installed slackware 13.37

[réjean]

Hi all!

I installed slackware 13.37 and left the bootloader on / ( dev /sda10 ). I managed to mount the partition in Mandriva 2011 and managed to remember that lilo.conf is in /etc. So I copied the entry;

title slackware
image = /boot/vmlinuz
 root = /dev/sda10
 label = Linux
 read-only

 

but when I try to boot into it I get an;

error 11. Unrecognized device string.

 

In /boot I saw a vmlinuz -generic-2.6.37.6, a vmlinux -huge-2.6.37-6, a system.map -generic-2.6.37.6 and a system.map -huge-2.6.37.6.

How can I change the entry in mandriva /boot/grub/menu.lst so that I can boot into slackware.

[securitybreach]

If you are using Grub-legacy, then add this to Mandriva's menu.lst file

 

title Slackware
root (hd0,10)
kernel /<vmlinuz_filename> ro root=/dev/sda10
initrd  /<initrd_filename>

 

Check the slackware /boot folder and replace the kernel and initrd with the correct vmlinuz and initrd filenames. Then save the file and reboot machine.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Slack probably installed with the huge kernel by default. You won't need to boot with an initrd when running huge.

 

title  slackware
root   (hd0,9)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda10 ro

 

 

NOTE: The only time you need to install the bootloader to the / partition when installing a Linux distribution is when you plan on chainloading using GRUB. The entry above is a direct boot, not a chainload. This is the better way to do it, in my opinion. However, different strokes...

[réjean]

@josh! I knew that I hadn't seen an 'initrd'file but I couldn't remember using 'kernel' either.

@Eric. Thanks! I got in although I had to make a slight change because I have some distros that see a hda drive (IDE) and a sda (SATA) others see a sda and a sdb, not only that but one is call sda in one distro and sdb in the other or vice-versa. Anyway 'sdb10' did the trick.

I am actually replying from slackware using konqueror.

 

2 quick questions if I may;

 

1. at login time I had

rejean login:

 

to which I replied 'rejean' and entered my password but it didn't work so I am now login as 'root'. Should I do a 'adduser' thing and create a 'rejean' user?

 

2. Finally do you mean that when I install a new distro I can just not install a bootloader at all and then just create an entry in the bootloader I am actually using?

Edited August 26, 2012 by réjean

[V.T. Eric Layton]

1. Yes, in Slack, you have to create a user account once you've completed the installation and booted up the initial time.

 

# adduser

 

Follow the prompts.

 

2. Yes. That is how I boot ALL distributions on my system. Arch controls the MBR on the boot drive on my main system and uses legacy GRUB. I installed my other distributions (Slackware, CentOS, Debian-Sid, Linux Mint, Salix) to their respective partitions. Afterwhich, I created the direct menu.lst entries to boot each one directly.

 

My Arch GRUB menu.lst:

 

# Config file for GRUB - The GNU GRand Unified Bootloader

# /boot/grub/menu.lst

#

# general configuration:

#

timeout 5

default 0

#

# pretty colors:

#

# color light-blue/black light-cyan/blue

# color cyan/blue white/blue

color white/black blue/black

# color white/black red/black

# color white/black white/cyan

# color white/black black/white

# color light-blue/black white/blue

#

#

# bootable operating systems follow:

#

# IMPORTANT --> arch GRUB sees hard drives as /dev/sda=hd0, /dev/sbd=hd2, /dev/sdc=hd1 ~vtel57-042011

#

# (1) Slackware64-13.37

title slackware

root (hd0,0)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 ro

initrd /boot/initrd.gz

#

# (2) Arch64

title arch

root (hd0,4)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda5 ro

initrd /boot/initramfs-linux.img

 

# (3) MS Windows XP/SP3

title windows

root (hd2,0)

map (hd0) (hd2)

map (hd2) (hd0)

chainloader +1

 

# (4) CentOS64 5.6

title centos (t1)

root (hd2,5)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-308.11.1.el5 root=/dev/sdb6 ro

initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18-308.11.1.el5.img

 

# (5) Debian64 6.0.4 "Sid"

title debian (t2)

root (hd2,7)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-1-amd64 root=/dev/sdb8 quiet

initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-1-amd64

 

# (6) Linux Mint 12-64

title linux mint (t3)

root (hd2,9)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=/dev/sdb10 ro

initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic

 

# (7) Salix64 13.37

title salix (t4)

root (hd2,11)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-huge-2.6.37.6 root=/dev/sdb12 ro

initrd /boot/initrd.gz

 

 

# (8) Shutdown

title --> 0

halt

 

 

Everyone has their favorite way. Bruno preferred installing the bootloader to the / partition and then chainloading distros. I prefer to direct boot them. It's all good, just depends on what you find easiest for you.