Recover the bootsplash after dual-boot hdd install

[Re@lity]

I've had a quite a few questions regarding the BT bootsplash / fbsplash that disappears after following the dual-boot install guides.
Lots of people, it seems, are quite disappointed to see the slick boot-screens are gone, when they reboot after doing a dual-boot hdd install.

Yes, I know it's not exactly important, but it's a nice piece of eye-candy, adding to the slick look of BT2

(I apologise if this has since been added to any of the "dual-boot guides" around here)

So, it's *very* simple:

Open lilo.conf (found at etc/lilo.conf) in a text editor like kate or even kwrite, etc.
Look at the top section, the "Lilo Global" config section, where you see the entries such as "prompt" and "timeout=xxx" lines. Now add the following *bold text* example lines to your file, beneath the "prompt" and "timeout=xxx" lines, so the top section will look something like:

#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/sda
prompt
timeout = 300
bitmap=/boot/splash.bmp
vga = 0x317
# blah blah blah ...........

The "boot = /dev/sda" may be slightly different on your machine. It just depends where you have BT2 installed. You *do not* have to change this line!
The "timeout = 300" again may be different in your file. You do not need to change that either!
You only need to add the *bold* text in the example!

Comment out (that means add the # symbol to the beginning of the line) any other vga=xxx entry you may have been using.
If it should turn out that you do need to use any other specific vga=xxx entry, you can always change it back later.
(all of my laptops, which vary greatly in graphics and screen sizes, are happy with the "vga = 0x317" entry. Of course, I cannot be sure about everyone else's!)


Near the bottom of the file, where the "global section" ends and the "Linux bootable partition config" begins, append to that the following *bold text* example line:

# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
initrd = /boot/splash.initrd
root = /dev/sda
label = Back|Track2

Again, my "root = /dev/sda" may be different from yours. You *do not* need to alter that line.
My "label = Back|Track2" line may be different from yours. You *do not* need to alter that line either!
Run "lilo" from the console.

I have tried to write this up in as simple terms as I possibly can, that just about *anyone* should be able to follow, in an effort to hopefully pre-empt and eliminate any silly questions, before they arise

Enjoy your "new found" splash screens

[balding_parrot]

Just a quick point, if you follow the dualboot video from the wiki, you will find that you will need to copy the missing files from the boot folder on the cd, as they are not copied if you follow the video.

[Re@lity]

Thanks for pointing that out.
I knew, however much I tried for a "comprehensive" guide, it just wouldn't work out

I should point out that this "mini guide" is based on a hdd install that has been achieved by simply running the built-in BT2 installer, then booting into your new BT2 install, then running liloconfig to add your windows install to the boot menu.
This mini-guide will pick things up from there...
I suppose that's the "old fashioned" way to install BT these days!

[balding_parrot]

We all do it, no matter how hard we try to cover every angle, there will always be something that gets overlooked.

[dmanhot101]

Great Explanation it works perfect
THANKS! i was looking for that

[-=Xploitz=-]

Here's an alternative to this,....

but the kicker is that it must be done on a fresh BT2 dual boot installation!!

Please note:>>>>>

I haven't tested this method out after doing a full dual boot HDD installation from following muts video.






In his video he leaves out the

initrd = /boot/splash.initrd

line. In muts video..he doesn't use this line..he just shows you how to get BT2 up and running without the flashy bootsplash.



In the following method, I leave out the line

bitmap=/boot/splash.bmp

that was mentioned by Re@lity....and it still worked.

So heres my alternative to try on a fresh install of BT2 with XP or another type of dual boot.








You know what Re@lity....,


I was harassing balding_parrot about this when I got my donated HD and DH caddy from these 2 really awesome people here on this forum ....and I asked him (b_p) and purehate as well on how to get the cool bootsplash when I did my HDD install and I found that the easiest way to do this was to install BT2 following the dual boot video of muts...and if you read the very end of the video where he is editing lilo..it tells ya how to get the bootsplash...but its kinda tricky...so I'll explain the best way I can....The E-Z'est way possible.


1. Install BT2 by following the awesome video tutorial by muts (making the necessary corrections (see the wiki for more details)) here>>>

http://www.offensive-security.com/mo.../dualboot.html

Now do everything until he says to do

control O to save....and control x to exit

don't do that step yet!!!!

instead,..add this line to your lilo.conf thats below in bold into your lilo.conf.

initrd = /boot/splash.initrd to right in between here>>>>>

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
initrd = /boot/splash.initrd
root = /dev/sda
label = Back|Track2
now, save with

control o

and exit with

control x

now just type in ..

lilo -v

And your done!! Reboot...and enjoy the cool boot splash.

[solution]

nothing worked for me on an older install..


please help

[Re@lity]

....... In the following method, I leave out the line

bitmap=/boot/splash.bmp

And it still works......

The bit you're leaving out from the global config section (bitmap=/boot/splash.bmp) is the framebuffer splash which is used by lilo during the boot screen where you choose which OS to boot. This is "another" splash screen, if you want to look at it that way - there are 2 splash screens used, fbsplash & bootsplash.

The main bootsplash still works because that's the second line edited (the initrd = /boot/splash.initrd) which you are still including.

But anyway, the reason for this quick "mini guide" was really for those that had already installed and had maybe used liloconfig to add extra OS's, etc, but basically had at some point lost the splash screens.
What you are pointing out is more to ensure that you keep the bootsplash intact during the install process.
Just wanted to clarify the two approaches.

[Re@lity]

nothing worked for me on an older install..


please help

Older install??
What? BT1?

[drgr33n]

I'm not trying to patronize anybody but make sure you run lilo after editing this file as it writes all the data to your mbr!!!

lilo -v

Just editing the file will do nothing and I always like to go verbose just incase of errors

also make sure you have your vga setting correct. You will have to ask somebody else about the ratio of bt's bootsplash.