I made three attempts to install using LILO as boot loader
from most defaults to most customized:
1. install using all of the single install hard drive
(using guided partitioning)
2. install to a logical partition after resizing
partition created above
3. install to flash drive
Installation choices common to all:
install from DVD 1 of 8 of Debian 6.0.5
expert install
generally accepting all defaults
not installing any networking as none available
select only standard utilities (i.e. chose neither
Desktop nor Laptop)
Install LILO to MBR of selected drive using large memory
model
Results:
CASE 1
Installation ran to normal finish.
On reboot I had a correct shell which accepted login.
After executing su, I did
apt-get install gnome-session gdm3 gedit
gnome-terminal gparted
which ran to completion without error message(s)
[warned that LBA32 addressing assumed]
Installed system operated as expected.
CASE 2
Installation ran to normal finish.
On reboot I had a correct shell which accepted login.
After executing su, I did
apt-get install gnome-session gdm3 gedit
gnome-terminal gparted
which ran to completion without error message(s)
[warned that LBA32 addressing assumed]
Installed system operated as expected,
*EXCEPT* no way to boot the first installation.
CASE 3
booting from flash drive hung in ash shell with prompt
(inittramfs)
lilo.conf from flash drive
[I've deleted most commented out lines and blank lines]
# Automatically added by lilo postinst script
large-memory
#
boot=/dev/sdb
# Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/')
#
root=/dev/sdb1
# Specifies the location of the map file
#
map=/boot/map
# Specifies the number of deciseconds (0.1 seconds) LILO should
# wait before booting the first image.
#
delay=20
# Boot up Linux by default.
#
default=Linux
image=/vmlinuz
label=Linux
read-only
# restricted
# alias=1
initrd=/initrd.img
image=/vmlinuz.old
label=LinuxOLD
read-only
optional
# restricted
# alias=2
initrd=/initrd.img.old