All right, here we go... Try installing Linux again... If you get the same error then do the following to get LILO on your MBR.
Get out your boot disk again and get to a prompt as root. Did you create a sperate boot partition? If so then use the following, otherwise scroll down to the next section!:
START HERE
Make a directory called fs using
Now - do you remember where your root file systems is?? I hope so. In this example I'm gonna assume its /dev/hda3, adjust it to suite where your root filesytem really is. Now mount your root file system on your newly created fs directory using
Code:
mount /dev/hda3 /fs
Now I'm assuming that your boot partition is /dev/hda2, again adjust this to fit the actual value. Create another directory called /bootfs using
and mount your boot directory there using
Code:
mount /dev/hda2 /bootfs
Now edit /fs/etc/lilo.conf (using vi or pico or whatever editor takes you fancy!) so that it contains the following: (there's not really a space between each line, its just how the forum renders the 'code' sections!).
Code:
boot = /dev/hda
delay = 50
vga = normal
image = /bootfs/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda3
label = Linux
read-only
Now save the file and exit the editor. Next run
Code:
lilo -C /fs/etc/lilo.conf
to install LILO to your MBR and have it loading the existing kernel on your hard disk.
Now remove the boot disk and reboot. Hopefully this will bring up the system correctly into Linux. Logon as root again and edit /etc/lilo.conf to change the image= line so it reads
Code:
image = /boot/vmlinuz
save the file and exit. Now run LILO again by simply typing
This last step isn't strictly necessary but it'll confirm that if you recompile your kernel in the future that LILO will be happy.
STOP HERE
If you don't have a seperate /boot partition then do the following
START HERE
Make a directory called fs using
Now - do you remember where your root file systems is?? I hope so. In this example I'm gonna assume its /dev/hda3, adjust it to suite where your root filesytem really is. Now mount your root file system on your newly created fs directory using
Code:
mount /dev/hda3 /fs
Now edit /fs/etc/lilo.conf (using vi or pico or whatever editor takes you fancy!) so that it contains the following: (there's not really a space between each line, its just how the forum renders the 'code' sections!).
Code:
boot = /dev/hda
delay = 50
vga = normal
image = /vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda3
label = Linux
read-only
Now save the file and exit the editor. Next run
Code:
lilo -C /fs/etc/lilo.conf
to install LILO to your MBR and have to loading the existing kernel on your hard disk.
Now remove the boot disk and reboot. Hopefully this will bring up the system correctly into Linux. Logon as root again and edit /etc/lilo.conf to change the image= line so it reads
and now run LILO again by simply typing
This last step isn't strictly necessary but it'll confirm that if you recompile your kernel in the future that LILO will be happy.
STOP HERE
Hope that makes sense, have a go and post your questions back here.
cheers!
Jamie...