Help File Library: Multiple OS Booting Without LILO

Here is a slick way to use Windows 95/98 to multi-boot another operating system!

NOTE: Eclipse has included beta instructions for adding WinME to these instructions. Here's the link.

1. Download and install Loadlin in C:\Loadlin directory in Windows.
2. In the Loadlin directory, modify the linux.bat file to "point" to the drive and partition that contains your Linux installation. I.e, if you have Linux on the second partition on your D drive, you could use:

   loadlin c:\vmlinuz root=/dev/hdb2 ro
   

   Or, if you have Linux on a UMSDOS directory on your 'C' drive, you could use:

   loadlin c:\vmlinuz root=/dev/hda1 rw
   

3. Copy your compressed kernel (i.e., vmlinuz) to C:\ on your Windows partition.
4. Edit your C:\msdos.sys file to change the following values to zeros:

      [Options]
      BootGUI=0
      BootDelay=0
      BootMenu=0
      Logo=0
   

5. Replace the contents of C:\config.sys file with the following:

      [Menu]
   
      menuitem=Win95, start Windows 95... (or Win98, start Windows 98...)
      menuitem=dos, start MS-DOS...
      menuitem=Linux, start Linux...
      menudefault=Win95,5 (or Win98,5)
   
   
      [Win95] (or [Win98])
      DEVICE=WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
      DEVICE=WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
      DOS=HIGH,UMB
   
      [dos]
      DEVICE=WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
      DEVICE=WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
      DOS=HIGH,UMB
   
      [Linux]
   

6. Add the following to the BOTTOM of your C:\autoexec.bat file:

     goto %config%
   
     :Win95 (or :Win98)
     win
     goto end
   
     :dos
     goto end
   
     :Linux
     cd loadlin
     linux
   
     :end
   

7. When you boot up your computer, you will be presented with a "Start Up" menu with three choices:
   

      Start Windows 95 (or Windows 98)
      Start MS-Dos
      Start Linux
   

8. If you do NOTHING, Windows will auto-boot in 5 seconds. If you want to boot Dos or Linux, you must select one within the 5 seconds.
9. Loadlin will let you pass commands to the kernel, if necessary. (just like Lilo)

Making your Boot Floppy

1. Place a blank 1.44 Mb. floppy into your A Drive.
2. Using the Dos Prompt, type format a: /s and then press enter.
3. Copy loadlin.exe from the C:\loadlin directory onto the floppy.
4. Copy your vmlinuz file from C:\ onto the floppy.
5. Create an autoexec.bat file on the floppy with the following lines:

      @ECHO OFF
      rem
      rem Loadlin  root= ro|rw
      rem
      rem Other information may need to be passed to the kernel through
      Loadlin.
      rem See llmanual.txt included with Loadlin for more information.
      rem
      LOADLIN a:\vmlinuz root=/dev/hda1 ro (the hda1 is an example only: see
      below)
   

Following the examples from step 2 above, use hda, hdb, hdc, or hdd to denote your drive and partition number where your Linux is installed.

When you use Loadlin as your boot manager, you will always skip any steps that refer to the use of Lilo.

I like this much better than Lilo because it does not alter the Windows MBR! Never again will you see that annoying "Li" without the "lo"!

Following the above example of the autoexec.bat and config.sys files, you can also add selections for even more operating systems such as OS/2 or BSD, etc.

There is no limit to the number of systems that you can boot with this method. Better buy lots of hard drives!