# Getting "LILO error Duplicate Version ID" message while trying to install FreeBSD 13 for i386



## bsdnoob (Dec 19, 2021)

I could not install FreeBSD 13 from usb drive but got  the following message on terminal; "LILO error Duplicate Version ID".
I installed freebsd many times but never used usb drive or usb install before.
I idd'ed the image as you instructed and set boot option from bios
but it halts for a couple of seconds with the error and starts booting from hdd. 
I use slackware with lilo boot loader. 
What could be the reason and how could I solve it?


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## eternal_noob (Dec 19, 2021)

Maybe https://tldp.org/HOWTO/Linux+FreeBSD-4.html helps.
If this doesn't work, you might want to try GRUB2 instead.

Didn't know LILO is still a thing.


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## shkhln (Dec 19, 2021)

You need to actually set boot order in BIOS. (Although sufficiently old machines might not boot from USB at all.)


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## shkhln (Dec 19, 2021)

bsdnoob said:


> but it halts for a couple of seconds with the error and starts booting from hdd.


Which error?


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## free-and-bsd (Dec 20, 2021)

bsdnoob said:


> I use slackware with lilo boot loader.


That'll be a geeky thing to do


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## bsdnoob (Dec 20, 2021)

shkhln said:


> Which error?


Sorry for the delay.
That error I wrote in the post header.
"LILO error DUPLICATE VERSION ID".
It, then skips usb boot option to the second item in bios boot list that is hdd and starts booting from hdd.


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## bsdnoob (Dec 20, 2021)

shkhln said:


> You need to actually set boot order in BIOS. (Although sufficiently old machines might not boot from USB at all.)


I did. 1st option is usb boot and second one hdd. It skips the usb boot option.


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## shkhln (Dec 20, 2021)

bsdnoob said:


> "LILO error DUPLICATE VERSION ID".
> It, then skips usb boot option


I think it's pretty obvious FreeBSD images do not contain that string. Either boot order is not what you think it is or you aren't dealing with FreeBSD here.


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## CuatroTorres (Dec 20, 2021)

shkhln said:


> You need to actually set boot order in BIOS. (Although sufficiently old machines might not boot from USB at all.)


FYI:
You can use Plop on unsupported older machines to boot via USB from Lilo-Grub, MBR ... I used it successfully in the past.

https://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager/intro.html

EDIT:
If you are a Slackware user _with rights_, you can ask Pat. I read a long time ago that FreeBSD was not compatible with Lilo.


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## covacat (Dec 20, 2021)

probably bios tries to boot from usb and fails and boots from internal hdd
however bios disk number zero is still the usb drive and lilo reads something from bios disk 0 (usb) and fails


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## bsdnoob (Dec 20, 2021)

eternal_noob said:


> Maybe https://tldp.org/HOWTO/Linux+FreeBSD-4.html helps.
> If this doesn't work, you might want to try GRUB2 instead.
> 
> Didn't know LILO is still a thing.


I configured lilo before and installed freebsd several times but tried usb boot for the first time. I would use boot dvd.


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## eternal_noob (Dec 20, 2021)

I'd check if there is an upate to the BIOS and try another USB port.

Btw: Last time i used LILO is decades ago, i think GRUB2 is a more modern aproach.


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## bsdnoob (Dec 20, 2021)

CuatroTorres said:


> FYI:
> You can use Plop on unsupported older machines to boot via USB from Lilo-Grub, MBR ... I used it successfully in the past.
> 
> https://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager/intro.html
> ...


I did it before. I think that might be the problem what covacat stated.


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## bsdnoob (Dec 20, 2021)

eternal_noob said:


> I'd check if there is an upate to the BIOS and try another USB port.
> 
> Btw: Last time i used LILO is decades ago, i think GRUB2 is a more modern aproach.


Yes, it is but I don't know much about it . I've been using lilo since slack 7 and used to use boot0cfg for a while with F1, F2 for multibooting scenario in which max bootable options were 4.
Here is edited lilo.conf;

# LILO configuration file
boot = /dev/sda

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/sda1
  label = Linux
  read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

# FreeBSD bootable partition config begins
    other=/dev/sda3
    table=/dev/sda
    label=FreeBSD
# FreeBSD bootable partition config ends

# Solaris bootable partition config begins
    other=/dev/sda4
    table=/dev/sda
    label=Solaris
# Solaris bootable partition config ends

Device     Boot     Start       End   Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sda1  *         2048  50333695  50331648   24G 83 Linux
/dev/sda2        50333696  52430847   2097152    1G 82 Linux swap
/dev/sda3        52430848 310380543 257949696  123G a5 FreeBSD
/dev/sda4       310391865 312576704   2184840    1G bf Solaris

Device     Boot    Start      End  Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1          16065 31278554 31262490 14.9G  b W95 FAT32
/dev/sdb2       31278555 78156224 46877670 22.4G bf Solaris


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## CuatroTorres (Dec 20, 2021)

Only unverified related info:






						r/slackware - Comment by u/Arch4rang4r on ”usb boot issue - Slackware installation to usb drive”
					

6 votes and 13 comments so far on Reddit




					www.reddit.com
				





> The reason for the error is basically that 14.1's kernel and bootloader configuration can't boot from a usb device out of the box. To fix that, you need to build an initrd with usb drivers/support built in. You also probably will need a "rootdelay" option for lilo...



EDIT: Did you use FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-memstick.img or mini-memstick?


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## covacat (Dec 20, 2021)

can you post output of fdisk//parted for the usb stick ?


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## bsdnoob (Dec 20, 2021)

CuatroTorres said:


> CuatroTorres said:
> 
> 
> > CuatroTorres said:
> ...


BTW, mine is 14.2 but not sure whether that module was built in or not.


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## bsdnoob (Dec 20, 2021)

covacat said:


> can you post output of fdisk//parted for the usb stick ?


Disk /dev/sdb: 57.31 GiB, 61530439680 bytes, 120176640 sectors
Disk model: Cruzer Blade    
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: 0x90909090

Device     Boot Start       End   Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1        2048 120176639 120174592 57.3G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

I still have FreeBSD 12 partially installed in hda3 that got corrupt in upgrade operation.


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## covacat (Dec 20, 2021)

that does not look like a freebsd boot/install/live image


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## free-and-bsd (Dec 21, 2021)

bsdnoob said:


> Sorry for the delay.
> That error I wrote in the post header.
> "LILO error DUPLICATE VERSION ID".
> It, then skips usb boot option to the second item in bios boot list that is hdd and starts booting from hdd.


IT skips -- you mean LILO skips, right?
Which brings us back to the question still unanswered by you. WHY CAN'T YOU SET YOUR BIOS TO BOOT FROM USB STICK?

Good question, cause if you CAN'T (old machine, old BIOS), then how do you imagine LILO will be able to do it? LILO, as any other bootloader at this stage, only picks up what BIOS offers.
If your BIOS can't do that, LILO won't either.
So please answer this question to make sure THIS is not the root of your problem.

EDIT: hope  you understand, too, that any help on _how to use LILO_, can't be given on this forum.


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