Re: can't install LILO
Manos Papantoniou wrote:
>
> perhaps you should make the linux root partition bootable (if you
> haven't done it already)
>
> Manos Papantoniou
>
Hi,
though using the linux partition to boot is the optium idea, I don't
know
if Ken's bios can boot from the second ide hd. One option is to switch
the order of the hard drives making the hdb become the hda drive. This
is one way to solve the problem. Another is located in
/usr/doc/lilo/Maual.txt.gz
and discribes the booting from a dos partition with its inherent
problems.
Follows is a small portion of this file concerning booting from a dos
partition:
/boot on a DOS partition
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Recent kernels support all the functions LILO needs to map files also on
MS-DOS (or UMSDOS) file systems. Since DOS partitions tend to occupy
exactly the places where BIOS restrictions (see section "BIOS
restrictions") are invisible, they're an ideal location for /boot if the
native Linux file systems can't be used because of BIOS problems.
In order to accomplish this, the DOS partition is mounted read-write, a
directory (e.g. /dos/linux) is created, all files from /boot are moved
to
that directory, /boot is replaced by a symbolic link to it, the kernels
are
also moved to the new directory, their new location is recorded in
/etc/lilo.conf, and finally /sbin/lilo is run.
>From then on, new kernels must always be copied into that directory on
the
DOS partition before running /sbin/lilo, e.g. when recompiling a kernel,
the standard procedure changes from
# make zlilo
to
# make zImage
# mv /dos/linux/vmlinuz /dos/linux/vmlinuz.old
# mv arch/i386/boot/zImage /dos/linux/vmlinuz
# /sbin/lilo
_WARNING:_ De-fragmenting such a DOS partition is likely to make Linux
or
even the whole system unbootable. Therefore, the DOS partition should
either not be de-fragmented, or a Linux boot disk should be prepared
(and
tested) to bring up Linux and to run /sbin/lilo after the
de-fragmentation.*
* Setting the "system" attribute from DOS on the critical files (e.g.
everything in C:\LINUX) may help to protect them from being
rearranged.
However, the boot floppy should still be ready, just in case.
This may help, but because dos cannot see other partitions other than
its own,
you could make a tiny boot partition on /dev/hda by shrinking the dos
partition
on /dev/hda using fips. then format this small partition as an ext2
partition
and make it bootable and remove the boot sector from /dev/hda1.
I realize that i have presented several options, but I wish you luck
with your
endeavors with this problem.
LeRoy
> Ken Deboy wrote:
> >
> > Hello,
> > I'm having trouble installing LILO inder Debian 1.3.1 (installing
> > from floppies).
> > My disks:
> > /dev/hda DOS/Win3.1 boot
> > /dev/hdb1 DOS FAT16
> > /dev/hdb2 Linux Swap
> > /dev/hdb3 Linux Root
> > /dev/hdb4 Minix
> >
> > My /etc/lilo.conf file:
> >
> > boot=/dev/hda
> > compact
> > vga=normal
> > install=/boot/boot.b
> > map=/boot/map
> > ramdisk=0
> > prompt
> > timeout=200
> > message=/boot/startup.message
> > default=3
> > ## LINUX
> > image=/vmlinuz
> > root=/dev/hdb3
> > read-only
> > label=3
> > ## DOS/Windows
> > other=/dev/hda1
> > table=/dev/hda
> > label=1
> > ## MINIX
> > other=/dev/hdb4
> > label=2
> >
> > When I run LILO, the HD light comes on for a second, I get a message
> > that 1 and 2 are added... then I reboot and instead of LILO coming
> > up, the computer just boots DOS. Shouldn't the line
> >
> > boot=/dev/hda
> >
> > cause LILO to write itself to the MBR of the first HD? Any ideas? I'm
> > sure the HD is OK - it worked last week under a different Linux but I
> > want to run Debian. I made sure I turned off all the anti-virus stuff
> > under DOS, too, just in case before booting Debian from floppy and
> > running LILO. Thanks...
> >
> > Ken Deboy
> > glockr@locked_and_loaded.reno.nv.us
> >
> > --
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>
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" http://www.netaxs.com/~ldc/
_______ooO ~ Ooo_______________________________________________
LeRoy D. Cressy /\_/\ ldc@netaxs.com
Computer Consulting ( o.o ) (215) 389-5870
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