Re: wont boot

[Justin Guerin <jguerin@cso.atmel.com>]

On Friday 18 March 2005 22:07, Johnny wrote:
> Hi
> Just experimenting
> I have just install Debian-3.0r2 on a 100Mhz with 16 Ram HD 1.2G.
> The computer does not boot from cdrom, used boot floppy to install from
> cdrom and use boot floppy to boot computer.
> No KDE or Gnome installed just Xwindow and Fluxbox.
> Now when I reboot it does not boot all I get is
>
> MBR
> L 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 lines on the screen.
>
> What do I need to do to fix the problem.
>
> Johnny

According to this page: 
http://www.ipcop.org/1.3.0/en/install/html/LILO-errors.html, your error is 
a seek error.  Lilo has managed to load the first stage of the boot loader, 
but it can't load the second stage.

I wonder if you're bumping up against the 1024 cylinder limit in older 
machines?  Can you tell us the layout of your drive?  That is, what are the 
partitions, and what do they have on them.  Check out this page for further 
information: http://commmunity.linux.com/howtos/Large-Disk-HOWTO-5.shtml.  
I would recommend a larger /boot partition, however.  10 MB isn't enough 
for more than one (or maybe 2) kernels, especially the newer kernels.

If you want to recover your system, it's possible to boot Knoppix from 
floppy, and do maintenance work from there.  Given your limited resources, 
make sure you specify a light weight window manager before you boot.  From 
Knoppix, you may be able to resize your partitions, but I don't know that 
you'll be able to make room at the front of the drive, which is where you 
would want to put a /boot partition, if you don't already have one.

Good luck.
Justin Guerin