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| GRUB or LILO? |
| GRUB |
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78% |
[ 240 ] |
| LILO |
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20% |
[ 64 ] |
| ... what are those? :p |
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0% |
[ 1 ] |
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| Total Votes : 305 |
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EzInKy
Veteran
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 1742
Location: Kentucky
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 Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Nard` wrote: |
You must have a bootloader yes.
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I don't think that's quite accurate. Or, well, I seem to recall that linux can at least boot itself from a floppy. Still though, it just makes sense to use a bootloader as it enables the use of backup and testing kernels.
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mhelvens
Guru
Joined: 17 Mar 2005
Posts: 337
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Nard` wrote: | | You must have a bootloader yes. |
I thought as much. Thanks.
| Nard` wrote: | | And no using LILO becuase its in KDE isn't a good reason at all. |
Why not? If they're both equal in loading Linux for me, it's a small advantage. And if I can have better bitmap backgrounds too...
Anyway, I can understand how some people (probably more experienced than me) prefer Grub. But for now it seems Lilo is better for me.
| Nard` wrote: | | LILO IMO is just as good as GRUB for loading Linux at least. |
Is one of them faster than the other, maybe?
| Nard` wrote: | | Well, you can just emerge -C grub && emerge lilo but you must configure lilo, obviously. You must also install lilo in the MBR every time you make changes, and obviously the first time: /sbin/lilo as root (-v if you want it verbose) |
Thanks. I'll figure it out. |
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andyfraser33
Apprentice
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 166
Location: Oxford, UK
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:27 pm Post subject: Re: does no required os mean you can admin it from ANY os? |
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| deathdruid wrote: | | pioto wrote: | | [list=1][*]LILO has the /sbin/lilo -R <image_name> command to let you select an image automatically for next boot. Does something comparable exist for GRUB? |
Do not think so, but the beauty of grub is that you can boot a kernel that is not even in your config file. Try that with LILO sometime 
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Debian's had a script for ages called grub-reboot that does just that. It's a shame it's not an official part of GRUB (at least I don't think it is).
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Andy. |
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phoric
n00b
Joined: 07 Mar 2004
Posts: 54
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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| I spent years using Lilo but have begun to ween myself off of it, mainly because of the ability to specify the kernel on boot-up rather than having to run /sbin/lilo after changing the config file. It's a little safer. |
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mhelvens
Guru
Joined: 17 Mar 2005
Posts: 337
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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| I can't believe that this can't be automated in Linux. How long does '/sbin/lilo' take? And when exactly do you have to run it? Can't you make an alias or something that does it automatically for you? |
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andyfraser33
Apprentice
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 166
Location: Oxford, UK
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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I use GRUB if for no other reason than I can edit the config at the boot screen. It's very useful if I make a mistake in grub.conf or want to test a kernel parameter before making it permanent or something similar.
To do that in LILO requires booting into Linux (if I'm not there already ddue to a config cock up), editing /etc/lilo.conf, running lilo and rebooting.
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Andy. |
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placeholder
Advocate
Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 2500
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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| I use GRUB because it is more powerful and does not require being re-run. If you do not need that power then just use LILO. |
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phoric
n00b
Joined: 07 Mar 2004
Posts: 54
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Michiel_H wrote: | | I can't believe that this can't be automated in Linux. How long does '/sbin/lilo' take? |
Sure it can be automated, and it takes maybe a split second to run.
| Michiel_H wrote: | | And when exactly do you have to run it? |
Sometime after compiling a new kernel, and sometime before rebooting.  The point is, Lilo doesn't allow you to update the lilo.conf file before booting of the kernel actually takes place. |
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EzInKy
Veteran
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 1742
Location: Kentucky
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Michiel_H wrote: | | I can't believe that this can't be automated in Linux. How long does '/sbin/lilo' take? And when exactly do you have to run it? Can't you make an alias or something that does it automatically for you? |
Of course it can be automated. If you type make install after you finish building your kernel lilo will be run. The thing is, why risk writing to the MBR when it's not necessary?
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mhelvens
Guru
Joined: 17 Mar 2005
Posts: 337
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| I thought the problem was accidentally forgetting to do it, so your system won't boot. |
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EzInKy
Veteran
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 1742
Location: Kentucky
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Michiel_H wrote: | | I thought the problem was accidentally forgetting to do it, so your system won't boot. |
For some it is, but as you pointed out it can be automated. I used to use make install instead of copying my kernel to boot before I switched to grub.
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andyfraser33
Apprentice
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 166
Location: Oxford, UK
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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| EzInKy wrote: | | The thing is, why risk writing to the MBR when it's not necessary? |
That's a very good point. When I used LILO I found 99 times out of 100 it was ok but I have had problems with systems not booting after running lilo. I needed a recovery disk in these cases so I could rerun lilo and boot the machine. Not having to rewrite the MBR every time I upgrade the kernel is a definite plus for GRUB.
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Andy. |
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mhelvens
Guru
Joined: 17 Mar 2005
Posts: 337
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Ok, you've convinced me to keep Grub. It's working perfectly, so why try to fix it. Thanks for the info, everyone. |
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TheChuckster
Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Posts: 91
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 1:10 am Post subject: |
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| I like GRUB. For a while though I was a LILO user. I switched to GRUB only to be pleasantly surprised by the nice default graphical "theme" rather than that blah text only look that Gentoo's LILO uses. It's a nice trade off to be "confused" by the numbering system (subtracting one folks come on) ONCE only as opposed to having to remember to run LILO repeatedly after ever kernel recompiliation. |
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aldube
n00b
Joined: 19 Mar 2005
Posts: 36
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:26 am Post subject: |
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| For me it just has to work; LILO is easy to configure and setup. I´ve had GRUB fail to install or not work load Linux at all; grub caused me more problems than LILO ever did. LILO just works and that´s the way I like it. |
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Ateo
Advocate
Joined: 02 Jun 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Republic of California
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:01 am Post subject: |
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grub. because lilo blows. it's ugly. ever heard of a backgroud image?
I've used both. but in the end, it's grub. it's config is less confusing. |
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Nard`
Apprentice
Joined: 23 Jan 2005
Posts: 250
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Ateo wrote: | grub. because lilo blows. it's ugly. ever heard of a backgroud image?
I've used both. but in the end, it's grub. it's config is less confusing. |
how long are you going to be starting at your boot screen? 
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vrln
Guru
Joined: 11 Sep 2004
Posts: 534
Location: Finland
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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I started with lilo and it has always worked flawlessly and is very easy to configure, so I've never bothered to switch to grub (and won't as long as long as it continues to "just work").
PS: you can have a background picture in lilo too.
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psyqil
Advocate
Joined: 26 May 2003
Posts: 2767
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Ateo wrote: | | grub. because lilo blows. it's ugly. ever heard of a backgroud image? |
Animated, perhaps? |
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totencham
Apprentice
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Posts: 299
Location: Szczecin, Poland
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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I use grub, because it's easy and I heard, that lilo is a bit out dated (no changes for some time). I don't care how the bootloader looks, because I turn the monitor on about when kde is loaded.
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myuser
Apprentice
Joined: 31 Jan 2004
Posts: 218
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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Not sure if Grub has changed that much but LILO definitely had the ability to be beautified more readily.
I still cannot get the colors to work as they should in Grub, but as a bootloader Grub has more tech features so I plump for that. |
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r00tzz
Apprentice
Joined: 09 Apr 2004
Posts: 203
Location: Sao Paulo, Brasil
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| andyfraser33 wrote: | | EzInKy wrote: | | The thing is, why risk writing to the MBR when it's not necessary? |
That's a very good point. When I used LILO I found 99 times out of 100 it was ok but I have had problems with systems not booting after running lilo. I needed a recovery disk in these cases so I could rerun lilo and boot the machine. Not having to rewrite the MBR every time I upgrade the kernel is a definite plus for GRUB. |
Why wouldn't your system boot after running lilo?
doesn't you ever tryied to use several kernels in lilo.conf, so you can always have a good one to restore what went wrong?
BTW, I use lilo because it's just simple... grub took a long time to work, so is quit trying it...
maybe when lilo is deprecated  ... |
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andyfraser33
Apprentice
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 166
Location: Oxford, UK
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| r00tzz wrote: | | andyfraser33 wrote: | | EzInKy wrote: | | The thing is, why risk writing to the MBR when it's not necessary? |
That's a very good point. When I used LILO I found 99 times out of 100 it was ok but I have had problems with systems not booting after running lilo. I needed a recovery disk in these cases so I could rerun lilo and boot the machine. Not having to rewrite the MBR every time I upgrade the kernel is a definite plus for GRUB. |
Why wouldn't your system boot after running lilo? |
Corrupt MBR.
| r00tzz wrote: | | doesn't you ever tryied to use several kernels in lilo.conf, so you can always have a good one to restore what went wrong? |
I always have more than one kernel but that's no use if you can't get to the menu to boot any of them.
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codergeek42
Bodhisattva
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 5142
Location: Anaheim, CA (USA)
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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I use Grub because it seems more straightforward in terms of its configuration and capabilites.
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r00tzz
Apprentice
Joined: 09 Apr 2004
Posts: 203
Location: Sao Paulo, Brasil
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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| andyfraser33 wrote: | | r00tzz wrote: | | andyfraser33 wrote: | | EzInKy wrote: | | The thing is, why risk writing to the MBR when it's not necessary? |
That's a very good point. When I used LILO I found 99 times out of 100 it was ok but I have had problems with systems not booting after running lilo. I needed a recovery disk in these cases so I could rerun lilo and boot the machine. Not having to rewrite the MBR every time I upgrade the kernel is a definite plus for GRUB. |
Why wouldn't your system boot after running lilo? |
Corrupt MBR.
| r00tzz wrote: | | doesn't you ever tried to use several kernels in lilo.conf, so you can always have a good one to restore what went wrong? |
I always have more than one kernel but that's no use if you can't get to the menu to boot any of them. |
Sorry, I didn't mean you don't use more then one kernel at lilo prompt...it was just a thought
Did this problems with corrupted MBR occurs while dual booting or power failure? I used to see people complaining about dual booting with windows nt and when the computer was not shutdown correctly...
This problems seems to be solved, and I think lilo is much more stable, if not the most stable of the bootloaders.... |
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