HOWTO: Switch from LILO to GRUB bootloader on Vector Linux

[GrannyGeek]

Here's my lilo.conf file. I thought I had changed it back (with no "compact") but I see I didn't. That means my last sloooooooow dot time happened with "compact" included.

Code:

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda7
default = linux
prompt
compact
timeout = 1200
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
  reset
bitmap = /boot/bitmap/boot.bmp
# 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
# Partition 1: Linux GUI mode
image = /boot/vmlinuz
    root = /dev/hda7
    label = linux
    append = " "
    read-only

# Partition 2: Linux GUI mode
image = /boot/vmlinuz
    root = /dev/hda7
    label = linux-gui
    append = "4  "
    read-only

Any clues?
--GrannyGeek

[Joe1962]

Your lilo isn't in the MBR?

[GrannyGeek]

Your lilo isn't in the MBR?

No. It's on the boot sector of /dev/hdd8. I use the XP boot loader to choose VectorLinux, then the LILO screen comes up. There is just one Linux installation on my laptop. The "dots" appear after I choose Linux on the LILO screen and it completes the boot into VL.

I use the same arrangement on my two desktop computers and don't have a delay there. In fact, the boot completes very fast. So does the laptop once it gets past the "dots."
--GrannyGeek

[MikeCindi]

My laptop is set up similarly to GG's and is very slow with the dots which did not happen with my desktop. I always thought that was the difference between a P4 3GHz processor and a Celeron 2GHz processor. Do you suppose that not having lilo in the MBR is the cause of the slowdown?
BTW, I never noticed the "compact" statement in VL 5.0 or 5.1 releases. It's not in my 5.1.1 SOHO setup (which is about to give way to 5.8 SOHO).

ADDENDUM: Just added compact to my 5.1.1 SOHO and the dreaded dots didn't even show up. The boot process seemed to skip that initial process. Lilo did warn that COMPACT my not be compatible with some LBA32 systems. This is interesting since the desktop still shows the dots without the compact line in lilo but now my laptop does not.

[GrannyGeek]

ADDENDUM: Just added compact to my 5.1.1 SOHO and the dreaded dots didn't even show up. The boot process seemed to skip that initial process. Lilo did warn that COMPACT my not be compatible with some LBA32 systems. This is interesting since the desktop still shows the dots without the compact line in lilo but now my laptop does not.

This is totally weird. With my laptop it makes no difference whether I have compact in LILO or not. I get the dots either way. I think there may be one second of dots on my desktops (which also use the XP boot loader to get to LILO) but there is no delay. So it's only the laptop where there is a delay. It would be interesting to know why.
--GrannyGeek

[SKazas]

Hope this helps....

Yes, this help. Thanks. I am new user in linux and I want to "escape" from the windows. I tried opensuse (and i don't like this distribution), then i tried slakware (oh its very difficult), and now I tried Vector. And..... I loved it! It's works great! it's super fast. A
Now there is may first problem with VL:
I changed lilo to grub, and now I can boot windows or linux (with lilo I can't boot windows). But... I "lost" nice penguin (splashimage???) 
And when I select to boot Linux, I see text on screen, not a "growing penguin".
How to return "growing penguin" and change boot menu to previous (default VL 5.8+ standart+LILO)?

[thump]

I can confirm the load time difference on my VIA CN700/VN800/P4M800CE P4 system. LILO takes 10 seconds longer, spending that time on "Loading Linux.................."

What would be nice to add to this HOWTO would be the necessary entries for getting the boot choices (GUI and TUI), like we get with LILO.

To answer this question, in case anyone is interested,
1) Open the file /boot/grub/menu.lst in your favorite editor, as root.
2) find the section of where your VL install is listed. It will look similar to this:

title Vector Linux 5.8 (2.6.18.5)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.5 ro
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18.5


3) copy and paste the total entry just below the one you currently have.
4) The third line of what you just copied/pasted should start with "kernel /vmlinuz" or "kernel /boot/vmlinuz"
5) Just add a "2" to the end of the line. (I'm guessing on this, since I'm not sure if  runlevel 2 is single user , text mode , and "3" is multi-user text mode. If the TUI choice in VL is runlevel 3, then add that.)
6)At the top, in the line that begins "title" just add the TUI after the name of your install. e.g.

title Vector Linux 5.8 TUI (2.6.18.5)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.5 ro
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18.5


7) There is also a line near the top of the file that reads "hiddenmenu". Comment it out by adding a hash-mark [  #  ] in front of it. This will show all the entries for the systems started by grub. If you are like me ( a "pack-rat" personality) then you may see anywhere from one to X amount of kernels listed, with the newest at the top.
Save the file.
When you re-boot, you will see the names of the installs only, not the other information.

Vector Linux 5.8
Vector Linux 5.8 TUI

hth someone. It's easier to do than it reads.
thump
(aka) Bill