When installing Slackware, when the time comes to dealing with LILO the
Slackware setup script gives three choices for the location where LILO
will be installed: One, the superblock; two, a floppy disk; three, the
master boot record (MBR).

I have always used the MBR, despite the fact that we are warned it is
possibly unsafe (why?) and I understand what it means to install LILO to a
floppy disk. But, what the hell is the superblock? Are there any
advantages to installing LILO there, rather than to the MBR?

Augustus SFX van Dusen wrote:

> I have always used the MBR, despite the fact that we are warned it is
> possibly unsafe (why?)

If you are dualbooting Linux and M$-Windows, your MBR is likely to be
overwritten if you have to reinstall Windows.

> But, what the hell is the superblock?

The superblock is the first block at the partition and it holds vital
information about the filesystem, like what filesystem is used, mount
count, free blocks and inodes. Stuff like that.

> Are there any advantages to installing LILO there, rather than to the
> MBR?

Only that it is safer here, but like you I allways use the MBR.
--
Thomas O.

This area is designed to become quite warm during normal operation.

On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 19:35:56 GMT, Augustus SFX van Dusen <ASFXvD@story.net> wrote:

> When installing Slackware, when the time comes to dealing with LILO the
>Slackware setup script gives three choices for the location where LILO
>will be installed: One, the superblock; two, a floppy disk; three, the
>master boot record (MBR).
>
> I have always used the MBR, despite the fact that we are warned it is
>possibly unsafe (why?)

If the target machine has only slackware installed, use the MBR.

The fun starts when the target machine has multiple OS installed.

You need to choose which OS gains control over the boot process,
it will own the MBR. Also take into account install/recovery
procedures and quirks for the various OS you run.

Therefore, it may be unsafe to install lilo to the MBR if it will
blow away your carefully crafted startup strategy based on a
different OS, or an earlier release of slackware.

> But, what the hell is the superblock? Are there any
>advantages to installing LILO there, rather than to the MBR?

Superblock refers to the partition boot record. Installing lilo
there is only useful with multi-boot systems, where the other OS
may pass control to slackware via the MBR Active flag (eg. MSFT),
or a lilo.conf 'other' stanza.

Example: boot Win98, Win2k, Slackware-10.2 and FreeBSD with MSFT
owned MBR giving boot control to slackware via the MBR Active flag:

http://bugsplatter.mine.nu/test/boxen/tosh/

Grant.

Augustus SFX van Dusen wrote:

> When installing Slackware, when the time comes to dealing with LILO the
> Slackware setup script gives three choices for the location where LILO
> will be installed: One, the superblock; two, a floppy disk; three, the
> master boot record (MBR).
>
> I have always used the MBR, despite the fact that we are warned it is
> possibly unsafe (why?) and I understand what it means to install LILO to a
> floppy disk. But, what the hell is the superblock? Are there any
> advantages to installing LILO there, rather than to the MBR?

This question comes up all the time with ALL distros... whether they use
LILO or Grub.

I wrote this about Mepis and Grub, but the principles are the same. Maybe it
will help.

http://tinyurl.com/9ym32

Al

Augustus SFX van Dusen wrote:

> But, what the hell is the superblock? Are there any
> advantages to installing LILO there, rather than to the MBR?
>
>

Others gave you the technical explanations, this is "My way".
Very 'convenient' install place for someone like me who likes to do
window shopping of the miriad Linux distros. So the 'guest' distro is
installed on some logical partition. And its LILO is directed to install
itself in this partition superblock.
My native LILO has a stanza

other = /dev/hdXY # pointing to the 'hotel' for guests
label = Guest

So now when chosing 'Guest' native LILO calls 'guest LILO' and this one
activates 'guest distro'.
In this way I can re-initialise this partition for other guest(s)
without affecting my "working" and configured install.

HTH

Stanislaw
Slack user from Ulladulla.

On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 22:51:39 +0000, Stanislaw Flatto wrote:

> Others gave you the technical explanations, this is "My way". Very
> 'convenient' install place for someone like me who likes to do window
> shopping of the miriad Linux distros. So the 'guest' distro is installed
> on some logical partition. And its LILO is directed to install itself in
> this partition superblock.
> My native LILO has a stanza
>
> other = /dev/hdXY # pointing to the 'hotel' for guests
> label = Guest
>
> So now when chosing 'Guest' native LILO calls 'guest LILO' and this one
> activates 'guest distro'.

Do you know if this works with distros that use GRUB, Stanislaw, such as
Ubuntu and probably Mandriva (since Mandrake did)?
--
Chick Tower
===============================================
For e-mail: aols . sent . towerboy AT xoxy . net

Chick Tower wrote:

> Do you know if this works with distros that use GRUB, Stanislaw, such as
> Ubuntu and probably Mandriva (since Mandrake did)?

Now I am guessing, it worked with MS-DOS; DR-DOS; NT 5; NT 5.1 and x+1
Linux'es I believe that the booting abilities of Grub will somehow fit
in this crowd.
BTW, every Linux distro that I met had someplace LILO hidden, so once I
learned to use it comfortable, it fits.
From what I understand the call to a partition needs some signature of
booting manager that will "steal" the booting scenario from the calling
one and do its wonders.
And I will give you THE a.o.l.s motto: "Try and see."

Have fun

Stanislaw
Slack user from Ulladulla.

Chick Tower wrote:

> Do you know if this works with distros that use GRUB, Stanislaw, such as
> Ubuntu and probably Mandriva (since Mandrake did)?

Wake up!

In Linux "distros" use what the allmighty installing admin (root) tells
them to use, this is _NOT_ MS-Glassware.

Have fun

Stanislaw
Slack user from Ulladulla.

On 2005-11-29, Stanislaw Flatto <compaid@shoalhaven.net.au> wrote:
> Chick Tower wrote:
>
>> Do you know if this works with distros that use GRUB, Stanislaw, such as
>> Ubuntu and probably Mandriva (since Mandrake did)?
>
> Now I am guessing, it worked with MS-DOS; DR-DOS; NT 5; NT 5.1 and x+1
> Linux'es I believe that the booting abilities of Grub will somehow fit
> in this crowd.
> BTW, every Linux distro that I met had someplace LILO hidden, so once I
> learned to use it comfortable, it fits.
Had the same experience:
Some distros have Grub as first choice, but going back in the install procedure
gives you the possibility to install Lilo on /.


--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mike Slack 10.2
email: micr at zeelandnet dot nl
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++