LILO, which stands for Linux Loader, is a boot loader for Linux. It is used to load the Linux operating system into memory and start it running. Key features and aspects of LILO include:
1. **Versatility**: LILO can boot Linux from a hard disk or a floppy disk, and it can also boot other operating systems such as Windows.
2. **Configuration**: It is configured via a plain text file (usually `/etc/lilo.conf`), where users can specify various parameters such as the default operating system, timeout values, and kernel options.
3. **Installation**: After making changes to the configuration file, the user must run the `lilo` command to install or update LILO's boot loader code in the master boot record (MBR) or the boot sector of a partition.
4. **Boot Menu**: LILO can present a menu at boot time, allowing users to choose which operating system or kernel to boot.
5. **Legacy Status**: LILO has largely been superseded by more modern boot loaders like GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader), which offer more features and better support for newer hardware and filesystems.
Overall, LILO was an important tool in the early days of Linux but is less commonly used today in favor of more advanced and flexible boot loaders.