redhat man page for lilo

LILO(8) 						      System Manager's Manual							   LILO(8)

NAME
       lilo - install boot loader

SYNOPSIS
       Main function:

	/sbin/lilo - install boot loader

       Auxiliary uses:

	/sbin/lilo -q - query map
	/sbin/lilo -R - set default command line for next reboot
	/sbin/lilo -I - inquire path name of current kernel
	/sbin/lilo {-u|-U} - uninstall lilo

DESCRIPTION
       lilo installs a boot loader that will be activated next time you boot.  It has lots of options.

       -v     Increase verbosity. Giving one or more -v options will make lilo more verbose.

       -q     List  the currently mapped files.  lilo maintains a file, by default /boot/map, containing the name and location of the kernel(s) to
	      boot.  This option will list the names therein.

       -m map-file
	      Use specified map file instead of the default.

       -C config-file
	      lilo reads its instructions about what files to map from its config file, by default /etc/lilo.conf.  This option  can  be  used	to
	      specify a non-default config file.

       -d delay
	      If  you have specified several kernels, and press Shift at boot-time, the boot loader will present you with a choice of which system
	      to boot. After a timeout period the first kernel in the list is booted. This option specifies the timeout delay in deciseconds.

       -D label
	      Use the kernel with the given label, instead of the first one in the list, as the default kernel to boot.

       -r root-directory
	      Before doing anything else, do a chroot to the indicated directory. Used for repairing a setup from a boot floppy.

       -t     Test only. Do not really write a new boot sector or map file.  Use together with -v to find out what lilo is about to do.

       -c     Enable map compaction. This will merge read requests from adjacent sectors. Speeds up the booting (especially from floppy).

       -f disk-tab
	      Specify disk geometry parameter file. (The default is /etc/disktab.)

       -i boot-sector
	      Specify a file to be used as the new boot sector. (The default is /boot/boot.b.)

       -l     Generate linear sector addresses instead of sector/head/cylinder addresses.

       -L     Generate 32-bit Logical Block Addresses instead of C:H:S addresses, allowing access to all partitions on disks greater than 8.4Gb.

       -P {fix|ignore}
	      Fix (or ignore) `corrupt' partition tables, i.e., partition tables with linear and sector/head/cylinder addresses that do not corre-
	      spond.

       -s save-file
	      When  lilo overwrites the boot sector, it preserves the old contents in a file, by default /boot/boot.NNNN where NNNN depends on the
	      device. This option specifies an alternate save file for the boot sector. (Or, together with the -u option, specifies from where	to
	      restore the boot sector.)

       -S save-file
	      Normally, lilo will not overwrite an existing save file. This options says that overwriting is allowed.

       -u device-name
	      Uninstall lilo, by copying the saved boot sector back. A time-stamp is checked.

       -U device-name
	      Idem, but do not check the time-stamp.

       -R command line
	      This  option sets the default command for the boot loader the next time it executes. The boot loader will then erase this line: this
	      is a once-only command. It is typically used in reboot scripts, just before calling `shutdown -r'.

       -I label
	      The label of the running kernel can be found in the environment variable BOOT_IMAGE after startup. This command will print the  cor-
	      responding path name on stdout.

       -V     Print version number.

       The above command line options correspond to the key words in the config file indicated below.

	      -b bootdev      boot=bootdev
	      -c	      compact
	      -d dsec	      delay=dsec
	      -D label	      default=label
	      -i bootsector   install=bootsector
	      -f file	      disktab=file
	      -l	      linear
	      -L	      lba32
	      -m mapfile      map=mapfile
	      -P fix	      fix-table
	      -P ignore       ignore-table
	      -s file	      backup=file
	      -S file	      force-backup=file
	      -v	      verbose=level

SEE ALSO
       lilo.conf(5).
       The lilo distribution comes with very extensive documentation.

AUTHOR
       Werner Almesberger (almesber@bernina.ethz.ch).
       John Coffman (johninsd@san.rr.com) (lba32 extensions).

								   20 March 2000							   LILO(8)