Re: trouble with the boot-block..
The install and rescue floppies are indeed supposed to use the ramfs.
Obviously the install floppy has to since at least most of the time
there will be no other linux filesystem available. However, the rescue
floppy does also because it has to be able to boot fully even if the
root partition is corrupt (and allow you to attempt to repair same). So
a boot floppy is yet a different critter and contains a kernel that has
been patched (with rdev) to have your normal root partition set.
When you boot the installation disks and answer the first few questions
(color monitor, keyboard, etc), the hit an alt-F2 to access the second
console.
type 'mount -t ext2 /dev/hda1 /target
[replacing /dev/hda1 with whatever is appropriate for your configuration
of course]
Lilo can remove lilo but the installation disks do not 'know' that lilo
was previously installed and thus take no action when you choose not to
use lilo--so yes, if you installed lilo and did not do something like
fdisk/mbr is DOS or explicitly replace the boot record using the lilo
command then lilo is still present.
A lilo config file looks something like this:
bash-2.01$ cat /etc/lilo.conf
boot = /dev/hda <- disk to boot from
prompt <- prompt for boot choices during boot
timeout = 50 <- continue boot with default if no response
compact <- kernel is compressed
install = /boot/boot.b <- location of the boot code
map = /boot/map <- location of the system map file
vga = normal <- vga display mode to use
delay = 20 <- i don't remember
image = /vmlinuz <- name & location of the linux kernel to load
root = /dev/hda4 <- system root device to use
label = Linux <- name for this instance of system
read-only <- always initially mount root read only
vga = 9 <- vga mode to use for this instance
image = /vmlinuz.old <- last kernel
root = /dev/hda4
label = bklinux
read-only
vga = 9
image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.0.27 <- a linux bo distribution system.
root = /dev/hdb3
label = olinux
read-only
vga = 9
image = /vmlinuz.test <- a linux testing partition
root = /dev/hdb5
label = test
read-only
vga = 9
other=/dev/hda1 <- an non-linux system
table = /dev/hda <- location of drive structure
label = DOS <- instance lable (and it is MSDOS)
The lilo documentation is extensive and probably the about the best
documentation in the entire Linux project but you do need to study it
rather carefully if you want to be able to handle everything without
problems. Most things can be given 'defaults' in the general section
(the section before the first "image =" line and then overridden in the
individual sections.
Gary Kline wrote:
>
> According to Jean Pierre LeJacq:
> > On Thu, 26 Feb 1998, Gary Kline wrote:
> >
> > > According to Jean Pierre LeJacq:
> > > > On Wed, 25 Feb 1998, Gary Kline wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > However, after installing Debian on my first and third SCSI
> > > > > drives and *not* using LILO as the boot manager, I found that
> > > > > I __always__ boot into Debian, into a RAM file system.
> > > > >
> > > > > After re-installing both OS's from scratch several times I've
> > > > > come to the conclusion that something is causing the master boot
> > > > > track to always throw me into the re-install RAM-fs of Linux.
> > > > >
> > > > Are you booting from the rescue floppy disk. If yes, then indeed you
> > > > will be using the RAM-fs. You can either use the boot floppy disk or
> > > > LILO installed on the hard disk.
> > > >
> > > Both the hard drive and the rescue floppy throw me
> > > into the RAM-fs. (In fact, trying to re-install FreeBSD
> > > from its floppy disk is impossible.)
> >
> > Does the same thing happen when booting from your boot floppy? Did
> > you install LILO on the harddisk? If so, send me the /etc/lilo.conf.
> >
>
> Yes, once I did install LILO to my harddisk;
> then I brought up the menu again and chose
> ``NO'' when asked. Evidently, once the loader
> installs, it's <<forever>>!
>
> I'll have to check /etc/lilo.conf (if I can
> get to it) tonight my time. Last night I
> poked around using the ash shell but couldn't
> make much sense of the fs layout. Would lilo.conf
> perhaps be in /target/etc/lilo.conf?
>
> BTW, this (Debian + FBSD) is on a separate box.
> Not yet linked to the rest of the world... .
>
> gary
>
> --
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--
best,
-bill
bleach@BellSouth.net b.leach@Worldnet.att.net
b.leach@usa.net LinuxPC@Hotmail.com
from a 1996 Micro$loth ad campaign:
"The less you know about computers the more you want Micro$oft!"
See! They do get some things right!
--
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