NAME

lilo.conf - lilo 配置文件  

描述

默認(rèn)情況下,本文件 ( /etc/lilo.conf ) 由引導(dǎo)管理程序 lilo 讀取 (參考 lilo(8)).

它看起來可能象這樣:

boot = /dev/hda
delay = 40
compact
vga = normal
root = /dev/hda1
read-only
image = /zImage-2.5.99
        label = try
image = /zImage-1.0.9
        label = 1.0.9
image = /tamu/vmlinuz
        label = tamu
        root = /dev/hdb2
        vga = ask
other = /dev/hda3
        label = dos
        table = /dev/hda

該文件表明 lilo 使用設(shè)備 /dev/hda 的 Master Boot Record (簡(jiǎn)稱 MBR, 主引導(dǎo)記錄). (有關(guān) lilo 使用方法 及與其它操作系統(tǒng) 相互影響的討論, 參考 lilo 文檔中 user.tex 部分).

引導(dǎo)時(shí), 引導(dǎo)載入程序會(huì)等待 4 秒 (40 個(gè)十分之一秒), 使你有機(jī)會(huì)按下 Shift 鍵. 如果沒有按鍵動(dòng)作發(fā)生, 第一個(gè)核心映像文件 (/zImage-1.5.99, 也許你剛在 五分鐘之前 完成的安裝) 將被引導(dǎo); 否則, 引導(dǎo)載入程序會(huì) 詢問你要引導(dǎo)哪一個(gè)映像. 如果你不知道 有哪些選項(xiàng)可以選擇, 按 [TAB] 鍵 (如果使用的 是美國鍵盤布局, 還可以按 [?]), 可以得到一個(gè)菜單, 這時(shí)你就可以 選擇引導(dǎo)較新的核心, 或者是老的穩(wěn)定的核心, 甚至是另外的 根文件系統(tǒng)上的核心, 也可以引導(dǎo)其它的操作系統(tǒng), 在 lilo.conf 中可以配置最多 16 個(gè)映像.

正如上面所見, 配置文件以一定數(shù)量的全局選項(xiàng)開始 (例子中開始的 6 行), 緊接著是各映像的描述選項(xiàng), 在各映像中的選項(xiàng)會(huì)覆蓋全局選項(xiàng).

全局選項(xiàng)

這部分有許多 可能的關(guān)鍵字, 下面部分盡可能按照 user.tex 中的描述進(jìn)行解釋.

backup=backup-file

使用 backup-file 文件 (可能是一個(gè)設(shè)備,如 /dev/null) 代替原來的 /boot/boot.NNNN 存放引導(dǎo)扇區(qū)的備份.

boot=boot-device

指定包含引導(dǎo)扇區(qū)的設(shè)備名稱 (如硬盤分區(qū)), 如果忽略了該關(guān)鍵字, 引導(dǎo)扇區(qū)就從當(dāng)前作為 root 文件系統(tǒng)安裝的設(shè)備讀取 (也可能是進(jìn)行寫入).

change-rules

定義引導(dǎo)時(shí)用于改變分區(qū)類型的數(shù)字 ('隱藏'). 細(xì)節(jié)請(qǐng)參考 user.tex 中的 "Partition type change rules" 部分.

compact

盡力把讀取相鄰扇區(qū)的請(qǐng)求合并為一次讀取. 這可以顯著 縮短裝載時(shí)間并減小映像, 在用軟盤引導(dǎo)時(shí), 強(qiáng)烈推薦使用 `compact' 選項(xiàng).

default=name

使用指定的映像文件 作為默認(rèn)值加以引導(dǎo). 如果忽略了 `default' 選項(xiàng), 配置文件中 第一個(gè)出現(xiàn)的映像會(huì)被引導(dǎo).

delay=tsecs

在裝載第一個(gè)映像之前等待的十分之一秒數(shù). 這在需要激活鍵盤之后立即從硬盤啟動(dòng)系統(tǒng)非常有用, 如果忽略了本選項(xiàng)或設(shè)置為 0 將不等待.

disk=device-name

為指定的磁盤給出非標(biāo)準(zhǔn)參數(shù), 有關(guān)細(xì)節(jié)參考 user.tex 中的 "Disk geometry" 部分. 特別有用的是 `bios=' 參數(shù), BIOS 為磁盤編號(hào)為0x80, 0x81等，但是它不知道 Linux 磁盤對(duì)應(yīng)的是哪一個(gè) BIOS 盤 (因?yàn)檫@依賴于 BIOS 的設(shè)置, 也依賴于 BIOS 的類型), 所以如果你使用的是設(shè)置很特殊的系統(tǒng), 你就必須說明 Linux 磁盤與 BIOS 盤之間的對(duì)應(yīng)關(guān)系. 例如:

    disk=/dev/sda
            bios=0x80
    disk=/dev/hda
            bios=0x81

意思是, 你的第一塊 SCSI 盤 (譯者注: 通常id=0) 對(duì)應(yīng)一號(hào) BIOS 盤, 第一個(gè) IDE 口上的主盤對(duì)應(yīng)二號(hào) BIOS 盤.

disktab=disktab-file

指定包含磁盤參數(shù)表的文件名稱. 如果忽略 `disktab' 選項(xiàng), 映像安裝程序查找 /etc/disktab , 不鼓勵(lì)使用 disktab .

fix-table

允許 lilo 調(diào)整分區(qū)表中的三維地址 (sector/head/cylinder). 每個(gè)分區(qū)表項(xiàng)包含有本分區(qū)起始扇區(qū)與結(jié)束扇區(qū)的三維地址和線性地址, 如果分區(qū)不是對(duì)應(yīng)在整個(gè)磁道上并且有其它的操作系統(tǒng) (如PC/MS-DOS 或 OS/2) 在使用同一磁盤, 它們可能會(huì)修改三維地址, lilo 可以在分區(qū)上保存兩種地址的引導(dǎo)扇區(qū), 如果使用了 `fix-table' 選項(xiàng), lilo 可以重新調(diào)整錯(cuò)誤的三維開始地址.

警告: 這并不能保證其它的操作系統(tǒng)隨后不重新修改地址, 并且發(fā)生其它的負(fù)作用. 正確的方法是對(duì)磁盤重新分區(qū), 使得分區(qū)對(duì)應(yīng)于整個(gè)磁道.

force-backup=backup-file

類似 `backup', 如果原來有同名的備份文件就予以改寫.

ignore-table

通知 lilo 忽略混亂的分區(qū)表.

install=boot-sector

把指定的文件作為新的引導(dǎo)扇區(qū)進(jìn)行安裝, 如果忽略 `install' 選項(xiàng),默認(rèn)使用 /boot/boot.b.

linear

生成線性的扇區(qū)地址代替 sector/head/cylinder 類型的三維地址. 線性地址是在運(yùn)行時(shí)進(jìn)行轉(zhuǎn)換, 它不依賴于磁盤的幾何結(jié)構(gòu). 注意如果使用 `linear' 選項(xiàng), 就不能使用 便攜式磁盤 (如軟盤) 作為引導(dǎo)盤, 這是因?yàn)?決定磁盤 幾何結(jié)構(gòu)的 BIOS 服務(wù)對(duì)于軟盤 不能可靠的工作. 對(duì)于大磁盤使用 `linear' 選項(xiàng)時(shí), /sbin/lilo 可以生成對(duì)不可到達(dá) 磁盤區(qū)域的引用, 這是由于 在引導(dǎo)完成之前 并不知道扇區(qū)的三維地址.

lba32

生成 32 位的邏輯塊地址代替 sector/head/cylinder 結(jié)構(gòu)的三維地址. 如果 BIOS 支持?jǐn)?shù)據(jù)分組 (packet) 定址, 就會(huì)使用這類調(diào)用去存取磁盤, 這樣就可以從大于 8.4Gb 的分區(qū)進(jìn)行引導(dǎo), 變換的幾何結(jié)構(gòu)僅限于是 C:H:S 類型的地址 ; 如果 BIOS 不支持?jǐn)?shù)據(jù)分組定址, 'lba32' 就如 'linear' 選項(xiàng), 地址被轉(zhuǎn)換為 C:H:S 結(jié)構(gòu). 使用 'lba32' 選項(xiàng),所有的軟盤仍保持 C:H:S 類型的格式.

lock

允許自動(dòng)記錄引導(dǎo)命令作為下次引導(dǎo)的缺省值. 通過這種方法, lilo 可以"鎖定"一個(gè)選項(xiàng)直到手工覆蓋它.

map=map-file

指定映像文件的位置. 如果忽略了 `map' 選項(xiàng),就使用 /boot/map .

message=message-file

指定包含有在引導(dǎo)提示出現(xiàn)之前顯示的消息的文件名稱. 在打印 "LILO " 之后等待按 Shift 鍵過程中消息不會(huì)顯示. 在此消息中, FF 字符 ([Ctrl L]) 清除本地屏幕, 消息文件的大小限制為 65535 字節(jié), 如果改變或刪除了此文件, 映像文件必須重建.

nowarn

禁止對(duì)后來的危險(xiǎn)發(fā)出警告.

optional

每一個(gè) `optional' 選項(xiàng) (參考下面) 都作用于所有的映像.

password=password

每一個(gè) `password=...' 選項(xiàng) (參考下面) 都作用于所有的映像.

prompt

在任何按鍵之前強(qiáng)制進(jìn)入引導(dǎo)提示. 如果設(shè)置了 'prompt' 但是沒有設(shè)置 `timeout', 就不能自動(dòng)引導(dǎo)機(jī)器 (需要人工干預(yù)).

restricted

每一個(gè) `restricted' 選項(xiàng) (參考下面) 都作用于所有的映像.

serial=parameters

允許從串行線路進(jìn)行控制. 指定的串行端口被初始化, 引導(dǎo)載入程序接受從此端口和 PC 鍵盤的輸入. 在串行線路上發(fā)送一個(gè)中斷 (break) 相當(dāng)于在控制臺(tái)按下 shift 鍵, 可以得到載入程序的注意. 允許串行線路控制時(shí), 所有的引導(dǎo)映像都應(yīng)該加上口令保護(hù). 比如線路是連接在 modem 上時(shí), 相對(duì)于控制臺(tái), 這是最起碼的安全要求. 參數(shù)串有如下的語法格式:

    <port>[,<bps>[<parity>[<bits>]]]

<port>: 串行端口號(hào), 以 0 為基準(zhǔn). 0 對(duì)應(yīng)于 COM1, 也就是 /dev/ttyS0, 依此類推. 可以使用所有的四個(gè)端口 (如果有的話).

<bps>: 本端口的波特率. 支持如下波特率: 110, 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800 和 9600 bps. 默認(rèn)是 2400 bps.

<parity>: 線路上使用的奇偶校驗(yàn)方式. 載入程序忽略輸入的奇偶校驗(yàn), 即省略第八位, 下面字符描述校驗(yàn)方式 (大小寫均可): n 無校驗(yàn), e 偶校驗(yàn), o 奇校驗(yàn).

<bits>: 字符位數(shù). 僅支持 7 位或 8位, 如果無奇偶校驗(yàn), 默認(rèn)為 8 位, 有校驗(yàn)則為 7 位.

如果設(shè)置了 `serial' 選項(xiàng), `delay' 的值自動(dòng)增加到 20.

例如: serial=0,2400n8 用缺省的參數(shù)初始化 COM1 端口.

timeout=tsecs

設(shè)置鍵盤輸入的超時(shí)時(shí)間 (以十分之一秒為單位). 到了指定的時(shí)間沒有按鍵發(fā)生, 第一個(gè)映像被自動(dòng)引導(dǎo). 類似的, 如果用戶停頓時(shí)間太長, 口令輸入過程也被終止, 默認(rèn)沒有超時(shí)時(shí)間.

verbose=level

打開詳細(xì)報(bào)告過程. 更大的數(shù)字可以得到更多的輸出, 如果在 lilo 的命令行附加了 -v , level 值會(huì)再增加. 最大值為 5.

另外, 核心配置參數(shù) append, ramdisk, read-only, read-write, root 和 vga 也在全局選項(xiàng)部分設(shè)置. 如果沒有在各核心映像部分修改它們, 默認(rèn)是使用了的.

各映像選項(xiàng)

各個(gè)映像部分從任意一行開始.

    image=pathname

(用于指出包含有 Linux 核心的文件或設(shè)備), 或者如下面這行:

    other=pathname

指出要引導(dǎo)的其它系統(tǒng).

在以前, image 行指定引導(dǎo)的設(shè)備時(shí), 就必須用

range=start-end

格式給出扇區(qū)的范圍.

后來 (要引導(dǎo)其它系統(tǒng)) 使用了下面這三個(gè)選項(xiàng) :

loader=chain-loader

指出使用的 chain 裝入程序. 默認(rèn)時(shí)使用 /boot/chain.b , 當(dāng)不是從第一塊硬盤或軟盤引導(dǎo)時(shí), 必須給出 chain 裝入程序.

table=device

給出包含有分區(qū)表的設(shè)備. 如果忽略了此選項(xiàng), 引導(dǎo)載入程序就不會(huì)給被引導(dǎo)的操作系統(tǒng)傳送分區(qū)信息, (有些操作系統(tǒng)可以通過其它辦法知道自己是從哪個(gè)分區(qū)引導(dǎo)的, 如 MS-DOS 通常在它的引導(dǎo)扇區(qū)保存磁盤的幾何結(jié)構(gòu)或分區(qū)信息). 注意: 如果通過 `table' 選項(xiàng)引用的分區(qū)表設(shè)備被修改了, 就需要重新執(zhí)行 /sbin/lilo.

unsafe

在建立映射時(shí)不能存取引導(dǎo)扇區(qū). 這樣禁止某些包括分區(qū)表的完整性檢查, 如果引導(dǎo)扇區(qū)在固定格式的軟盤設(shè)備上, 使用 UNSAFE 可以避免在執(zhí)行映射安裝程序時(shí)需要把可讀盤放入驅(qū)動(dòng)器中, `unsafe' 和 `table' 不兼容.

在上面所示的兩種情況下, 都適用下述選項(xiàng) :

label=name

指出每個(gè)映像的標(biāo)識(shí)文件名稱 (不含路徑). 通過設(shè)置各種 `label', 可以為映像指定不同的名稱.

alias=name

通過使用別名可以為同一個(gè)項(xiàng)目指定第二個(gè)名稱.

lock

(參考前面.)

optional

如果在映射建立時(shí)沒有提供映像文件就忽略它. 這對(duì)于指定 實(shí)際上并不存在的實(shí)驗(yàn)核心是非常有用的.

password=password

通過 password 口令保護(hù)映像.

restricted

如果參數(shù)是在命令行中給出的, 為引導(dǎo)映像就僅需要口令 (如 single).

Linux 核心選項(xiàng)

如果引導(dǎo)的是 Linux 核心, 可以傳遞命令行參數(shù)到核心.

append=string

在傳遞給核心的參數(shù)表中附加本選項(xiàng). 典型的應(yīng)用是指定不能完全自動(dòng)探測(cè)到的硬件參數(shù), 或者是可能有風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的情況. 例如:

     append = "hd=64,32,202"

literal=string

類似 `append', 但刪除其它選項(xiàng) (如設(shè)置 root 設(shè)備). 因?yàn)橥ㄟ^ `literal' 選項(xiàng), 可以無意中刪除掉其它關(guān)鍵選項(xiàng), 所以它不能用在全局選項(xiàng)部分.

ramdisk=size

指出 RAM 磁盤的大小, 0 表示沒有 RAM 盤需要建立. 忽略了此選項(xiàng), RAM 盤的大小就使用引導(dǎo)映像中原來配置的值.

read-only

指出 root 文件系統(tǒng)以只讀方式安裝. 典型地, 系統(tǒng)在啟動(dòng)過程中 (在 fsck 檢查過程之后) 以讀寫方式安裝 root 文件系統(tǒng).

read-write

以讀寫方式安裝 root 文件系統(tǒng).

root=root-device

指定作為 root 安裝的設(shè)備. 如果使用的是 current , root 就設(shè)置為當(dāng)前以根文件系統(tǒng)安裝的設(shè)備. 如果用 -r 選項(xiàng)改變了 root 的值, 就使用各個(gè)自己的設(shè)備. 如果忽略了 'root' 選項(xiàng), 就使用核心中包含的 root 設(shè)備. (該值是在核心的 Makefile 文件中由 ROOT_DEV 給出并在編譯核心時(shí)就確定了的, 以后可以用 rdev(8) 程序修改.)

vga=mode

引導(dǎo)時(shí)可以選擇的 VGA 文本模式. 可以使用下列值:

normal: 普通 80x25 文本模式 .

extended (或 ext): 選擇 80x50 文本模式 .

ask: 引導(dǎo)停止并等待用戶輸入.

<number>: 使用此數(shù)字對(duì)應(yīng)的文本模式. 通過 vga=ask 引導(dǎo), 然后按 [Enter] 可以得到一個(gè)支持的列表輸出.

忽略了此選項(xiàng), 就使用核心映像中包含的 VGA 模式設(shè)置值. (該值是在核心的 Makefile 文件中由 SVGA_MODE 給出并在編譯核心時(shí)就確定了的, 以后可以用 rdev(8) 程序修改.)

參考

lilo(8), rdev(8).
lilo 的發(fā)行版都有很多的文檔資料, 以上僅僅是其中的一小部分.

#p#

NAME

lilo.conf - configuration file for lilo  

DESCRIPTION

This file, by default /etc/lilo.conf, is read by the boot loader installer lilo (see lilo(8)).

It might look as follows:

boot = /dev/hda
delay = 40
compact
vga = normal
root = /dev/hda1
read-only
image = /zImage-2.5.99
        label = try
image = /zImage-1.0.9
        label = 1.0.9
image = /tamu/vmlinuz
        label = tamu
        root = /dev/hdb2
        vga = ask
other = /dev/hda3
        label = dos
        table = /dev/hda

This configuration file specifies that lilo uses the Master Boot Record on /dev/hda. (For a discussion of the various ways to use lilo, and the interaction with other operating systems, see user.tex from the lilo documentation.)

When booting, the boot loader will wait four seconds (40 deciseconds) for you to press Shift. If you don't, then the first kernel image mentioned (/zImage-1.5.99, that you probably installed just five minutes ago) will be booted. If you do, the boot loader will ask you which image to boot. In case you forgot the possible choices, press [TAB] (or [?], if you have a US keyboard), and you will be presented with a menu. You now have the choice of booting this brandnew kernel, or an old trusted kernel, or a kernel on another root file system (just in case you did something stupid on your usual rootfs), or booting a different operating system. There can be up to 16 images mentioned in lilo.conf.

As can be seen above, a configuration file starts with a number of global options (the top 6 lines in the example), followed by descriptions of the options for the various images. An option in an image description will override a global option.

GLOBAL OPTIONS

There are many possible keywords. The description below is almost literally from user.tex (just slightly abbreviated).

backup=backup-file

Copy the original boot sector to backup-file (which may also be a device, e.g. /dev/null) instead of /boot/boot.NNNN.

boot=boot-device

Sets the name of the device (e.g. a hard disk partition) that contains the boot sector. If this keyword is omitted, the boot sector is read from (and possibly written to) the device that is currently mounted as root.

change-rules

Defines boot-time changes to partition type numbers (`hiding'). See section "Partition type change rules" of user.tex for details.

compact

Tries to merge read requests for adjacent sectors into a single read request. This drastically reduces load time and keeps the map smaller. Using `compact' is especially recommended when booting from a floppy disk.

default=name

Uses the specified image as the default boot image. If `default' is omitted, the image appearing first in the configuration file is used.

delay=tsecs

Specifies the number of tenths of a second the boot loader should wait before booting the first image. This is useful on systems that immediately boot from the hard disk after enabling the keyboard. The boot loader doesn't wait if `delay' is omitted or is set to zero.

disk=device-name

Defines non-standard parameters for the specified disk. See section "Disk geometry" of user.tex for details. Especially useful is the `bios=' parameter. The BIOS numbers your disks 0x80, 0x81, etc. and it is impossible to decide which Linux disk corresponds to which BIOS disk (since this depends on the BIOS setup, and on the type of BIOS), so if you have an unusual setup you need to state the correspondence between Linux disks and BIOS disks. For example,

    disk=/dev/sda
            bios=0x80
    disk=/dev/hda
            bios=0x81

would say that your SCSI disk is the first BIOS disk, and your (primary master) IDE disk is the second BIOS disk.

disktab=disktab-file

Specifies the name of the disk parameter table. The map installer looks for /etc/disktab if `disktab' is omitted. The use of disktabs is discouraged.

fix-table

This allows lilo to adjust 3D addresses in partition tables. Each partition entry contains a 3D (sector/head/cylinder) and a linear address of the first and the last sector of the partition. If a partition is not track-aligned and if certain other operating systems (e.g. PC/MS-DOS or OS/2) are using the same disk, they may change the 3D address. lilo can store its boot sector only on partitions where both address types correspond. lilo re-adjusts incorrect 3D start addresses if `fix-table' is set.

WARNING: This does not guarantee that other operating systems may not attempt to reset the address later. It is also possible that this change has other, unexpected side-effects. The correct fix is to re-partition the drive with a program that does align partitions to tracks. Also, with some disks (e.g. some large EIDE disks with address translation enabled), under some circumstances, it may even be unavoidable to have conflicting partition table entries.

force-backup=backup-file

Like `backup', but overwrite an old backup copy if it exists.

ignore-table

tells lilo to ignore corrupt partition tables.

install=boot-sector

Install the specified file as the new boot sector. If `install' is omitted, /boot/boot.b is used as the default.

linear

Generate linear sector addresses instead of sector/head/cylinder addresses. Linear addresses are translated at run time and do not depend on disk geometry. Note that boot disks may not be portable if `linear' is used, because the BIOS service to determine the disk geometry does not work reliably for floppy disks. When using `linear' with large disks, /sbin/lilo may generate references to inaccessible disk areas, because 3D sector addresses are not known before boot time.

lba32

Generate 32-bit Logical Block Addresses instead of sector/head/cylinder addresses. If the BIOS supports packet addressing, then packet calls will be used to access the disk. This allows booting from any partition on disks greater than 8.4Gb, the translated geometry limit for C:H:S addressing. If the BIOS does not support packet addressing, then 'lba32' addresses are translated to C:H:S, just as for 'linear'. Using 'lba32', all floppy disk references are retained in C:H:S form.

lock

Enables automatic recording of boot command lines as the defaults for the following boots. This way, lilo "locks" on a choice until it is manually overridden.

map=map-file

Specifies the location of the map file. If `map' is omitted, the file /boot/map is used.

message=message-file

specifies a file containing a message that is displayed before the boot prompt. No message is displayed while waiting for a shifting key after printing "LILO ". In the message, the FF character ([Ctrl L]) clears the local screen. The size of the message file is limited to 65535 bytes. The map file has to be rebuilt if the message file is changed or moved.

nowarn

Disables warnings about possible future dangers.

optional

The per-image option `optional' (see below) applies to all images.

password=password

The per-image option `password=...' (see below) applies to all images.

prompt

forces entering the boot prompt without expecting any prior key-presses. Unattended reboots are impossible if `prompt' is set and `timeout' isn't.

restricted

The per-image option `restricted' (see below) applies to all images.

serial=parameters

enables control from a serial line. The specified serial port is initialized and the boot loader is accepting input from it and from the PC's keyboard. Sending a break on the serial line corresponds to pressing a shift key on the console in order to get the boot loader's attention. All boot images should be password-protected if the serial access is less secure than access to the console, e.g. if the line is connected to a modem. The parameter string has the following syntax:

    <port>[,<bps>[<parity>[<bits>]]]

<port>: the number of the serial port, zero-based. 0 corresponds to COM1 alias /dev/ttyS0, etc. All four ports can be used (if present).

<bps>: the baud rate of the serial port. The following baud rates are supported: 110, 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800 and 9600 bps. Default is 2400 bps.

<parity>: the parity used on the serial line. The boot loader ignores input parity and strips the 8th bit. The following (upper or lower case) characters are used to describe the parity: n for no parity, e for even parity and o for odd parity.

<bits>: the number of bits in a character. Only 7 and 8 bits are supported. Default is 8 if parity is "none", 7 if parity is "even" or "odd".

If `serial' is set, the value of `delay' is automatically raised to 20.

Example: serial=0,2400n8 initializes COM1 with the default parameters.

timeout=tsecs

sets a timeout (in tenths of a second) for keyboard input. If no key is pressed for the specified time, the first image is automatically booted. Similarly, password input is aborted if the user is idle for too long. The default timeout is infinite.

verbose=level

Turns on lots of progress reporting. Higher numbers give more verbose output. If -v is additionally specified on the lilo command line, the level is increased accordingly. The maximum verbosity level is 5.

Additionally, the kernel configuration parameters append, ramdisk, read-only, read-write, root and vga can be set in the global options section. They are used as defaults if they aren't specified in the configuration sections of the respective kernel images.

PER-IMAGE SECTION

A per-image section starts with either a line

    image=pathname

(to indicate a file or device containing the boot image of a Linux kernel), or a line

    other=pathname

to indicate an arbitrary system to boot.

In the former case, if an image line specifies booting from a device, then one has to indicate the range of sectors to be mapped using

range=start-end

In the latter case (booting another system) there are the three options

loader=chain-loader

This specifies the chain loader that should be used. By default /boot/chain.b is used. The chain loader must be specified if booting from a device other than the first hard or floppy disk.

table=device

This specifies the device that contains the partition table. The boot loader will not pass partition information to the booted operating system if this variable is omitted. (Some operating systems have other means to determine from which partition they have been booted. E.g., MS-DOS usually stores the geometry of the boot disk or partition in its boot sector.) Note that /sbin/lilo must be re-run if a partition table mapped referenced with `table' is modified.

unsafe

Do not access the boot sector at map creation time. This disables some sanity checks, including a partition table check. If the boot sector is on a fixed-format floppy disk device, using UNSAFE avoids the need to put a readable disk into the drive when running the map installer. `unsafe' and `table' are mutually incompatible.

In both cases the following options apply.

label=name

The boot loader uses the main file name (without its path) of each image specification to identify that image. A different name can be used by setting the variable `label'.

alias=name

A second name for the same entry can be used by specifying an alias.

lock

(See above.)

optional

Omit the image if it is not available at map creation time. This is useful to specify test kernels that are not always present.

password=password

Protect the image by a password.

restricted

A password is only required to boot the image if parameters are specified on the command line (e.g. single).

KERNEL OPTIONS

If the booted image is a Linux kernel, then one may pass command line parameters to this kernel.

append=string

Appends the options specified to the parameter line passed to the kernel. This is typically used to specify parameters of hardware that can't be entirely auto-detected or for which probing may be dangerous. Example:

     append = "hd=64,32,202"

literal=string

Like `append', but removes all other options (e.g. setting of the root device). Because vital options can be removed unintentionally with `literal', this option cannot be set in the global options section.

ramdisk=size

This specifies the size of the optional RAM disk. A value of zero indicates that no RAM disk should be created. If this variable is omitted, the RAM disk size configured into the boot image is used.

read-only

This specifies that the root file system should be mounted read-only. Typically, the system startup procedure re-mounts the root file system read-write later (e.g. after fsck'ing it).

read-write

This specifies that the root file system should be mounted read-write.

root=root-device

This specifies the device that should be mounted as root. If the special name current is used, the root device is set to the device on which the root file system is currently mounted. If the root has been changed with -r , the respective device is used. If the variable `root' is omitted, the root device setting contained in the kernel image is used. (And that is set at compile time using the ROOT_DEV variable in the kernel Makefile, and can later be changed with the rdev(8) program.)

vga=mode

This specifies the VGA text mode that should be selected when booting. The following values are recognized (case is ignored):

normal: select normal 80x25 text mode.

extended (or ext): select 80x50 text mode.

ask: stop and ask for user input (at boot time).

<number>: use the corresponding text mode. A list of available modes can be obtained by booting with vga=ask and pressing [Enter].

If this variable is omitted, the VGA mode setting contained in the kernel image is used. (And that is set at compile time using the SVGA_MODE variable in the kernel Makefile, and can later be changed with the rdev(8) program.)

SEE ALSO

lilo(8), rdev(8).
The lilo distribution comes with very extensive documentation of which the above is an extract.