Linux Install Failure with Dual OS

[robnelli]

I'm in a real pickle trying to install RedHat 6.2 on a Compaq Presario 700z currently running Win98. I thought I had everything figured out before I started but I've really screwed up the machine and can't get out of it. After installing the Linux OS, it won't boot up. It hangs at "LI" . When I try to boot from the Linux boot disk created during installation, it writes "LI 02 04 10 10 10 10 ..." etc. ad nauseum. When I try to boot from the Win98 setup disk, it says "Disk Error, Press Ctrl-Alt-Del ..." I can re-enter the Linux install program and enter "Linux rescue" but I don't know what needs to be done.

The distribution is on CDROM. I used Partition Magic to handle my 30gb harddrive before I started. I kept 18gb as my Win98 C drive (FAT32). I formatted a 2gb D drive (FAT16) for a shared area. I formatted a 580mb Linux Swap partition and the remaining 8gb as the Linux ext2 partition. I think I now realize my problem is that I needed a 1024 partition for /boot because the Linux ext2 root partition is 8gb.

I keep coming across webpages talking about removing LILO, repairing LILO, repairing the MBR, etc. But they all refer to using tools and procedures after getting into DOS or Linux. I can't get into either.

I tried re-installing Linux, but got the same results. What can I do to get Win98 back, correct the problem, or anything?? Any help is much appreciated.

[voidmain]

The newer versions of LILO and GRUB do not have the 1024 cylinder issue. Creating a small (50-75MB) /boot partition should solve the problem, as long as that partition is within the first 1024 cylinders on the hard drive (might want to insert that small partition before your Windows C: partition). Any reason you went with RedHat 6.2 vs RedHat 8.0? How much RAM do you have?

You can restore your boot sector by booting a DOS or Windows floppy with a copy of FDISK.EXE on it. Then type "FDISK /MBR".

[ November 10, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[robnelli]

I'm installing 6.2 because that is what I currently have on CD and my neighbor's kid came home from college for the long weekend and wanted Linux installed.

I can't get the Windows boot disk get me into DOS. I'm getting "Disk I/O error. Replace the disk". I can read the disk fine from my other Win98 system.

[Pantso]

The "LI" message you get during startup means that LILO's second stage has been invoked but could not be started. This could very easily be caused by the 1024 cylinder issue.

Sometimes, depending on the BIOS version on your computer, the kernel image /boot/vmlinuz should be located on the first 1024 of your hard disk.

Anyway why don't you get RedHat 8.0 or a newer Linux distro? Like void main wrote, this issue has been resolved in newer LILO and GRUB versions.

Oh, and to restore your old MBR just follow void main's instructions.

[robnelli]

I agree. I should install 8.0 instead. But, I'm stuck unable to boot into DOS. I have a freshly created Win98 boot disk, but the Linux/Win98 mess-of-a-machine claims there is a Disk I/O error and to replace the disk (which I did). Was there something done during the Linux install that would cause the floppy to behave this way?

[voidmain]

Nope, installing Linux can't hurt your floppy hardware. You can also boot your RH62 CD into rescue mode and do a "lilo -u /dev/hda" which does the same thing as an "FDISK /MBR".

[robnelli]

I've tried that. I get

"sh: lilo: command not found"

I read that lilo should be under /etc but it's not there. I can't seem to find it anywhere.

[voidmain]

In rescue mode, mount your root file system and run it from there:

# mkdir /mnt
# mount -t ext2 /dev/hda5 /mnt

Change /dev/hda5 to whatever is *really* your root (/) file system.

Then you should be able to:

# /mnt/sbin/lilo -u /dev/hda

[ November 10, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[robnelli]

Well, I finally was able to boot into DOS by using the CD and then restored the boot record using Fdisk. I'm currently downloading RedHat 8.0 and will commence installing using it. Thanks for everything.

[Bazoukas]

You shouldnt have any difficulty with RedHat 8.0.

  The installer is very straight foward and gives you a lot of options.