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So i have two HDs, a 12gig win98se and a 20gb RH7. My problem is with LILO. I have installed RH7 twice and the same thing happens. The computer boots and starts to print "LILO" like it should but stops on the first "L" and just sits there. SO i put in the boot disk and the lilo prompt comes up like it should, but the dos option is non existent.
So then I can't get at my dos drive at all so i fdisk /mbr and use the boot disk to get into linux. this same thing happened both times i've done this.
Then i tried to run loadlin from windows. Prints up a bunch of stuff then sits there and does nothing. very frustrating.
Is there a bug with LILO? can i fix this in /etc/lilo.conf? Do i have to play with the BIOS? (and what do you push to get into the BIOS again? damn can't remember. I read some other threads and it sounded like others had had problems with LILO, is there a patch or something that will make it install correctly? OH yeah one more question--how do i re-install just LILO without going through the whole linux installation program again?
thanks very much,
Colin
Distribution: Slackware 10, Fedora Core 3, Mac OS X
Posts: 617
Rep:
this problem should be fixable via lilo.conf since that is the only place that lilo gets its information from.
but without knowing what's in it, can't give you ne help.
there shouldn;t be nething wrong with the lilo that came with red hat unless there;s something specific on their site. it would be quite serious if the version of lilo they used was duff and so they would hand out a patch quickly.
either post up lilo.conf so we can get a butchers of it or mail it to me and ill see if i can help (im not that amaxing mind u so u might want to let everyone have a look at it as well)
Your Problem could be the one I am facing with redhat 6.2 i.e the 1024 cylinder constraint, where you have to place you /boot before the 1024 cylinder. that is when you get "L"
or "LI" prompt.
Colin I am also facing a similar problem while installing debain and window nt on the same machine. I have created new confusion i.e installed debian first and then tried to install win nt but now win nt cant write its own boot sector in MBR. But the 1024 cylinder problem it still under trial as i am trying to figure out some way out of this , also have posted a thread on this since nt can be only installed before the 1024 sector, you can try by creating a /boot of 20 mb at the first partition or before the 1024 limit and then install the window partition. also refer to the "large disk howto's" which will help. if i succeed then will let you know , till then keep trying.
Distribution: Slackware 10, Fedora Core 3, Mac OS X
Posts: 617
Rep:
as far as i know you can only dual boot if windows is installed first. there is no other way to do it (windows will overwrite you boot secto which needs to be in that special sector.)
colin, where did you install linux to? if it was to the 2nd hard drive did you install linux onto the MBR?
you might just want to reinstall lilo. you'll have to check with somone else or the docs to see how this is done. i think it might just be corrupted
colin - Here's how I re-installed RH-6.2 and Win-98se:
Did this today in fact :-)
Here's my connfiguration:
P-III Pro 500, 320 megs of RAM (Windows loves RAM..:-)
(2) Physical Hard Drives:
dev(0) = WD-17gig (Win-98) - Set as Master
dev(1) = QU-12gig (Linux - RH-6.2). - Set as Slave
a) I installed windows first on the master dev(0) drive.
b) Then connected up my linux drive dev(1).
c) I used the manual partition mode when asked.
d) When setting up the dev(1) or hdb drive I set the folowing: (You have to select "Add" first before RH will allow you to select which hd to make the partition on:
On "hdb" - Make Sure your on "hdb" when you add!!!
1) - boot = 100meg
2) - /root = 1500meg
3) - /swap = 320m
4) - /usr = (Selected fill to the end of drive).
That gave me the following partitions:
Win-98 drive
hda1 = 100% used - FAT-32
Linux RH-6.2 Drive
hdb-1 = boot - 100m
hdb-5 = root - 1500m
hdb-6 = swap - 320m
hdb-7 = usr - approx 7500megs or so . I didn't look.
I let Linux Format the partitions for me :-)...
e) I also Opted for the Gnome interface v.s. KDE
d) RH-6.2 did the rest.
I was not prompted for LILO installation as I was with RH-7,0. Also when the machine boots up, I now get a text LILO instead of a Graphical one "No Biggy", just hit the "space" bar and it give you a list of available options /operating systems. Mine are (Load - linux or dos). Dos is my Win-98.
Just make sure your on "hdb" when you add your partitions or your messing with fire on your Win-98 disk. I opted to stay away from mixing and matching the two operating systems on the same drive, To Risky.
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