Doublebooting

[m***@privacy.net]

I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G memory. I
intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can lilo boot
Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

[Aragorn]

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G
memory. I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can
lilo boot Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.

The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use the
old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for LILO on
how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

[m***@privacy.net]

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G
memory. I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can
lilo boot Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use the
old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for LILO on
how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could but
not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

[Dan C]

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G memory.
I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can lilo boot
Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use the
old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for LILO on
how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could but
not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

Nonsense. Lilo boots W7 just fine.

[m***@privacy.net]

Post by Dan C

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G memory.
I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can lilo boot
Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use the
old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for LILO on
how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could but
not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

Nonsense. Lilo boots W7 just fine.

Which one? lilo or elilo? On what partition? BIOS or GPT?

[Chris Elvidge]

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Dan C

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G memory.
I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can lilo boot
Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use the
old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for LILO on
how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could but
not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

Nonsense. Lilo boots W7 just fine.

Which one? lilo or elilo? On what partition? BIOS or GPT?

You're confused. BIOS or GPT makes no sense. BIOS can boot a GPT disk.
Your question should be BIOS or UEFI.

Is your Win7 install using BIOS or UEFI.
If BIOS use lilo on Slackware - no EFI partition; if UEFI use elilo.

When you installed Slackware, it should have seen an EFI partition if it
was there and advised you to use elilo not lilo. If there was no EFI
partition, it should have advised you to use lilo and asked if you
wanted your Windows partition included in lilo.conf.

[Dan C]

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Dan C

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can lilo boot
Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use
the old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for
LILO on how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could
but not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

Nonsense. Lilo boots W7 just fine.

Which one? lilo or elilo?

Which one did I say? Lilo.

Post by m***@privacy.net
On what partition?

In my case, /dev/sda1

Kind of a stupid question, because it does not matter.

Post by m***@privacy.net
BIOS or GPT?

That does not compute. Can't be answered.

[Chris Vine]

On Wed, 30 Mar 2022 19:20:52 +0200

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G
memory. I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can
lilo boot Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use the
old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for LILO on
how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could but
not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

You have that the wrong way round. lilo can boot windows. elilo cannot.

[Alexander Grotewohl]

Post by Chris Vine

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G
memory. I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can
lilo boot Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use
the old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for
LILO on how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could but
not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

You have that the wrong way round. lilo can boot windows. elilo cannot.

I boot Windows 11 with elilo just fine ??

[Chris Vine]

On Fri, 1 Apr 2022 08:50:45 -0000 (UTC)

Post by Alexander Grotewohl

Post by Chris Vine

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G
memory. I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can
lilo boot Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a system
that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the partition's
boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of the computer to
whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use
the old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for
LILO on how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could but
not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

You have that the wrong way round. lilo can boot windows. elilo cannot.

I boot Windows 11 with elilo just fine ??

No you don't. elilo won't boot windows.

Something is confusing you: maybe you are using your EFI firmware's
boot menu, which has nothing to do with elilo. Possibly you have the
windows boot loader bootmgfw.efi installed as /EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI and
upon elilo failing your EFI firmware happens to be one which will boot
that as a last resort. Again, that has nothing to do with elilo.

[Alexander Grotewohl]

Post by Chris Vine
On Fri, 1 Apr 2022 08:50:45 -0000 (UTC)

Post by Alexander Grotewohl

Post by Chris Vine

Post by m***@privacy.net

Post by Aragorn

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G
memory. I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead.
Can lilo boot Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

When installed in the MBR of the boot drive, LILO can boot DOS or
Windows by basically duplicating what the BIOS would do on a
system that only has DOS or Windows installed, i.e. look for the
partition's boot record, load that into RAM and pass control of
the computer to whatever code was in that boot record.
The BIOS-installed — i.e. non-UEFI — versions of Windows still use
the old DOS mechanism for booting. Look at the documentation for
LILO on how to include a stanza for booting a DOS partition.

Thank you. Meanwhile I know lilo cannot boot Windows 7. elilo could
but not without EFI. So I have to use grub2.

You have that the wrong way round. lilo can boot windows. elilo cannot.

I boot Windows 11 with elilo just fine ??

No you don't. elilo won't boot windows.
Something is confusing you: maybe you are using your EFI firmware's boot
menu, which has nothing to do with elilo. Possibly you have the windows
boot loader bootmgfw.efi installed as /EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI and upon
elilo failing your EFI firmware happens to be one which will boot that
as a last resort. Again, that has nothing to do with elilo.

I've done it like this https://slackalaxy.com/2018/02/09/elilo-dual-boot/

So what you say is correct.. But the important thing is what is
"impossible" for elilo, seems to be pretty easy to do as a side effect of
what you describe. For more than just me and the author of the post.

Would you suggest I should have instead abandoned elilo after reading
what you posted or use it "off label" and go about my day? :)

[Chris Vine]

On Sat, 2 Apr 2022 10:45:22 -0000 (UTC)

Post by Alexander Grotewohl

Post by Chris Vine
On Fri, 1 Apr 2022 08:50:45 -0000 (UTC)

[snip]

Post by Alexander Grotewohl

Post by Chris Vine

Post by Alexander Grotewohl

Post by Chris Vine
You have that the wrong way round. lilo can boot windows. elilo cannot.

I boot Windows 11 with elilo just fine ??

No you don't. elilo won't boot windows.
Something is confusing you: maybe you are using your EFI firmware's boot
menu, which has nothing to do with elilo. Possibly you have the windows
boot loader bootmgfw.efi installed as /EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI and upon
elilo failing your EFI firmware happens to be one which will boot that
as a last resort. Again, that has nothing to do with elilo.

I've done it like this https://slackalaxy.com/2018/02/09/elilo-dual-boot/
So what you say is correct.. But the important thing is what is
"impossible" for elilo, seems to be pretty easy to do as a side effect of
what you describe. For more than just me and the author of the post.
Would you suggest I should have instead abandoned elilo after reading
what you posted or use it "off label" and go about my day? :)

I cannot parse your last sentence; but you said that you can boot
windows with elilo and I was pointing out that you cannot. It will
mislead people reading this newsgroup to suggest that you can.

Whether on elilo failing, your EFI firmware will then boot a windows
boot loader installed as /EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI as a side effect depends
on (i) whether the firmware actually behaves this way on the machine in
question, and (ii) the user knowing enough to install bootmgfw.efi as
the default boot loader.

If you want to boot windows as well as linux, rEFInd is generally the
best answer.

[Steve G]

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G memory. I
intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can lilo boot
Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

[bad sector]

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G
memory. I intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can
lilo boot Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

If I remember correctly w7 and Slackware can both use
a DOS or GPT partitioned disk with BIOS and LiLo, or
a GPT partitioned disk with BIOS & Lilo or UEFI & eLiLo.

HOWEVER when you install Slackware-15.0 and LiLo
only Slackware will boot unless you edit the LiLo config
(this could leave you in an unbootable situation if the
install went south and editing a LiLo conf during install
isn't exactly available). To cover this eventuality I suggest

the Slackware-15.0 install _option_ (offered during the
install) of creating a usb boot stick as well as

the Supergrub DVD which is known for being able to
boot anything anywhere, grub or no grub, including
Yankee Doodle on the neighbour's piano (I could be
wrong here, haven't used it with anything without grub
for decades).

https://www.supergrubdisk.org/

[Pascal Hambourg]

Post by bad sector
If I remember correctly w7 and Slackware can both use
a DOS or GPT partitioned disk with BIOS and LiLo, or
a GPT partitioned disk with BIOS & Lilo or UEFI & eLiLo.

No, Windows cannot boot from a GPT partitioned disk with BIOS nor a DOS
partitioned disk with UEFI. It can only boot from a DOS partitioned disk
with BIOS or a GPT partitioned disk with UEFI.

[Joe Rosevear]

Post by m***@privacy.net
I have an old laptop with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18.04. with 2G memory. I
intend to give up Lubuntu and try Slackware instead. Can lilo boot
Windows? Or do I have to use grub2?

There's another way to look at this.

a computer's BIOS can be configured to boot devices in a given order.
Sometimes, depending on the computer, this gives a useful solution.
Don't change the master boot record on the hard drive. (It works, so
why change it?) Instead change the boot order. Make it boot from CD or
USB first before the hard drive, and make a corresponding boot stick or
boot disk with Lilo, Grub2 or whatever you choose on it. That boot
stick or boot disk will then boot your Linux partition on the hard
drive or on any device. (Set it up to serve your needs.)

To boot from Windows, just remove the boot disk or boot stick. When
you boot the BIOS will go through the boot order looking for something
to boot. Not finding a boot stick or boot disk it will get to the next
boot option, the hard drive, and boot Windows.

Some computers, I have found, don't let you put a removable USB drive
in the boot order. In this case if you know how to to make a bootable
CD, that is still an option. However, I like to use a (USB) boot
stick. So when I'm faced with this problem (not being able to use the
boot order to choose the USB device), I just use the keyboard to
interupt the booting and specify the device to boot from. It's not
hard once you learn how, although which key to press and when to press
it can vary from one computer to another.

On my (older) Dell computer I just press F9 repeatedly when booting to
get a menu. Then I choose the USB drive that I want to boot. Normally
I'm booting a USB drive that besides having Grub2 installed to the
master boot record, to make it bootable, it also has a full (but
modified) Slackware 14.2 installation. Then, if I want to, I can
interupt the Grub2 boot and redirect Grub2 to boot something else.
Normally, however I stop there and use Slackware 14.2.

The world is your oyster!

Incidentally, if your computer has secure boot, you will need to turn
that off. Also what I described works for BIOS booting--I don't know
much about UEFI. You said yours is an older laptop, so I don't expect
either of these caveats will apply.

-Joe

--https://JoesLife.org