[SOLVED] New to elilo

Toutatis · 08-16-2021, 02:19 PM

I have installed slackware64-current with elilo boot loader. It runs fine.

My /boot/efi/EFI/Slackware/elilo.conf from installation contains

Quote:

chooser=simple
delay=1
timeout=1
#
image=vmlinuz
label=vmlinuz
initrd=initrd.gz
read-only
append="root=/dev/sdb2 vga=normal ro"

I would like to be able to choose between two kernels, so I would add
for example

Quote:

image=vmlinuz-huge
label=vmlinuz-huge
read-only
append="root=/dev/sdb2 vga=normal ro"

(and copy the kernel vmlinuz-huge to /boot/efi/EFI/Slackware/).

And then run elilo as indicated in /usr/doc/elilo-3.16/elilo.txt
But there is no elilo !

How can I do ? Is this new elilo.conf correct ?

astrogeek · 08-16-2021, 02:50 PM

There should be no need to run eliloconfig again. Just copy the files over, make the changes to the elilo.conf and reboot.

In fact, be warned - if you run eliloconfig again it WILL overwrite your elilo.conf file - keep a backup of your changes.

dr.s · 08-16-2021, 03:06 PM

There's eliloconfig (no elilo command as far as I know) but you've already set up elilo.
I don't think you need to run anything after copying the 2nd kernel.

Chuck56 · 08-16-2021, 03:11 PM

Or add a menu with timeout & default to choose at boot. Replace the names of your kernels & initrds as needed.

Code:

prompt
timeout=50
default=Gen5.13.11
image=vmlinuz-generic-5.13.11
  label=Gen5.13.11
  initrd=initrd-5.13.11.gz
  append="root=/dev/sda2 resume=/dev/sda1" 
  read-only 
  append="root=/dev/sda2 resume=/dev/sda1" 
image=vmlinuz-generic-5.13.8
  label=Gen5.13.8
  initrd=initrd-5.13.8.gz
  append="root=/dev/sda2 resume=/dev/sda1" 
  read-only 
  append="root=/dev/sda2 resume=/dev/sda1"

GazL · 08-16-2021, 03:19 PM

Yes, there's no need to re-run eliloconfig again: you can just copy your kernels in there yourself with 'cp' when they change.

Because I dual-boot with CRUX, I set it up slightly differently to stock slackware, using subdirectories like this:

Code:

$ tree /boot/efi/EFI/Linux/
/boot/efi/EFI/Linux/
├── crux
│** ├── initrd.gz
│** └── vmlinuz
├── elilo.conf
├── elilo.efi
├── generic
├── local
├── slackware
│** ├── initrd.gz
│** └── vmlinuz
└── test
    └── initramfs.img

5 directories, 7 files

Code:

# elilo.conf

chooser=simple
prompt
timeout=50

image=crux/vmlinuz
  initrd=crux/initrd.gz
  read-only
  root=/dev/sysvg/lvcrux36
  append="acpi_backlight=video \
          vt.default_utf8=1 \
          rootfstype=ext4 \
          fbcon=font:TER16x32 \
          nosmt \
          loglevel=2 console=tty8"
  label=crux

image=slackware/vmlinuz
  initrd=slackware/initrd.gz
  read-only
  append="acpi_backlight=video \
          vt.default_utf8=1 \
          rootfstype=ext4 \
          fbcon=font:TER16x32 \
          loglevel=2 console=tty8"
  label=slackware

image=crux/vmlinuz
  initrd=test/initramfs.img
  read-only
  append="acpi_backlight=video \
          vt.default_utf8=1 \
          fbcon=font:TER16x32 \
          loglevel=2 console=tty8"
  label=test

When slackware updates its kernel I just copy the new vmlinuz and initrd files to /boot/efi/EFI/Linux/slackware/. In fact I have a script that does it automatically for me.

rkelsen · 08-16-2021, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toutatis

And then run elilo as indicated in /usr/doc/elilo-3.16/elilo.txt
But there is no elilo !

How can I do ? Is this new elilo.conf correct ?

Unlike lilo, you don't need to run elilo to reinstall it every time you change the configuration.

If it is installed and working, then it is sufficient to edit the config and put the kernel & initrd in the Slackware directory on your EFI partition.

When it boots, you can press tab at the prompt to get a list of kernels. Unfortunately, there is no menu.

Toutatis · 08-17-2021, 05:03 AM

Thank you for the answers.
If a huge kernel is installed I suppose that I don't need the line initrd=...

hazel · 08-17-2021, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toutatis

Thank you for the answers.
If a huge kernel is installed I suppose that I don't need the line initrd=...

You shouldn't normally, no.

GazL · 08-17-2021, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toutatis

Thank you for the answers.
If a huge kernel is installed I suppose that I don't need the line initrd=...

You'll still need a initrd if you're using something like lvm, raid or luks for your rootfs, or for loading cpu firmware, otherwise it's not needed with 'huge'.

pghvlaans · 08-18-2021, 12:30 AM

I've found that huge also needs an initrd if Slackware is a VM guest. Maybe that's just for EFI booting, though.

ethelack · 08-20-2021, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkelsen

When it boots, you can press tab at the prompt to get a list of kernels. Unfortunately, there is no menu.

It is possible to have a elilo menu by editing the "chooser" and "message" options in elilo.conf and including a "textmenu-message.msg" file in the directory.

I have edited the debian example file from /usr/doc/elilo-3.16/examples/textmenu_chooser/textmenu-message.msg and come up with a few themes for the menu.

The gitlab page for it is here https://gitlab.com/ethelack/elilo-te...message-themes

Also available to clone with the command:
git clone https://gitlab.com/ethelack/elilo-te...message-themes ~/elilo-textmenu-message-themes

adcdam · 08-20-2021, 01:55 PM

im using it and it look nice!!

rkelsen · 08-20-2021, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethelack

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkelsen

When it boots, you can press tab at the prompt to get a list of kernels. Unfortunately, there is no menu.

It is possible to have a elilo menu by editing the "chooser" and "message" options in elilo.conf and including a "textmenu-message.msg" file in the directory.

I have edited the debian example file from /usr/doc/elilo-3.16/examples/textmenu_chooser/textmenu-message.msg and come up with a few themes for the menu.

The gitlab page for it is here https://gitlab.com/ethelack/elilo-te...message-themes

Also available to clone with the command:
git clone https://gitlab.com/ethelack/elilo-te...message-themes ~/elilo-textmenu-message-themes

That's excellent! Thanks.

carriunix · 08-20-2021, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethelack

It is possible to have a elilo menu by editing the "chooser" and "message" options in elilo.conf and including a "textmenu-message.msg" file in the directory.

I have edited the debian example file from /usr/doc/elilo-3.16/examples/textmenu_chooser/textmenu-message.msg and come up with a few themes for the menu.

The gitlab page for it is here https://gitlab.com/ethelack/elilo-te...message-themes

Also available to clone with the command:
git clone https://gitlab.com/ethelack/elilo-te...message-themes ~/elilo-textmenu-message-themes

Thank you, ethelack! This is very nice. The absence of menu in elilo was bothering me...

ethelack · 08-21-2021, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adcdam

im using it and it look nice!!

Thank you all for the feedback its good to know that the text-message.msg renders ok on other displays.