>>>I have two machines set up with hda/ running SuSE 7.3 Pro and hdc/ running Win98. Lilo cannot boot the Windows drive. Previously I had this working with older versions of SuSE (started with 6.1), and it even worked after updating the machines to SuSE 7.3, but I did a clean install of hda/. Now lilo says it is booting Win98, but nothing happens. The boot sector on hdc/ is fine. If I recable so it is C:\ on the primary ide, Win98 boots. Is this a problem with the newer version of lilo, or have I missed something. When I run lilo from the shell I get "bios drive 0xF86 may not be available". I haven't had time to research on line. I thought maybe Mr. Kreps might be aware of the issue.
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>>Oh ya! Just this last weekend...
>http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/osbooting/lilo_dual.html explains pretty much what I did... Also, consult section 5.4 of the SuSE manual.
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>>But, try http://www.xosl.org/ first!
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>>The problem appears to be that the initrd file doesn't match the geometry of the HD. Also, be sure to check that the "lba32" line is in lilo.conf, and play with the linear checkbox to see if either on or off will help.
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>>lba32 # Use BIOS to ignore 1024 cylinder limit
>>......
>>### LILO Linux section (default)
>>image = /boot/vmlinuz # Default
>>label = linux
>>root = /dev/hda7 # Root partition for the kernel
>>initrd = /boot/initrd
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>>.......
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>>### LILO other system section (DOS/Windows)
>>initrd = /boot/initrd.suse optional
>>other = /dev/hda1 # Windows partition label = windows
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>My Win98 is on /dev/hdc. Will your suggestion still work? And why did it work in the past before I changed the version of lilo by performing a clean install of SuSE7.3?
--Matthew

Without lba32, the linear option, and the newer lilo, the 1024 cylinder limit still applies. Also, WinXX won't boot except as /dev/hda without a special boot loader. The newer Lilo has that ability but 7.3 doesn't use the newer lilo, IIRC, therefore /boot has to be totally below the 1024th cylinder. Keeping WinXX on /dev/hda and booting the Linux partition from a floppy is an easy solution. Using PC Magic, Boot commander or the freebie I mentioned, xosl, are also common dual boot solutions. BTW, if you devote a second drive to Linux the lilo will work from a floppy IF you put about 10MB on the front end of that drive, otherwise it won't. Another way to boot a Linux partion where the /boot partition in part or whole above the 1024 limit is to use CD1. Go through the language and time requests and on the third screen select "Boot installed Linux system" (third choice on the third screen) and it will boot Linux on the HD. You can remove the CD when the boot is done.

Also, a boot solution I haven't tried (because it requires booting WinXX and I don't have a copy of WinXX, is to use 'loadlin' from WinXX.

So, all in all, the xosl solution is all around the best for dual booting, especially if the WinXX is W2K or XP, which 'check on' HDs that don't carry a WinXX signature.