LILO w/out Linux?

[Ruler2112]

I've got a rather odd question. Is it possible to install and use LILO without installing linux? I'm asking because I've done several systems that boot multiple OSs, each of which will destroy the another if they see them. (ie- DOS 6 and Windoze) I've normally installed linux, then used the change-rules in the lilo.conf file to tweak the media descriptor bytes of the appropriate partitions on boot. This way, each OS thinks that the partition for the other OS is a 'non-DOS' partition. It's worked great, except that I need a big chunk of space on the drive in which to install linux. I know there's got to be a way, but have been unable to find one in the howto's and such I've found online.

[vass0922]

Dunno about that method, but one option would be to use something like BootMagic .. same people that make partition magic.
(now ships with partition magic apparently)
http://www.symantec.com/partitionmagic/index.html

There was a free one I can't remember the name at the moment though...

[jkrohn]

This is entirely possible.

What I would do is:
1) get any linux Install CD (Slackware is a good one as it drops you to a prompt). Boot off of it and get to a prompt.
2) Maintain a lilo.conf somewhere on a drive, or a floppy.
3) mount the appropraite drive that the lilo.conf is on
4) lilo -C /path/to/lilo.conf

This should work, though you would need to reboot of the CD each time you wanted to do this.

Jkrohn

[Ruler2112]

How does one boot to a prompt off a linux CD? I've always been taken into the installer directly.

[originel]

it depends on the distro...like it was said slack will take you straight to a prompt and you actually start the installer from the prompt (i have used this many times in fact for non-install purposes).

you could also use a cd-based distro like SuSe live-eval.

[eagle1]

I don't know if this could work but can you just (in the linux install) separate everything (i.e. /home, /root, /boot, etc.) and since grub and lilo info is stored in the /boot partition just delete everyother part except the boot one?

I mean I know this sounds weird but hey, it's your experiment, you could try it!! lol

[SpookyEddy]

For the majority of installations the bootloader (typically lilo or grub) is installed in the mbr and has nothing to do with /boot or its contents. As jkrohn points out it should be perfectly possible to boot off just about any linux rescue/installation media and stick the bootloader you desire into the mbr and never touch linux again.

Regards

ed

[eagle1]

Yeah, I know it installs itself on the MBR but most of the files (to make config changes) are stored there.!
It was just a silly idea! :P