Creating a Graphical Boot Menu (SuSE Linux 7.2)

Support knowledgebase (jkoeke_bootgrafik_72)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: Version 7.2
This article refers to an older version of SuSE Linux. Therefore some of the informations given in this article may be outdated or the article may contain stale links.

Request:

You want to change the graphical boot menu of LILO.

Procedure:

This article describes the functions of mkbootmsg using LILO. Some basic Linux knowledge is required. Installation support is not offered for this advanced configuration.

Since SuSE Linux version 7.2, the graphical boot message of LILO can no longer be configured with the command mklilomsg. mkbootmsg must be used.

mkbootmsg works with a configuration file will not be used by mklilomsg. For this reason, extensive possibilities to pattern the graphical interface of LILO are available.

mkbootmsg is not installed by default in SuSE Linux 7.2. Install the package gfxboot-devel from series ap with YaST or YaST2.

You can find the current LILO configuration in the file /usr/share/gfxboot/ and the documentation of gfxboot in the directory /usr/share/doc/packages/gfxboot/README.

Configuring a Graphical LILO Menu

Structure of the image

mkbootmsg uses a PCX picture with a maximum color depth of 8 Bit (256 colors). The color with the index 0 (the first color) should be black.

The SuSE LILO image (suselilo.pcx) has:

The section below the line 480 includes the image for the boot menu and the display for time-out.

Create your own menu following this scheme. It should be vacant where you place the time-out display, the boot menu, and the boot option line.

Structure of the configuration

The most important entries are explained in this configuration file.

suselilo.config:

%% image suselilo.pcx 640 480
%% font font_10x20 fixed_10x20
In image, the file name and the desired resolution of the boot image is defined.

In font, set the desired font.

 
:
:
:
/timeout.x 49 def
/timeout.y 157 def
The following entries specify the position of the time-out display.
 
:
:
:
/boot.ed.x        178 def
/boot.ed.y        400 def
Here, the position of the boot option line is specified. 128 pixels are required for 'boot options:'.
 
/boot.ed.width    420 def
/boot.ed.height  fontsize exch pop 2 add def
This defines width and height of the boot options line.
 
:
:
:
 
/menu.start.x      95 def
/menu.start.y     210 def
This defines the position of the boot menu.

Log in as user root and change to the directory /usr/share/gfxboot. Make a copy of the configuration file:

cat suselilo.config > mylilo.config

Now edit the file mylilo.config. Enter the value for your boot image.

Create the message file as follows:

mkbootmsg -c mylilo.config mymenu

Copy the file "mymenu" into the directory /boot and edit the file /etc/lilo.conf. Change the value:

message=/boot/message

to:

message=/boot/mymenu

As user root, run lilo to adopt the changes.

Use no boot image:

If you want to use the text-based LILO instead of a boot image, uncomment the entry message.

The line in /etc/lilo.conf should now look like this:

# Start LILO global Section
...
# message=/boot/message
...
# End LILO global Section
Now start lilo to adopt the changes.
Keywords: LILO, BOOT, GRAPHICAL, MENU, MKBOOTMSG

Categories: LILO

SDB-jkoeke_bootgrafik_72, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 09. Jul 2001
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 09. Oct 2002 by ast (sdb_gen 1.40.0)