Clear this up for me?

[Ops]

Ok, Im about to install Slackware 9.1 but Im freakin scared of Lilo.

My NTFS partition is /hda1
then i have /boot
then its the /ext3, which should be /hda3 right?
Then i have the swapspace

So how do I edit my lilo.conf so that it shows my NTFS partition on it?

I mean, do I add so and so lines anywhere after what?

Can I edit lilo through the commandline? or am I going to have to login as root and open up the lilo.conf with something like gedit?

Sorry for the stupid question, this is probably the 2000th thread on asking for help on Lilo but im desperate :(

[Ops]

can anyone help me please? :confused:

[bandwidth_pig]

Hi there. I am somewhat speculating as I have never had the desire to access NTFS partitions from within Linux. But I have done this with FAT 32. I know there are some key differences. But I might be able to get you started. Lets look at what you said:

1. "My NTFS partition is /hda1". Thats good to know. You'll need this info.

2. "Then its the /ext3, which should be /hda3 right?" That sounds possible. Not necessarily though. It just depends on how you partitioned your system. Something that might help you is to look at /etc/fstab. Here is the output of mine:

me@Debian:~$ cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> < dump> <pass>
/dev/hdb1 / ext2 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/hdb2 none swap sw 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/fd0 /floppy auto user,noauto 0 0
/dev/cdrom /cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/hdb5 /root ext2 defaults 0 2
/dev/hdb6 /storage ext2 defaults 0 2
me@Debian:~$

Yours will be something similar. This will tell you what partition you have mounted where.

3. "So how do I edit my lilo.conf so that it shows my NTFS partition on it?" Are you sure it's not already there? If your running a dual boot system...which it very much sounds like you are...I bet it's already there. Here is a partial output of mine:

# 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=Linux

image=/vmlinuz
label=Linux
read-only
# restricted
# alias=1

image=/vmlinuz.old
label=LinuxOLD
read-only
optional
# restricted
# alias=2
image=/vmlinuz.2.4.22
label=2.4.22
read-only
# restricted
# alias=3
image=/vmlinuz.2.6
label=2.6
read-only
# restricted
# alias=4
# 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/hda1
label="WinNT(hda1)"

other=/dev/hdb2
label="Other(hdb2)"

Debian:/home/me#

[bandwidth_pig]

4. "I mean, do I add so and so lines anywhere after what? ". Again...verify that it isn't already there. I would be really suprised if it was not because if it is not, you will not be able to boot into windows at all right now as Lilo should be the first thing you see when your computer boots up if you installed to the MBR...which you most likely did and that is why Lilo makes you nervous. If not for some reason...note in my lilo.conf the following:

other=/dev/hda1
label="WinNT(hda1)

That's my XP install. XP sits on /dev/hda1. The label you can make anything you want. So if not listed, just add it towards the bottom of /etc/lilo.conf. Once you do, save the file and as root:

/sbin/lilo

Lilo will then reload itself and check it's /etc/lilo.conf file. If it doesn't come back to you with a error, your golden as far as lilo goes.

5. "Can I edit lilo through the commandline? or am I going to have to login as root and open up the lilo.conf with something like gedit?" Yes you can edit lilo.conf through the command line. You can also edit it in the GUI (KDE for examlple). It doesn't matter. Whatever is your preference. You will have to be root to do so of course. I use VI. Use whatever editor you are comfortable with.


But as I try to read between the lines here, what it sounds like you want to do is read and write to NTFS partition while in Linux. I have never done this. It can be done. I think...not certain...but you might have to recompile the kernel to have NTFS write support built in if you want to write. If I am wrong somebody correct me on that. I noticed that feature when compiling the 2.6 kernel recently...so I am assuming it must be necessary...but again...have never done this. In order to load your NTFS partition by default when you boot up your going to have to edit /etc/fstab so that your NTFS partition is loaded at boot time to a mount point you specify. For example, lets say you create a new directory under / and call it NTFS (in other words /NTFS). You would just edit /etc/fstab so that it has the information pertaining to your NTFS partition and specify your mount point. Lets look at /etc/fstab again briefly:

Debian:/home/me# cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
/dev/hdb1 / ext2 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/hdb2 none swap sw 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/fd0 /floppy auto user,noauto 0 0
/dev/cdrom /cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/hdb5 /root ext2 defaults 0 2
/dev/hdb6 /storage ext2 defaults 0 2
Debian:/home/me#

If you look at it, you can see the general syntax here. First the device is listed (in your case it was /dev/hda1 if I remember correctly) so you would go ahead and add that. Then you see the mount point. In your case it was /NTFS in the example so add that. You'll need to list the filesystem type NTFS...so add that. You get the jist I'm sure.

[Ops]

This is what my lilo.conf looks like and it doesnt work :(


# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
reset
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# Normal VGA console
# vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda3
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends
other=/dev/hda1
label=WindowsXP

[je_fro]

Have you run "lilo" lately? Are you presented with the option to boot "WindowsXP"? If so, what are the errors?

[DMR]

Originally posted by je_fro
Have you run "lilo" lately? Right. It's easy to forget to do, but you need to re-execute /sbin/lilo after making any changes to /etc/lilo.conf in order to have those changes take effect.

[Ops]

Ok it worked! thanks alot everyone :cool: