Hello,

How can i dual boot Windows 10 and Slackware 14.2 on a PCI Express SSD M.2 ?
Lilo does not recognize the ssd M2 disk and i read is the same using Grub2.
I can use syslinux explain in a previous post http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ssd-4175586404 .
But i saw it uses extlinux to boot only from the linux ext4 root partition, no dual boot.
http://bbs.archbang.org/viewtopic.php?id=4811 is another post, but it does not says very clear how you setup syslinux and the syslinux.cfg .
UEFI Boot and Secure Boot are disabled in BIOS.
Others suggest i should use systemd-boot or reEfind .


Root partition is on /dev/nvme0n1p4

root@darkstar:/boot# lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
nvme0n1 259:0 0 477G 0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1 0 500M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p2 259:2 0 48.3G 0 part
├─nvme0n1p3 259:3 0 302.8G 0 part /D
└─nvme0n1p4 259:4 0 125.4G 0 part /


fdisk -l

Disk /dev/nvme0n1: 477 GiB, 512110190592 bytes, 1000215216 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x6cd0d27a

Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/nvme0n1p1 * 2048 1026047 1024000 500M 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/nvme0n1p2 1026048 102402047 101376000 48.3G 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/nvme0n1p3 102402048 737282047 634880000 302.8G 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/nvme0n1p4 737282048 1000215215 262933168 125.4G 83 Linux

Hello,

Slackware 14.2 is not ready yet for an installation on NVMe, Slackware-current is.

But I have prepared a mini-ISO (only the installer, not the packages) for Slackware64-14.2 here:
http://slint.fr/testing/
It is named:
fake_slackware64-14.2-2.iso

Use it as a regular Slackware ISO to start the installation.

The installer should detect your root partition /dev/nvme0n1p4

Then at the SOURCE step of installation, remove the installation media and replace it with a genuine Slackware installation media before answering the question "where are the packages" so the installer will take them from the genuine Slackware installation media. You may also make a net installation if you prefer, selecting a FTP/HTTP server.

Let us know how that goes.

Cf. this thread.

3 members found this post helpful.

Hello Didier,

Thank you for the reply.
Sorry i was not clear on the thread.
I manage to install Slackware current using usb boot.
The usb boot image was created from slackware current kernel version 4.9.30 .
The only problem is i cant boot without the usb and i also want to be able to dual boot with Windows.

I will look at your mini-iso and tell how it goes.

I am a bit puzzled, as I just checked: the usbboot.img image dated 26-May-2017 22:14 does include support for NVMe in the initrd, thus I doubt that using my mini-iso helps.

However, I did not make tests on a VM with lilo, only elilo. Now that I check /sbin/liloconfig it may be that we miss NVMe partitions detection when using lilo. I will have a closer look, but meanwhile what you could do is set your firmware to boot in EFI mode (but not secure boot) and try to install using elilo. This should work.

Is W10 already installed?

It is likely that your machine has already been configured to use EFI, in which case you'll be unable to use normal LILO or GRUB.

For dual booting, you'll need to use eLILO and rEFInd: http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/index.html

I have installed Windows 10 and Slackware current using bios settings "Legacy mode" with UEFI disabled in bios.
I cant use elilo because i dont have a GPT partition.
Guess my only option is to install Slackware on a new GPT partition and use elilo, or wait until nvme support is enabled in lilo.

I tried in a VM (installing in the root NVMe partition). Got this message from liloconfig:This leaded me to read this post.

So, the issue is that /sbin/lilo can't handle NVMe partitions. Don't hold your breath to have this added.

But, what you could do is use the install media to boot into your installed system and from there install grub.

Caveat emptor: I didn't try that myself and a quick web search don't give a certainty about the feasibility of grub installation on an NVMe partition in case of a dos partition table...

PS But you could have more luck using syslinux, see this thread.

Thank you Didier, i forgot about lilo discontinued .
I will attempt a new install using Slackware current with a GPT partition and boot with UEFI and elilo, if this is the new "trend" of boot loading.
Syslinux might work, but i prefer a more supported boot loader by Slackware that can easily be set when i do kernel updates.

Hey man, it's your computer, but you're really making life difficult for yourself by not using UEFI with GPT partitions.

1 members found this post helpful.