[newbie] Bootloader
During the install is it quite safe to allow the windows boot loader to be overwritten with GRUB or LILO? When I tried Linux a few years ago I had some problems with boot loader and ended having to do fresh install of windows. Thanks Rosemary Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] Bootloader
Rosemary McGillicuddy wrote: During the install is it quite safe to allow the windows boot loader to be overwritten with GRUB or LILO? When I tried Linux a few years ago I had some problems with boot loader and ended having to do fresh install of windows. Thanks Rosemary Yes, it is safe. The only time you run into problems is if the boot loader doesn't get installed properly, or if you delete your Linux install without un-installing the boot loader. The un-install puts back the original boot loader. If you need to replace the Windows boot loader, you do not need to re-install Windows. If you have made a Windows boot disk, just boot from it, and run fdisk /mbr and it will re-install the dos boot loader. You can also do it with any bootable DOS disk that has the version of fdisk for that version of DOS, or with a number of other utilities. From what I have heard, XP has its own boot loader repair utility, but I don't run XP... Mikkel Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] Bootloader
On Tue, 08 Feb 2005 11:39:20 +1300 Rosemary McGillicuddy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: During the install is it quite safe to allow the windows boot loader to be overwritten with GRUB or LILO? When I tried Linux a few years ago I had some problems with boot loader and ended having to do fresh install of windows. Thanks Rosemary should not be a problem, if you need to restore it back to win for some reason, something like a fdisk /mbr or something like that could be run from a win boot disk which would reload the Master Boot Record or mbr which windows uses. No fresh install of windows would be needed either. if you don't feel comfortable doing that, you could always save the bootloader to a floppy to avoid overwriting your mbr. -- Linux user #280097 http://counter.li.org http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] Bootloader
Steve Jeppesen wrote: On Tue, 08 Feb 2005 11:39:20 +1300 Rosemary McGillicuddy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: During the install is it quite safe to allow the windows boot loader to be overwritten with GRUB or LILO? When I tried Linux a few years ago I had some problems with boot loader and ended having to do fresh install of windows. Thanks Rosemary should not be a problem, if you need to restore it back to win for some reason, something like a fdisk /mbr or something like that could be run from a win boot disk which would reload the Master Boot Record or mbr which windows uses. No fresh install of windows would be needed either. if you don't feel comfortable doing that, you could always save the bootloader to a floppy to avoid overwriting your mbr. You could add the bootloader to the first sector of your boot partition. In the later versions of Windows (2000/XP) you can get these to boot the linux partition. You have to create a boot file of the linux boot sector which needs to be copied to the windows c:/ area and then it is simply a case of adding the linux details to the c:/boot.ini file. Hint: Google search windows 2000 linux boot has details. Floppy might be easier in the short term, but I think it is fun in a sad sort of way to see Windows booting my laptop into Linux :-) -- Thanks, David Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
[newbie] Bootloader install failed. upgrade from 9.2 to 10.1
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE- Hash: SHA1 Hi folks, Since mdk10.1 finally released, I decided to upgrade my mdk9.2. I performed it first in my desktop pc. The process went smooth, until the bootloader stage, when it errored about: Cannot install bootloader DOS path in . (some hexa codes) This failure makes me hesitate to upgrade my mdk9.2 in the notebook where I use for everyday work and where I store many data, especially emails in Kmail. Any idea why the bootloader installation failed? Thanks. - -- Fajar Priyanto | Reg'd Linux User #327841 | http://linux2.arinet.org 01:56:24 up 2:09, Mandrake Linux release 9.2 (FiveStar) for i586 public key: https://www.arinet.org/fajar-pub.key -BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE- Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFBdrYLkp5CsIXuxqURAjRiAJ0UQSGQ3GSh6FAG1lMAZbnaOnbP0wCgiRLO HrpmOzgRMubv05zube5+Ves= =1ST0 -END PGP SIGNATURE- Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] Bootloader install failed. upgrade from 9.2 to 10.1
On Thu, 2004-10-21 at 05:01, Fajar Priyanto wrote: -BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE- Hash: SHA1 Hi folks, Since mdk10.1 finally released, I decided to upgrade my mdk9.2. I performed it first in my desktop pc. The process went smooth, until the bootloader stage, when it errored about: Cannot install bootloader DOS path in . (some hexa codes) This failure makes me hesitate to upgrade my mdk9.2 in the notebook where I use for everyday work and where I store many data, especially emails in Kmail. Any idea why the bootloader installation failed? Thanks. I experienced the same (in doing an upgrade and not a clean installation); but could never quite figure it out; in reality, though, I would truly suggest doing a clean installation instead of an upgrade. We had quite a number of issues with the upgrade although it appeared to go smoothly at first. -- stephen kuhn mobile: 0410-728-389 illawarra and regional new south wales --- GNU/Linux/OpenSource Solutions and Alternatives 100% Microsoft Free and no viruses --- This is not the age of pamphleteers. It is the age of the engineers. The spark-gap is mightier than the pen. Democracy will not be salvaged by men who talk fluently, debate forcefully and quote aptly. -- Lancelot Hogben, Science for the Citizen, 1938 Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] Bootloader install failed. upgrade from 9.2 to 10.1
On Wednesday 20 October 2004 12:01 pm, Fajar Priyanto wrote: | -BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE- | Hash: SHA1 | | Hi folks, | Since mdk10.1 finally released, I decided to upgrade my mdk9.2. | I performed it first in my desktop pc. The process went smooth, until the | bootloader stage, when it errored about: | Cannot install bootloader | DOS path in . (some hexa codes) | | This failure makes me hesitate to upgrade my mdk9.2 in the notebook where I | use for everyday work and where I store many data, especially emails in | Kmail. | | Any idea why the bootloader installation failed? | Thanks. | - -- No, but when I upgraded one of my machines from 9.1 to 9.2, LILO wouldn't install, and I tried several times. Strangely, GRUB went in with no problem. e Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] Bootloader install failed. upgrade from 9.2 to 10.1
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE- Hash: SHA1 On Thursday 21 October 2004 04:01 am, Stephen Kühn wrote: I experienced the same (in doing an upgrade and not a clean installation); but could never quite figure it out; in reality, though, I would truly suggest doing a clean installation instead of an upgrade. We had quite a number of issues with the upgrade although it appeared to go smoothly at first. -- stephen kuhn I agree with you. From what I get in upgrading OS'es (either in MS windows or Linux), clean install is definitely the way to go if we don't want trouble sooner or later. I think I'll do the clean install. Thanks. - -- Fajar Priyanto | Reg'd Linux User #327841 | http://linux2.arinet.org 08:40:48 up 33 min, Mandrake Linux release 9.2 (FiveStar) for i586 public key: https://www.arinet.org/fajar-pub.key -BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE- Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFBdxTSkp5CsIXuxqURAng8AJ4tqo+yceDX6OQPHjp6vwMu6hxtQACdE1Ak vdjZP2QUnHbguo7nUlusNPA= =ISfH -END PGP SIGNATURE- Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
Hi My mail seems to be getting returned a lot lately though it also appears to get through, not sure where the problem is. As to editing lilo, be sure you are convinced of what you are doing, try the following: At a command konsole, sign in as su: $su Password Then: #vim /etc/lilo.conf Key the letter i Arrow down to what you want to remove and do the Delete/Backspace thing to edit out, then: Type in: :wq And press enter. AND DON'T FORGET THIS NEXT PART! Issue the following: #/sbin/lilo And if you get errors, go back to the start and correct the bits indicated by the errors. Enjoy Frank On Sun, 2004-04-11 at 07:45, martin brandt wrote: Quoting martin brandt [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Quoting John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED]: martin brandt wrote: Quoting et [EMAIL PROTECTED]: OK so /home is a seperate partition /dev/hda3 and something is wrong with the lilo.conf entry that prohibits reinstalling it in the usual manner What you have to do now is go back into rescue mode as before and choose consule and when there you will have to learn how to mount the partition (cannot remember, possibly rescue already does that, think it does) and then type vi (the name of the text editor) and repair the incorrect entry in /etc/lilo.conf, I cannot advise you of the entry as I do not have a seperate /home partition to give an example of, but in anycase first you have to type vi into google and print of some vi text editor instruction, as although it is a very powerful text editor it certainly will baffle the newbie. If you do need to mount /dev/hda(X) then you do it like this, mkdir /mnt/temp ls /mnt temp mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp punch up vi something like this, vi /mnt/temp/etc/lilo.conf and I think that will display lilo.conf in vi John -- linux counter #167806 Im trying to find the lil.conf but i cantg seem to find it. Ive looked in /etc/ and in mnt/temp/etc (temp doesnt exist). Where might it be? Might it called something else? Thanks. Hmmm, Then I think the partition on which the /etc/lilo.conf is on is not mounted You don't find /mnt/temp, you create it in the rescue consule, like this, mkdir /mnt/temp then check to see that you did, ls /mnt/temp returns, temp (amoungst other , probably) then attatch the device/partition to that directory, like this, mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp where (X) is the number of your OS's partition, ie where you installed the OS. then if you like you can navigate in consule to the /etc/lilo.conf and look at it, like this, cd (means change directory) cd /mnt/temp/etc/ that puts you inside /etc directory of the OS, and from there you can display the file on screen with, cat /lilo.conf then make a note of the stanzas to do with /home partition and report, we can take it from there. John -- John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ah ha! Well my linux partition is hda5, mounted that, and in the lilo.conf i found: other=/dev/hda3 label=old_windows table=/dev/hda Now I installed windows over my old windows partition, which an image of seems to still appear in the windows boot loader, and obviously is causing problems when booting on linux. I need to remove this but how? (P.S. Is it me or is everyone else's mail getting returned occaisionally?)
Re: [newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
Quoting John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED]: martin brandt wrote: Quoting et [EMAIL PROTECTED]: OK so /home is a seperate partition /dev/hda3 and something is wrong with the lilo.conf entry that prohibits reinstalling it in the usual manner What you have to do now is go back into rescue mode as before and choose consule and when there you will have to learn how to mount the partition (cannot remember, possibly rescue already does that, think it does) and then type vi (the name of the text editor) and repair the incorrect entry in /etc/lilo.conf, I cannot advise you of the entry as I do not have a seperate /home partition to give an example of, but in anycase first you have to type vi into google and print of some vi text editor instruction, as although it is a very powerful text editor it certainly will baffle the newbie. If you do need to mount /dev/hda(X) then you do it like this, mkdir /mnt/temp ls /mnt temp mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp punch up vi something like this, vi /mnt/temp/etc/lilo.conf and I think that will display lilo.conf in vi John -- linux counter #167806 Im trying to find the lil.conf but i cantg seem to find it. Ive looked in /etc/ and in mnt/temp/etc (temp doesnt exist). Where might it be? Might it called something else? Thanks. Hmmm, Then I think the partition on which the /etc/lilo.conf is on is not mounted You don't find /mnt/temp, you create it in the rescue consule, like this, mkdir /mnt/temp then check to see that you did, ls /mnt/temp returns, temp (amoungst other , probably) then attatch the device/partition to that directory, like this, mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp where (X) is the number of your OS's partition, ie where you installed the OS. then if you like you can navigate in consule to the /etc/lilo.conf and look at it, like this, cd (means change directory) cd /mnt/temp/etc/ that puts you inside /etc directory of the OS, and from there you can display the file on screen with, cat /lilo.conf then make a note of the stanzas to do with /home partition and report, we can take it from there. John -- John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ah ha! Well my linux partition is hda5, mounted that, and in the lilo.conf i found: other=/dev/hda3 label=old_windows table=/dev/hda Now I installed windows over my old windows partition, which an image of seems to still appear in the windows boot loader, and obviously is causing problems when booting on linux. I need to remove this but how? Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
Quoting martin brandt [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Quoting John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED]: martin brandt wrote: Quoting et [EMAIL PROTECTED]: OK so /home is a seperate partition /dev/hda3 and something is wrong with the lilo.conf entry that prohibits reinstalling it in the usual manner What you have to do now is go back into rescue mode as before and choose consule and when there you will have to learn how to mount the partition (cannot remember, possibly rescue already does that, think it does) and then type vi (the name of the text editor) and repair the incorrect entry in /etc/lilo.conf, I cannot advise you of the entry as I do not have a seperate /home partition to give an example of, but in anycase first you have to type vi into google and print of some vi text editor instruction, as although it is a very powerful text editor it certainly will baffle the newbie. If you do need to mount /dev/hda(X) then you do it like this, mkdir /mnt/temp ls /mnt temp mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp punch up vi something like this, vi /mnt/temp/etc/lilo.conf and I think that will display lilo.conf in vi John -- linux counter #167806 Im trying to find the lil.conf but i cantg seem to find it. Ive looked in /etc/ and in mnt/temp/etc (temp doesnt exist). Where might it be? Might it called something else? Thanks. Hmmm, Then I think the partition on which the /etc/lilo.conf is on is not mounted You don't find /mnt/temp, you create it in the rescue consule, like this, mkdir /mnt/temp then check to see that you did, ls /mnt/temp returns, temp (amoungst other , probably) then attatch the device/partition to that directory, like this, mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp where (X) is the number of your OS's partition, ie where you installed the OS. then if you like you can navigate in consule to the /etc/lilo.conf and look at it, like this, cd (means change directory) cd /mnt/temp/etc/ that puts you inside /etc directory of the OS, and from there you can display the file on screen with, cat /lilo.conf then make a note of the stanzas to do with /home partition and report, we can take it from there. John -- John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ah ha! Well my linux partition is hda5, mounted that, and in the lilo.conf i found: other=/dev/hda3 label=old_windows table=/dev/hda Now I installed windows over my old windows partition, which an image of seems to still appear in the windows boot loader, and obviously is causing problems when booting on linux. I need to remove this but how? (P.S. Is it me or is everyone else's mail getting returned occaisionally?) -- Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
On Sat, 2004-04-10 at 15:45, martin brandt wrote: Quoting martin brandt [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Quoting John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED]: martin brandt wrote: Quoting et [EMAIL PROTECTED]: OK so /home is a seperate partition /dev/hda3 and something is wrong with the lilo.conf entry that prohibits reinstalling it in the usual manner What you have to do now is go back into rescue mode as before and choose consule and when there you will have to learn how to mount the partition (cannot remember, possibly rescue already does that, think it does) and then type vi (the name of the text editor) and repair the incorrect entry in /etc/lilo.conf, I cannot advise you of the entry as I do not have a seperate /home partition to give an example of, but in anycase first you have to type vi into google and print of some vi text editor instruction, as although it is a very powerful text editor it certainly will baffle the newbie. If you do need to mount /dev/hda(X) then you do it like this, mkdir /mnt/temp ls /mnt temp mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp punch up vi something like this, vi /mnt/temp/etc/lilo.conf and I think that will display lilo.conf in vi John -- linux counter #167806 Im trying to find the lil.conf but i cantg seem to find it. Ive looked in /etc/ and in mnt/temp/etc (temp doesnt exist). Where might it be? Might it called something else? Thanks. Hmmm, Then I think the partition on which the /etc/lilo.conf is on is not mounted You don't find /mnt/temp, you create it in the rescue consule, like this, mkdir /mnt/temp then check to see that you did, ls /mnt/temp returns, temp (amoungst other , probably) then attatch the device/partition to that directory, like this, mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp where (X) is the number of your OS's partition, ie where you installed the OS. then if you like you can navigate in consule to the /etc/lilo.conf and look at it, like this, cd (means change directory) cd /mnt/temp/etc/ that puts you inside /etc directory of the OS, and from there you can display the file on screen with, cat /lilo.conf then make a note of the stanzas to do with /home partition and report, we can take it from there. John -- John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ah ha! Well my linux partition is hda5, mounted that, and in the lilo.conf i found: other=/dev/hda3 label=old_windows table=/dev/hda Now I installed windows over my old windows partition, which an image of seems to still appear in the windows boot loader, and obviously is causing problems when booting on linux. I need to remove this but how? (P.S. Is it me or is everyone else's mail getting returned occaisionally?) Would fdisk /mbr from the prompt of a windows boot up disk work??? Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
Quoting et [EMAIL PROTECTED]: On Friday 09 April 2004 09:01 am, John Richard Smith wrote: martin brandt wrote: Quoting Stephen Kuhn [EMAIL PROTECTED]: On Fri, 2004-04-09 at 08:54, martin brandt wrote: After installing a windows boot, i then wanted to reinstall my linux bootloader, which i have had to do quite often with the regular reinstallations needed by windows ;) I loaded from my mdk 9.2 disc and executed the rescue command. This time however i got an error. I got: Added linux * Added linux-nonfb Added windows Added floppy Added failsafe Fatal:lseek /dev/hda3 : Invalid argument Now im guessing there is something wrong with my hda3 partition :( what can i do? Thanks What is ON /dev/hda3 ?? Else, remove it from your lilo.conf and re-run lilo. stephen kuhn - owner == illawarra computer services a kuhn media australia company http://kma.0catch.com -- * This message was composed on a 100% Microsoft free computer * We expressly refuse to utilise Microsoft DRM encoded documents -- Don't tell me how hard you work. Tell me how much you get done. -- James J. Ling hda3 is my home directory. I forgot to mention, because i cant reinstall the boot loader, i cant get onto my linux boot. If i can id rather not have to format hda3, but i wont matter too much if i do have to. Even when i try to reinstall/update mdk i get the same error. how do you come to think hda_3_ is a valid directory? usaully hda1 and had5 are valid, but due to only 1 primary partition per physical drive rules, hda2,3,4 are usually hidden OK so /home is a seperate partition /dev/hda3 and something is wrong with the lilo.conf entry that prohibits reinstalling it in the usual manner What you have to do now is go back into rescue mode as before and choose consule and when there you will have to learn how to mount the partition (cannot remember, possibly rescue already does that, think it does) and then type vi (the name of the text editor) and repair the incorrect entry in /etc/lilo.conf, I cannot advise you of the entry as I do not have a seperate /home partition to give an example of, but in anycase first you have to type vi into google and print of some vi text editor instruction, as although it is a very powerful text editor it certainly will baffle the newbie. If you do need to mount /dev/hda(X) then you do it like this, mkdir /mnt/temp ls /mnt temp mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp punch up vi something like this, vi /mnt/temp/etc/lilo.conf and I think that will display lilo.conf in vi John -- linux counter #167806 Im trying to find the lil.conf but i cantg seem to find it. Ive looked in /etc/ and in mnt/temp/etc (temp doesnt exist). Where might it be? Might it called something else? Thanks. Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
martin brandt wrote: Quoting et [EMAIL PROTECTED]: OK so /home is a seperate partition /dev/hda3 and something is wrong with the lilo.conf entry that prohibits reinstalling it in the usual manner What you have to do now is go back into rescue mode as before and choose consule and when there you will have to learn how to mount the partition (cannot remember, possibly rescue already does that, think it does) and then type vi (the name of the text editor) and repair the incorrect entry in /etc/lilo.conf, I cannot advise you of the entry as I do not have a seperate /home partition to give an example of, but in anycase first you have to type vi into google and print of some vi text editor instruction, as although it is a very powerful text editor it certainly will baffle the newbie. If you do need to mount /dev/hda(X) then you do it like this, mkdir /mnt/temp ls /mnt temp mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp punch up vi something like this, vi /mnt/temp/etc/lilo.conf and I think that will display lilo.conf in vi John -- linux counter #167806 Im trying to find the lil.conf but i cantg seem to find it. Ive looked in /etc/ and in mnt/temp/etc (temp doesnt exist). Where might it be? Might it called something else? Thanks. Hmmm, Then I think the partition on which the /etc/lilo.conf is on is not mounted You don't find /mnt/temp, you create it in the rescue consule, like this, mkdir /mnt/temp then check to see that you did, ls /mnt/temp returns, temp (amoungst other , probably) then attatch the device/partition to that directory, like this, mount /dev/hda(X) /mnt/temp where (X) is the number of your OS's partition, ie where you installed the OS. then if you like you can navigate in consule to the /etc/lilo.conf and look at it, like this, cd (means change directory) cd /mnt/temp/etc/ that puts you inside /etc directory of the OS, and from there you can display the file on screen with, cat /lilo.conf then make a note of the stanzas to do with /home partition and report, we can take it from there. John -- John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
[newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
After installing a windows boot, i then wanted to reinstall my linux bootloader, which i have had to do quite often with the regular reinstallations needed by windows ;) I loaded from my mdk 9.2 disc and executed the rescue command. This time however i got an error. I got: Added linux * Added linux-nonfb Added windows Added floppy Added failsafe Fatal:lseek /dev/hda3 : Invalid argument Now im guessing there is something wrong with my hda3 partition :( what can i do? Thanks -- Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
martin brandt wrote: After installing a windows boot, i then wanted to reinstall my linux bootloader, which i have had to do quite often with the regular reinstallations needed by windows ;) I loaded from my mdk 9.2 disc and executed the rescue command. This time however i got an error. I got: Added linux * Added linux-nonfb Added windows Added floppy Added failsafe Fatal:lseek /dev/hda3 : Invalid argument Now im guessing there is something wrong with my hda3 partition :( what can i do? Thanks Well it looks to me as you've got an error in one of your lilo.conf stanzas somewhere to do with /dev/hda3 partition which you do not clarify as to it's nature. Can you reproduce the lilo.conf here to look at ? and what exactly is your /dev/hda3 partition ? If you run the same procedure again to consul mode and type something like, cat /etc/lilo.conf it ought to display the file then you can use the editor vi to correct it if necessary. John -- John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
Re: [newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
Another way is to elect Expert when instalation reaches Summary and simply edit out that particular entry and worry about it later because you seem to have enough other options toproceed for now. Enjoy Frank On Fri, 2004-04-09 at 00:24, John Richard Smith wrote: martin brandt wrote: After installing a windows boot, i then wanted to reinstall my linux bootloader, which i have had to do quite often with the regular reinstallations needed by windows ;) I loaded from my mdk 9.2 disc and executed the rescue command. This time however i got an error. I got: Added linux * Added linux-nonfb Added windows Added floppy Added failsafe Fatal:lseek /dev/hda3 : Invalid argument Now im guessing there is something wrong with my hda3 partition :( what can i do? Thanks Well it looks to me as you've got an error in one of your lilo.conf stanzas somewhere to do with /dev/hda3 partition which you do not clarify as to it's nature. Can you reproduce the lilo.conf here to look at ? and what exactly is your /dev/hda3 partition ? If you run the same procedure again to consul mode and type something like, cat /etc/lilo.conf it ought to display the file then you can use the editor vi to correct it if necessary. John
[newbie] bootloader reinstall prob.
After installing a windows boot, i then wanted to reinstall my linux bootloader, which i have had to do quite often with the regular reinstallations needed by windows ;) I loaded from my mdk 9.2 disc and executed the rescue command. This time however i got an error. I got: Added linux * Added linux-nonfb Added windows Added floppy Added failsafe Fatal:lseek /dev/hda3 : Invalid argument Now im guessing there is something wrong with my hda3 partition :( what can i do? Thanks Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com
RE: [newbie] Bootloader doesn't work after clean install of Mandrake 8.0
way in being to use the original installer-floppy to boot in using rescue mode. I am very much at a loss as to why the bootloader won't work on *either* disk, has anyone got any suggestions as to why it still won't work even on the 6.4 GB drive? Also, should I be using Grub, LILO with graphical interface, or lILO with text interface? Is it likely to make any difference? Perhaps I should do a complete reinstall now, to clear up whatever it may have done to hdc, and this time ask it to use hdc5? Since I *can* actually mount the hdc5 partition when I boot in using rescue mode from the install floppy, is there anything I should be looking at here (log files etc) to figure out why the bootloader won't work? How can I start Xwin given that i am booting in rescue mode and then moutning the hdc5 root partition? Is this even possible? If I could do that then I could run netscape and view the documentation and maybe try a few things without having to constantly reboot into windows. Can I do this using lynx? Do I need XWIN to run lynx (prob not) Can I view the man and info files whilst in rescue mode? I am keen actually to get Xwin up and to have the system in the state that the User's Manual describes and then go through chapters 7 to 11 of the guide, learning to use the desktop and linux as I go, it is very difficult just being givem a command prompt and a set of directories. I know if I was a Unix-wiz this would all be fine but hey I'm not the idea is to learn!! I have *used* unix before at uni but always very much as a single user, not as an administrator who has to set up the system and get the bloody bootloader to work!! Anyway enough of a whinge :) To summarise: I need help Thanks again Wendy Langer --Original Message- -From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of civileme -Sent: Sunday, 23 September 2001 4:37 -To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Wendy Langer -Subject: Re: [newbie] Bootloader doesn't work after clean install of -Mandrake 8.0 - - -On Sunday 23 September 2001 01:22, Wendy Langer wrote: - --Original Message- - -From: Wendy Langer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] - -Sent: Saturday, 22 September 2001 9:58 - -To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - -Cc: Teresa - -Subject: Bootloader doesn't work after clean install of Mandrake 8.0 - - - - - -Hello everybody, - - - -Aarlier I was having problems getting my SCSI card recognised - -(the aha1510), however I swapped it for an aha1542A and that - -problem now seems to be resolved :) - - - -I am now having another problem though...I have tried to install - -Mandrake 8.0 onto a second hard-drive (my first drive has - -windows), and although the install seems to all go ok, after - -finishing the install then rebooting, the bootloader doesn't seem - -to work. - - - -I get a few messages from the BIOS, then searching for boot - -record on IDE-0 (my main hard-drive, where the windows - -partitions are, and also where I *think* I told it to put the - -boot - loader) - - - -Then it just starts spewing out 1s and 0s like this across the - -screen 01 01 01 01 01 01 except it goes on forever!! - - - -It's definitely done *something* to the start of my first - -hard-drive (BIOS IDE-0) as it now can't load windows either, it - -has clearly written something over the master boot-record here - -but whatever it has written isn't working! - - - -I can boot to DOS using a boot disk, but to get it to boot to - -windows I have to do fdisk /mbr (not sure why really, I thought - -if you booted from floppy you didn't need the MBR anyway but - -clearly something I don't understand here.) - - - -This of course wipes over whatever the Mandrake installer did, - -but at least I can boot windows to read docs and send emails :) - - - -I can boot into Mandrake using the install floppy in rescue mode, - -and I can mount the root partition (hdc5) from here using mount - --t ext2 /dev/hdc5 /newroot where /newroot is a directory I - -created as mountpoint just to test this out. - - - -So from here I ought to be able to look at some log messages and - -figure out what is going on. and then somehow reinstall the - -bootloader properly? I don't know where to begin though!!! What - -messages should IO view? How would I go about repairing a boot-loader? - - - -I have actually been through the install program on the disk - -twice completely and a few other times in update or expert - -mode and am getting very sick of it, so if there is anyway of - -fixing this without another complete install, I would be - -thrilled. At the moment *even* another complete install would be - -ok IF it worked!!! Just don't wanna do it agian and have it - -*still* not working! - - - - - -Ok, so here is a summary of my setup: - - - -AMD GA 71XE4 Motherboard - -850 mHZ AMD Duron CPU - -128MB RAM - -Adaptec 1542A SCSI host adaptor with Matsushita cd-rom connected - -(nothing else) - this scsi card is recognised by mandrake - -installer but not currently by windows. - - - -2 Hard
[newbie] Bootloader doesn't work after clean install of Mandrake 8.0
--Original Message- -From: Wendy Langer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] -Sent: Saturday, 22 September 2001 9:58 -To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Cc: Teresa -Subject: Bootloader doesn't work after clean install of Mandrake 8.0 - - -Hello everybody, - -Aarlier I was having problems getting my SCSI card recognised -(the aha1510), however I swapped it for an aha1542A and that -problem now seems to be resolved :) - -I am now having another problem though...I have tried to install -Mandrake 8.0 onto a second hard-drive (my first drive has -windows), and although the install seems to all go ok, after -finishing the install then rebooting, the bootloader doesn't seem -to work. - -I get a few messages from the BIOS, then searching for boot -record on IDE-0 (my main hard-drive, where the windows -partitions are, and also where I *think* I told it to put the -boot - loader) - -Then it just starts spewing out 1s and 0s like this across the -screen 01 01 01 01 01 01 except it goes on forever!! - -It's definitely done *something* to the start of my first -hard-drive (BIOS IDE-0) as it now can't load windows either, it -has clearly written something over the master boot-record here -but whatever it has written isn't working! - -I can boot to DOS using a boot disk, but to get it to boot to -windows I have to do fdisk /mbr (not sure why really, I thought -if you booted from floppy you didn't need the MBR anyway but -clearly something I don't understand here.) - -This of course wipes over whatever the Mandrake installer did, -but at least I can boot windows to read docs and send emails :) - -I can boot into Mandrake using the install floppy in rescue mode, -and I can mount the root partition (hdc5) from here using mount --t ext2 /dev/hdc5 /newroot where /newroot is a directory I -created as mountpoint just to test this out. - -So from here I ought to be able to look at some log messages and -figure out what is going on. and then somehow reinstall the -bootloader properly? I don't know where to begin though!!! What -messages should IO view? How would I go about repairing a boot-loader? - -I have actually been through the install program on the disk -twice completely and a few other times in update or expert -mode and am getting very sick of it, so if there is anyway of -fixing this without another complete install, I would be -thrilled. At the moment *even* another complete install would be -ok IF it worked!!! Just don't wanna do it agian and have it -*still* not working! - - -Ok, so here is a summary of my setup: - -AMD GA 71XE4 Motherboard -850 mHZ AMD Duron CPU -128MB RAM -Adaptec 1542A SCSI host adaptor with Matsushita cd-rom connected -(nothing else) - this scsi card is recognised by mandrake -installer but not currently by windows. - -2 Hard-Drives: - -1st Primary IDE (IDE-0 according to my BIOS) - Seagate 20.4 GB -2nd Primary IDE (IDE-1 according to my BIOS) - Samsung 6.4 GB - -Amd here is how I have partitioned it. - -Seagate 20.4GB (hda) (hda1) Windows 18GB - (hda5) *old* RedHat linix -partition 870 mb - (hda6) *old* RedHat swap -partition 203 mb - - - -Samsung 6.4GB (hdc) (hdc5) Mandrake / 300MB - (hdc6)Mandrake swap 392MB - (hdc7) Mandrake /usr 1.9GB - (hdc8) Mandrake /var 1.5GB - (hdc9)Mandrake /home 1.8GB - - -This info I wrote down whilst going through the install a second -time. I don't know what on the second drive it starts at hdc5 -instead of hdc1, I've never understood partitions, but hopefully -this is ok as it was pretty much auto-chosen by the wizard, I -just made the root partition a bit bigger and added a /var and a -/home as it was suggested in a book I am reading. - -the stuff on the 20.4 GB drive I just left alone, so this is how -it used to be and still is. - - - -When I got to the bootloader section, I chose hda for where to -put it. Actually, the first time I tried I was in novice mode -but it still defaulted to hda, definitely did *something* there -as I mentioned earlier, since it over-wrote the windows mbr! I -have tried at various points all three bootloader options - Grub, -LILO with graphical interface, and LILO with text interface. Some -very slight variation in error messages but basically the same -behaviour with each of these options. - - -So, to summarise, I have installed Mandrake on a second -hard-drive, and the install seems to have worked to the extent -that there is certainly *something* there on the /hdc5 partition. -I know this as I can boot in using rescue mode and mount it, it -looks like it is full of typical linuxey files and utilities and so forth! - -However, the bootloader is not working and has in fact -over-written my windows mbr, thus I have ended up wiping whatever -it did in order just to get back into windows.
Re: [newbie] Bootloader doesn't work after clean install of Mandrake 8.0
-Then it just starts spewing out 1s and 0s like this across the -screen 01 01 01 01 01 01 except it goes on forever!! That's usually the case of either a missing bootloader for the driver, or perhaps one of the cables to your hard drive isn't quite seated properly. I recall this happening when one of my drive cables had a short, and it was (of course) the drive that held the boot record. -This of course wipes over whatever the Mandrake installer did, -but at least I can boot windows to read docs and send emails :) Try reloading the boot sector - if you are using lilo, it's pretty easy - it even saves a copy of the old boot sector for the drive(s) which you can use dd to copy over. You might see the file 'boot.0300' in /etc/lilo or in /boot - in any case, it's the boot record for the 03,00 device (i.e. /dev/hda). David E. Fox Thanks for letting me [EMAIL PROTECTED]change magnetic patterns [EMAIL PROTECTED] on your hard disk. --- Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
[newbie] bootloader install question
Hi, I plan to install version 7.2 on a 3 gig partition on my secondary harddrive. I think the partition will be /dev/hdb2. Anyway, my question is whether it's possible to avoid installing GRUB if I do a custom installation? I want to use BootMagic instead of GRUB. The installation manual suggests that GRUB will be installed automatically unless the installer is unsure what to do. I want to be prompted so I can say no. Does this mean I have to do an Expect install? Thanks.
