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LInux LOader (LILO) | Free and open-source software

By Monika Sharma, on February 16, 2020

What is LInux LOader (LILO)?

LILO is the LInux LOader, the most well-known boot loader for Linux. It is utilized to stack Linux into memory and start the OS. On a machine with the various OS, LILO can be set up to boot different OS too.

Ordinarily, LILO is at first configured for you during the Linux establishment process. Be that as it may, you may find that default configuration isn't right, or you wish to modify it. Also, there may even come when you have to expel LILO from your PC. Here are a few directions that should help you on your journey.

LILO Dual Boot Configuration

Here, we would describe a basic LILO Dual Boot Configuration where windows are the primary OS installed in the first partition and Linux is to be on the second partition. The commands below can be used as it is except the image= and root= lines as it depends where you've installed the Linux.
The Command for LILO Dual Boot Configuration is,

boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
compact
prompt
timeout=50
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.0.36
    label=linux
    root=/dev/hda2
    read-only
other=/dev/hda1
    label=win

We'll be explaining the use of each line step by step.

1. boot=/dev/hda

This command is used to guide LILO the destination where the bootloader is to be installed. As per this command, it is going into the Master Boot Record available on the first drive i.e. LILO is going to control all the boot processes of all available OS on the target PC from the beginning.

2. map=/boot/map

This is a map file automatically generated by LILO, it is recommended that you don't mess with it.

3. install=/boot/boot.b

This informs LILO about the usage of the new boot sector, this file contains the "Bootstrap" code, don't mess with it as well.

4. compact

This makes the working of LILO faster but might hang your system if it is old enough. Don’t use it if you have one of them.

5. prompt

This will give the user the option of choosing OS or enter the parameters for the Linux Kernel. We recommend you to keep this.

6. timeout=50

This is the time duration given in the tenth of seconds measurement i.e. 50 means 5 Seconds to choose which OS to load while initial boot. If you use prompt and make it 0 or forget it then none of the OS is going to load as LILO will wait forever otherwise if the prompt is not used it loads the default OS.

7. image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.0.36

This is basically the name of the Linux Kernel to boot. “image= *Kernel Name*

8. label=linux

This is used to identify the image of the ISO and select it at the boot process.

9. root=/dev/hda2

This command tells LILO where the root system files reside so that LInux kernel can be mounted during the boot process.

10. read-only

Tells LILO to mount LInux kernel as read-only mode initially, it would change to read-write in the later boot process.

11. other=/dev/hda1

This command tells LILO to boot an OS other than Linux.

12. label=win

Same as the above label.

13. Recovering a lost LILO

If you reinstall DOS or Windows after introducing LILO, you may find that the LILO: boot prompt never again shows up. This may likewise happen if certain disk utilities or hostile to virus utilities endeavor to "fix" your master boot record.
To fix this, you simply need to reinstall LILO. That implies you need to boot into Linux some other way, either utilizing Loadlin or a Linux boot floppy. At the Linux command prompt simply type/sbin/lilo as portrayed under Applying Changes. At the point when you reboot, LILO will be back where it has a place!