You did run /sbin/lilo after making *any* edits to your lilo.conf right? Also, how had you booted when you were making those edits? If /dev/hdc1 was not your root partition at the time (for example, if you had booted off a floppy), I wonder if the wrong "lilo.conf" was read to write your boot sector. If this is the case, try it again but specify the lilo.conf with the -C parameter:
lilo -C /mnt/disk2/etc/lilo.conf for example. Not sure how much help this will really be, but here's some stuff from /usr/doc/lilo/Manual.tar.gz: LILO start message - - - - - - - - - When LILO loads itself, it displays the word "LILO". Each letter is printed before or after performing some specific action. If LILO fails at some point, the letters printed so far can be used to identify the problem. This is described in more detail in the technical overview. Note that some hex digits may be inserted after the first "L" if a transient disk problem occurs. Unless LILO stops at that point, generating an endless stream of error codes, such hex digits do not indicate a severe problem. (<nothing>) No part of LILO has been loaded. LILO either isn't installed or the partition on which its boot sector is located isn't active. L <error> ... The first stage boot loader has been loaded and started, but it can't load the second stage boot loader. The two-digit error codes indicate the type of problem. (See also section "Disk error codes".) This condition usually indicates a media failure or a geometry mismatch (e.g. bad disk parameters, see section "Disk geometry"). LI The first stage boot loader was able to load the second stage boot loader, but has failed to execute it. This can either be caused by a geometry mismatch or by moving /boot/boot.b without running the map installer. LIL The second stage boot loader has been started, but it can't load the descriptor table from the map file. This is typically caused by a media failure or by a geometry mismatch. LIL? The second stage boot loader has been loaded at an incorrect address. This is typically caused by a subtle geometry mismatch or by moving /boot/boot.b without running the map installer. LIL- The descriptor table is corrupt. This can either be caused by a geometry mismatch or by moving /boot/map without running the map installer. LILO All parts of LILO have been successfully loaded. On 9 Jan 2000, Arcady Genkin wrote: > I'm having problems booting into a fresh installation of potato in my > second harddrive. The installation is on /dev/hdc with root in > /dev/hdc1. > > Lilo displays "LI" and dies there. I tried adding "linear" to > lilo.conf (that helped me once on another computer), but that didn't > help. My setup looks sane to me... I really need some fresh ideas as > to what is wrong. > > I use a third-party multibooter from /dev/hda's MBR. It picks up linux > installation in /dev/hdc1, and starts lilo... then lilo stops at > "LI". > > I also have a working slink installation in /dev/hda4, so I tried to > use its lilo to boot my potato installation. I added > ,---- > | other = /dev/hdc1 > | label = potato > `---- > and got *exactly* the same results as with the multibooter ("LI" and > nothing else). This makes me think that the problem is with lilo > config in my potato installation. > > I need help!!! ;^) Can't boot my custom kernel. I would also > appreciate any workaround recipes, such as booting my current kernel > from a floppy or booting it from my functional slink installation in > /dev/hda4. > > ,----[ lilo.conf ] > | boot=/dev/hdc1 > | root=/dev/hdc1 > | install=/boot/boot.b > | map=/boot/map > | delay=200 > | vga=normal > | verbose=5 > | > | image=/vmlinuz > | label=default > | read-only > | > | image = /zImage > | label = linux > | read-only > `---- > > Thanks for any input!