Re: ugh. more lilo probs

[mdevin@ozemail.com.au]

On Sun, May 27, 2001 at 08:11:07PM -0500, burningclown@westhost43.westhost.com wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> > I didn't have much luck with lilo on my system either, but grub has
> > worked beautifully for me.  Its configuration is really simple, though
> > you will have to edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst file yourself.
> 
> The (or A, or The Main) problem is that it -seems- there is still a chunk
> of LILO, or something that refers to it, on my system somewhere -- because
> even after removing the lilo pkg, running dpkg --purge on it, and installing
> grub, I still get a vertical line of
> 
> LI
> 
> running all the way down the left hand side of a black screen upon reboot.
> And as the bottom one is flickering, I can only assume that this "LI" is
> being spit out ad infinitum.
> 
> Why this happens and where it is coming from (where could an "LI" be
> coming from if not from some remnant of the package?) is a total mystery.
> 
> > > I suppose the boot floppy you have is working since you were able to
> > boot to adjust the config?  Always using a floppy is one alternative
> > (though not a particularly nice one).
> 
> Right now I'm using a CD. I don't like having to do this, especially when
> I have no clue why I should have to. It's frustrating.

You must have installed lilo into the master boot record (mbr).  Note
that lilo can be installed into the mbr or the first part of a
partition.  (You can use another program in the mbr or you can use
lilo.)  What I do is use the mbr program that cam with debian when I
installed.  To install it you just run install-mbr - check out the man
page (man install-mbr) for options.

So in summary, what you need to do is over-write the part of lilo that
you installed on the mbr.  You could do this by installing something
else as the mbr.  I would suggest you try install-mbr and since you
now have grub - you should be able to tell install-mbr which partition
you have installed grub onto so that it can start loading grub.

Hth.
Mark.