LILO: Linux Loader is the traditional boot loader and it is perhaps still used in servers that run Linux as their Operating system. Grub or the GRand Unified Boot Loader replaced it as the 'cool' and secure alternative.

LILO has a configuration script-lilo.conf-located under the /boot partition. This is the file that LILO reads during the booting of a system.

The file lilo.conf may look similar to the one below:

boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout=10
message=/boot/message
lba32
default=LINUX-MINE

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.0-0.43.6
label=LINUX-MINE
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.0-0.43.6.img
read-only
root=/dev/hda5

Among the few things that you can change here are:

'timeout'= This is the maximum time in seconds to choose an OS to boot; else it will boot default

'default'= Type the label on the OS you want to boot as default on timeout.

'label'= You can type just about anything here. Put 'Billlllie's OS' as the label for Windows operating system and LILO will display it that way.

After you have made changes in the configuration script file of LILO. you will have to issue a set of commands in order to finalize the changes. They are:

#lilo-v [Enter]

#lilo-t [Enter]

If you do not get any error messages then LILO is configured correctly. You may also choose to issue:

#/sbin/lilo [Enter]

The error-free output should be:

Added LINUX-MINE

Added Windows XP

If you see anything other than this then something has gone wrong. Go through the entire configuration file and also check the man file if you have any doubt. Man file can be accessed by issuing 'man lilo'.

Thanks for reading