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Im trying to figure out which boot loader my damn small linux distribution is using which can be either LILO or GRUB. This list all the installed packages http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/packages.html .Both the LILO and GRUB folders are available .

grub-install -v
grub-install (GNU GRUB 0.91)

enter image description here

  • Well, we can't know, we don't have access to your machine! Please [edit] your question and add a screenshot of your bootloader screen. Usually, the name of the bootloader is mentioned right there. – terdon May 07 '15 at 11:54
  • @terdon I uploaded the photo – David Lo May 07 '15 at 12:04

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Based on the screenshot, Damn Small Linux (DSL) is running from a Live CD in a virtual machine. So the boot loader is most likely ISOLINUX.

According to this readme text file, there are four types of DSL.

dsl-<version>.iso: the standard isolinux version, which is used for liveCD, frugal, or traditional harddrive install.

dsl-<version>-syslinux.iso: boots using syslinux instead of isolinux, used for some very old hardware that is no longer supported by isolinux. Use syslinux version if booting fails with the standard iso.

dsl-<version>-embedded.zip: comes with qemu, for running inside of a host Windows or Linux system.

dsl-<version>-vmx.zip: a virtual machine that will run in VMware or VMware player.

User would usually download the standard dsl-<version>.iso, which OP probably did. If dsl-<version>-syslinux.iso was downloaded, the boot loader would be Syslinux instead. User can tell by which type of DSL has been downloaded.

In case DSL is installed on a hard disk, the boot loader could be either LILO or GRUB. However, it has been mentioned in this how-to (PDF document) that the default boot loader is LILO.

In case DSL is installed on a USB flash drive, the boot loader can be either GRUB or Syslinux. For more information, you can visit this wiki (via web archive).

Both the LILO and GRUB folders are available

That was the incorrect place. For a Live CD, user should check inside the ISO image file itself. The easiest way is to open the ISO image file in an archive manager.

viewing inside DSL 4.4.10 ISO image file in an archive manager

Inside the ISO image file, look into /boot/isolinux directory for the boot loader configuration files. The isolinux.cfg file contains settings that could be used in the boot: _ prompt. Then again, when DSL (or any distro) has been installed to a hard disk, user should check the content of /boot directory on the local disk instead. If GRUB2 is used, /boot/grub directory will exist.

TL;DR A Live CD traditionally uses ISOLINUX as the boot loader. Open the ISO image file and check what files are found inside.