SDB:Switching to GRUB after Updating to SuSE 8.1
Version: 8.1
Situation
After updating to SuSE Linux 8.1, LILO remains as the boot loader (see also The Boot Loader Concept in SuSE Linux 8.1]]
Procedure
You cannot use the boot manager GRUB in SuSE Linux 8.1 if your root partition is installed on a Raid system (including Software Raid or LVM).
In addition, switching from the installed boot manager to GRUB and any potential boot problems resulting from it exceed the scope of the free-of-charge installation support. However, our Advanced Support Service is available. For more information about our Advanced Support Service, refer to http://www.suse.de/en/services/support/private/advanced.html.
If you used the standard software selection for the update, GRUB has already been installed on your system. If you just updated the existing packages, install the package grub with YaST2.
YaST2's boot loader configuration dialog must also be shifted to GRUB before it can be used. Proceed as follows:
Close all open YaST2 dialogs.
The variable for the INITRD module in the file /etc/sysconfig/kernel will be overwritten by mistake due to a bug in YaST2. Therefore, make a backup of this file so you can restore it afterwards:
cp /etc/sysconfig/kernel /tmp
Now edit the file /etc/sysconfig/bootloader and change the variable LOADER_TYPE to:
LOADER_TYPE="grub"
This change enables you to configure GRUB with YaST2's boot loader configuration dialog. Start this dialog by launching the YaST2 Control Center. The dialog "Boot loader configuration" can be found under "System".
Select Restore original configuration and press Finish. GRUB's configuration files will be created and the boot loader will be installed. LILO will be overwritten.
As mentioned above, the variable for the INITRD module will be reset. Therefore, INITRD must be recreated. Restore the backup file with:
cp /tmp/kernel /etc/sysconfig/
and execute the command
mk_initrd
INITRD will be recreated and all the required modules will be integrated.
Attention: When subsequently creating GRUB's menu file in /boot/grub/menu.lst with YaST, only the Linux partitions will be entered in the boot menu. Other existing operating systems must be inserted manually or with YaST2's boot loader configuration dialog (Change current configuration).
To return YaST2's boot loader configuration dialog to LILO, change the following variable in the file /etc/sysconfig/bootloader to:
LOADER_TYPE="lilo"
SDB:The Boot Loader Concept in SuSE Linux 8.1
<keyword>grub,lilo,update,booting,bootmanager,bootloader</keyword>