is there any way to boot off of a partition using the Live CD instead
of GRUB? (I just thought of this). I noticed that there is an option
on the main menu of the Ubuntu Live CD (all the way at the bottom) that
says "Boot from first harddisk partition". Is it possible to boot from
the second harddisk? I have Windows installed on my first harddisk and
Ubuntu installed on /dev/hdb9, with /dev/hdb10 mounted as /boot.
2.
Which do you all prefer:
LILO or GRUB? (only for those who have tried both)
3.
Anyone here a guru on reinstalling GRUB when a previous installation of
it in the MBR of a secondary harddrive has become, for lack of better
words, confused??
4.
I just wanted a few "second opinions" before I went ahead with
"cmorgan047 at yahoo.com"'s idea and installed LILO. Does anyone see any
problems? Or does anyone have any alternative suggestions that they
think would be better? Anyway, here is an edited copy of his last
e-mail.
> From: cmorgan047 at yahoo.com
> Subject: Re: Partition Table (Resend)
> Date: May 4, 2005 10:42:07 PM EDT
> To: mathbymath at aol.com
[snip]
> trouble is lilo creates files and puts them in the
> boot directory.
> (this directory location is coded into the MBR or
> master boot record)
> lilo needs to write 2 files to the /boot directory
> specifically
> map and boot.0300
>
> this is not a show stopper issue but it makes changes
> different.
>
> if not in /boot we can write them in another directory
> like /realboot
> (which we already know we can mount your boot
> partition here)
>
> (Note: it can be changed back to using the proper
> /boot dir name after you get the first real linux boot
> working (not from a live cd))
>
> mount -t ext3 /dev/hdb9 /mnt
> vi /mnt/etc/fstab (change mount point for /dev/hda9
> from
> /boot to /realboot)
> mkdir /realboot
> mount -t ext3 /dev/hdb10 /realboot
> mkdir /mnt/realboot (used later when rebooting)
> vi /mnt/etc/lilo.conf
>
> unsure how you will get the following text in this
> file into
> /mnt/etc/lilo.conf
>
> you may have to type it in manually (only once)
[snip]
> you should only have one uncommented line for these
> options - other and boot in the lilo.conf file
>
> boot is your boot device (where to write the MBR -
> master boot record)
> this should be the first booting drive. for me it is
> /dev/hda
>
> other should point to the C:/ drive or main boot
> partition for windows.
> Not sure which of the NTFS partitions this is.
>
> lilo.conf (bare)
>
> -----------------------Starts after this line
> -------------------
>> lba32
>> boot=/dev/hda # use if boot harddrive is first device
>> #boot=/dev/hdb #use if boot harddrive is second device
>> install=menu
>> map=/realboot/map
>> delay=20
>> prompt
>> timeout=150
>> vga=normal
>> default=Linux2.6.10.5
>> image=/realboot/vmlinuz-2.6.10.5-386
>> label=Linux2.6.10.5
>> read-only
>> root=/dev/hdb9
>>
>> other=/dev/hdb1 #use if windows is installed on this
>> harddrive b first partition
>> #other=/dev/hda1 # use if you have windows on
>> harddrive (device a) first partition
>> label=windows
>
>
> ------------------Ends before this line
> ------------------------
>
> or
>
> lilo.conf (full)
> ---------------starts after this line
> ------------------------------
>
>> # /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', 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'. |
>> # |
>> |
>> #
>> +---------------------------------------------------------------+
>>
>> # Support LBA for large hard disks.
>> #
>> lba32
>>
>> # Overrides the default mapping between harddisk names
>> and the BIOS'
>> # harddisk order. Use with caution.
>> #disk=/dev/hde
>> # bios=0x81
>>
>> #disk=/dev/sda
>> # bios=0x80
>>
>> # 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/hda # use if boot harddrive is first device
>> #boot=/dev/hdb #use if boot harddrive is second device
>>
>> # Specifies the device that should be mounted as root.
>> (`/')
>> # Placed with each image instead (not here)
>> #root=/dev/hda3
>>
>> # 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: bmp, compat, menu and
>> text
>> # Look in /boot/ and in lilo.conf(5) manpage for
>> details
>> #
>> install=menu
>>
>> # Specifies the location of the map file
>> #
>> map=/realboot/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="boot pass not required"
>>
>> # 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
>> timeout=150
>> # prompt
>> # single-key
>> # delay=100
>> # timeout=100
>>
>> # Specifies the VGA text mode at boot time. (normal,
>> extended, ask, <mode>)
>> #
>> # vga=ask
>> # vga=9
>> #
>> vga=normal
>>
>> # Kernel command line options that apply to all
>> installed images go
>> # here. See: The `boot-prompt-HOWO' and
>> `kernel-parameters.txt' in
>> # the Linux kernel `Documentation' directory.
>> #
>> # append=""
>>
>> # Boot up Linux by default.
>> #
>> default=Linux2.6.10.5
>>
>> image=/realboot/vmlinuz-2.6.10.5-386
>> label=Linux2.6.10.5
>> read-only
>> root=/dev/hdb9
>> # restricted
>> # alias=1
>>
>> # 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/hdb1 #use if windows is installed on this
>> harddrive b first partition
>> #other=/dev/hda1 # use if you have windows on
>> harddrive (device a) first partition
>> label=windows
>
>
> ----------------------Ends before this line
> -----------------
>
>
> install the Master boot record and map files
> lilo -C /mnt/etc/lilo.conf
>
> you should see output
> Adding Linux2.6.10.5
> Adding windows
> with no errors
>
> check in /realboot for the new boot files
> ls -al /realboot/map
> ls -al /realboot/boot.0300
>
> if this is okay remove the cdrom
> umount /mnt
> umount /realboot
> reboot
>
> * steps for this change back to using /boot
> after initial linux boot is fixed:
>
> (needed later - after the first real boot)
> boot into linux
> su root
>
> apt-get install lilo (install lilo)
> it might ask about /etc/lilo.conf do not overwrite
> contents
>
> umount /realboot
> rmdir /realboot (not needed for next boot)
> mkdir /boot (if not already there from before)
> mount -t ext3 /dev/hda10 /boot
> edit /etc/fstab (change /dev/hda9 mount back to /boot)
> edit /etc/lilo.conf (change map=/boot/map)
> ( change image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10.5)
> lilo -C /etc/lilo.conf (overwrites boot files this
> time in /boot)
> if no errors
> reboot
>
> can next install grub if you prefer this instead.
>
> thanks
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
Thanks again to everyone.
~Matt
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text/enriched
Size: 10566 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050506/c1d5635b/attachment.bin>
More information about the ubuntu-users
mailing list