Improve lilo support

diff --git a/grml2usb.8.txt b/grml2usb.8.txt
index 40e6fa8..e26d7d3 100644 (file)
--- a/grml2usb.8.txt
+++ b/grml2usb.8.txt
@@ -87,8 +87,10 @@ option *--initrd* as well. (Be aware when using multiboot setup.)
 
   *--lilo=...*::
 
-Use specified lilo executable to for installing master boot record (MBR)
-instead of the default, being /usr/share/grml2usb/lilo/lilo.static.
+Use specified lilo executable for installing master boot record (MBR).  By
+default any system wide (from $PATH) lilo executable is taken.  If there can not
+be find any lilo executable the statically compiled version of the grml2usb
+Debian package (see /usr/share/grml2usb/lilo/lilo.static.[amd64|i386]) is taken.
 
   *--mbr*::
 

diff --git a/grml2usb.py b/grml2usb.py
index 88de8ba..ff8f96c 100755 (executable)
--- a/grml2usb.py
+++ b/grml2usb.py
@@ -406,14 +406,21 @@ def install_mbr(device):
     if not is_writeable(device):
         raise IOError, "device not writeable for user"
 
+    # use specified lilo
     if options.lilo:
         lilo = options.lilo
     else:
-        from platform import architecture
-        if architecture()[0] == '64bit':
-            lilo = '/usr/share/grml2usb/lilo/lilo.static.amd64'
+        # otherwise try to use system's lilo
+        if which("lilo"):
+            lilo = which("lilo")
+            print "debug: lilo = %s" % lilo
         else:
-            lilo = '/usr/share/grml2usb/lilo/lilo.static.i386'
+            # finally fall back to our static version
+            from platform import architecture
+            if architecture()[0] == '64bit':
+                lilo = '/usr/share/grml2usb/lilo/lilo.static.amd64'
+            else:
+                lilo = '/usr/share/grml2usb/lilo/lilo.static.i386'
 
     if not is_exe(lilo):
         raise Exception, "lilo executable can not be execute"