LILO (the LInux LOader)
Description of Boot
LILO is giving me a message like "L, LI, LIL, LIL?, LIL-"? The LILO start-up code consists of two parts : The "first stage" in a bootsector and the "second stage" in /boot/boot.b. During the installation of LILO a "map-file" is created (usualy /boot/map), where LILO finds the necessary pointers (sector-adresses) to the operating systems (Linux-Kernel etc.) that should be started.
LILO prints its name one letter at a time on the screen. Each letter is a signal that part of the bootstrap process has completed successfully. If lilo freezes your machine during boot-up, you can discover useful information by looking at how far it got before freezing.
- -
- No part of LILO has been loaded. Either LILO isn't installed or the partition on which its boot sector is located isn't active.
- L
- The first stage boot loader has been loaded and started, but it can't load the second stage boot loader (/boot/boot.b). The two-digit error codes indicate the type of problem. This condition usually indicates a media failure or a geometry mismatch.
- LI
- The first stage boot loader was able to load the second stageboot loader, but has failed to execute it. This can either be caused by a geometry mismatch or by moving /boot/boot.b without running the map installer. Perhaps you bilt a new kernel and did not run the "lilo" command afterwards?
- LIL
- The second stage boot loader has been started, but it can't load the descriptor table from the map file. This is typically caused by a mediafailure or by a geometry mismatch.
- LIL?
- The second stage boot loader has been loaded at an incorrect address. This is typically caused by a subtle geometry mismatch or by moving /boot/boot.b without running the map installer. Try rerunning lilo.
- LIL-
- The descriptor table is corrupt. This can either be caused by a geometry bad/mismatch or by moving /boot/map without running the map installer,or not reinstalling lilo (running the lilo command).
- LILO
- Lilo executed with no errors.
NOTE: A possible cause of disk geometry errors is installing all or part of the /boot directory beyond the 1024th cylinder (only likely if your drive is 8GB or larger).