Install Report -- Boot Loader Config Problems
I tried installing Debian Sarge -- build 17 Apr 2004 on my Toshiba A20.
Debian-installer-version:
========================================
17 Apr 2004
$ md5sum sarge-i386-netinst.iso
e31d760ea6421d5985f9e7f86c6e1287 sarge-i386-netinst.iso
(md5sum is okay)
========================================
Install Date (Attempt):
========================================
18 Apr 2004
========================================
Method:
========================================
netinst (CD)
========================================
Hardware:
========================================
Satellite A20 -- A20-31Q: 2.53GHz (PSA20C-0231Q)
http://www.toshiba.ca/web/specifications.grp?lg=en§ion=1&group=1&product=1912&part=1772
========================================
Base System Installation Checklist:
========================================
Initial boot worked: [O]
Configure network HW: [O]
Config network: [O]
Detect CD: [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives: [O]
Partition hard drives: [O]
Create file systems: [O]
Mount partitions: [O]
Install base system: [O]
Install boot loader: [?]
Reboot: [E]
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
========================================
Comments:
========================================
The partitioning tool is nice--great improvement over how it was
done a few months ago.
Things went pretty smoothly... except for the boot loader.
I'm having some trouble with the boot loader--trying to
setup a dual boot system -- Microcrap Windows XP & Debian.
(patterned after --
http://www.bic.kyoto-u.ac.jp/proteome/rwan/debian.html )
My partitioning scheme is as follows:
-----
hda1 primary 9.0 GB NTFS /mnt/winxp
hda2 primary 1.5 GB FAT32 /mnt/transfer
hda3 primary 32.9 MB ext3 /boot
hda5 logical 205.5 MB reiserfs /
hda6 logical 551.0 MB (swap) swap
hda7 logical 4.2 GB reiserfs /usr
hda8 logical 2.5 GB reiserfs /var
hda9 logical 822.4 MB reiserfs /tmp
hda10 logical 10.5 GB reiserfs /home
hda11 logical 10.6 GB reiserfs /mnt/media
-----
hda1 -- "boot" was turned OFF
hda3 -- "boot" was turned ON
I skipped GRUB -- I'm a LILO guy.
LILO installation target:
/dev/hda3 : new Debian partition
I went with hda3 based on the following advice:
"Do not install to MBR, you'll mess everything up."
http://lucidforest.net/~humanpeople/linux.html
On reboot I got "Missing operating system"
-----
I then mucked around for ages in "lilo.conf" using Knoppix3.3 as
a sort of rescue CD.
ASIDE: I don't know how to use the install CD as a rescue disk--if
that is possible... I had the impression that is possible but didn't
find anything in the menu on boot with the install CD.
Any case, I fell into bunch of pitfalls, but I did modify lilo--after...
1. mounting root
# mount /dev/hda5 /mnt/hda5
and /boot
# mount /dev/hda3 /mnt/hda3
2. Somehow managing to get write privilages on /etc
3. I then copied lilo.conf into /etc (in the knoppix directory--as that it
is where 'lilo' looks) -- the "-C" option in lilo wasn't working for me
4. Modified "lilo.conf"
5. Copied the files from /mnt/hda3 to /mnt/hda5/boot-- so lilo can check
the files in /boot
(as far as I can determine it doesn't modify any of them)
6. Ran lilo
# lilo -r /mnt/hda5
lilo seemed happy -- save for a warning ----something "CHANGE
AUTOMATIC assumed" in reference to the 'other' label I added for
Windoze.
rebooted -- still out of luck... once again got
"Missing operating system"
Things I added to lilo.conf -- based on stuff I read...
-----
lba32
other=/dev/hda1
label=Windows
change
-----
How important is "lba32"?
Is there something obvious I could be missing?
Configuring LILO post install seems to be a big headache...
is there an easy way to modify it post-install?
Thanks,
Michael
Reply to: