installing linux with lilo dec 2007
a computer first looks for the bios - to determine what hardware is available (processor, ram, mobo, etc.)
next the bios loads a bootloader, normally in the "master boot record", special code in special bytes on the storage device (floppy, cd, ide, scsi, usb, etc.)
the bootloader then puts the first os code into ram - which then boots up - the os starts it's own detection of hardware and initial processes.
for windowsxp it's c:\windows\system32\config
it loads the registry as a listing of installed apps (and where their files are) - and drivers (SAM, security, system, etc. hives)
aka HKCU (hive kernel current user?)
for linux it's the vmlinux (kernel image) and initrd
as per my dec05 instructions:
cp -a /* /mnt (From the root of a working linux system)
Things that ought to be on the hard drive:
/bin /etc /dev /sbin /lib /boot?
/usr /tmp /proc
at the prompt, linux root=/dev/hda2
in /etc are the config files for lilo.conf
My extra simple lilo.conf looked like this:
boot = /dev/hda
map = /boot/system.map
install = boot/boot.b
timeout = 1
vga = normal
image = /boot/linux
root = /dev/hda2
label = linux
read-write
cp -a -b /boot/* /mnt/hda1/boot
- - - - - - - - - -
using qemu:
qemu-img create tomsrtbt.img 256M
qemu -L . -hda tomsrtbt.img -fda tomsrtbt-2.0.103.ElTorito.288.img -boot a -m 256
fdisk -> m help -> n new -> p primary -> all defaults (use all 256 MB)
-> t type -> 83 (linux, 82=swap)
mke2fs /dev/hda1
cd /mnt
mkdir hda1
mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1