Re: Dual Boot Problem

[Patrick Moroney]

CW Harris wrote:
On Wed, Sep 08, 2004 at 10:18:45AM -0400, Patrick Moroney wrote:
 

I'm trying to install Debian Sarge stable as a second operating 
   

Sarge is not yet "stable"---still "testing"
 

--Understood - but I've successfully installed other machines.
system on a 200 gig drive and not having a lot of success.  The 
installation goes fine; I install Lilo in the MBR, the system 
goes for a reboot and then I get the following errors upon reboot:

request_module[block-major-3]: Root fs not mounted
VFS: Cannot open root device "302" or 03:02
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS Unable to mount root fs on 03:02
   

What kernel?
Self compiled or from installation?
What are your lilo/grub lines to the kernel?
 

--Whatever kernel with Sarge stable.
--The kernel is from the installation - no customization
--As far as lilo lines, I never get to boot into linux to see the lilo 
lines.  I really don't want to use grub.

Please note, the reboot is unsuccessful, I never get to the step 
where it asks to set up mail or create a root password.  I just 
get the above message.  I can't scroll up to see any of the other 
messages.

To recover and make the system so that I can at least boot back 
into windows is using a dos boot disk, do a "fdisk /mbr" - clear 
out the MBR, and then using debian's fdisk, blow away debian 
   

                                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ok, I understand fixing the MBR to boot XP again, but why rm debian?
I don't understand this problem.  It is sufficient to just restore the
MBR and mark windows as bootable.
 

--I remove debian for 2 reasons - to restore the PC to at least a 
functional windoze box.  Also, I figure I did something wrong - maybe a 
fresh install will help - the whole process only takes 20 minutes - 
better safe than sorry.

partions, and mark the windows NTFS as bootable.  This has worked 
many times being as I've tried Lilo, Grub, and GAG as boot 
loaders - all successful.

The machine is x86 box with ASUS motherboard, AMD 1800 CPU, gig 
of RAM, ATI video card, and Audigy sound card.  Windows occupies 
the first 35 gig of the 200 gig board.

Should I make the system so that it will only boot into debian 
with a floppy?  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
   

Why not just boot from a rescue disk (I think most/all install disks can
be used as rescue disks also--check the boot options) and fix the lilo
install so you can boot windows also?  This at least fixes your boot
options until you figure out the debian install problem.
 

--Will do with regard to the rescue option  - I'll look at the boot 
options.  But pretty sure I tried this . . .

Alternately, I think XP allows you to create a boot menu that will boot
another OS in its own partition (never tried this so can't vouch for how
well it works).
 

--I basically would trust anything windoze - I'd rather Lilo control the 
booting.

--pm
HTH
 


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