Hello Linux Gurus,
This morning , when I booted my dual-boot PC, and tried to load Linux all that I got was

LIL-


I wonder what this means. I have read somewhere that this is a problem with LILO....but I have no clue what it is and how to solve it.

PLease remebr that I have NOT installed anything and that until last night my PC was working OK. Also I can run W2K and there is no problem with it. My MBR is set up for W2K and I have Linux on my secondary master drive

Thankx in advance...

you need to install lilo in the mbr and configure it for dual boot

first use a bootdisk to get into linux

then setup the lilo.conf file


then run lilo

So if everything is correct then this means you just need to run lilo

And that windows has screwed up another perfectly good linux installation

Hi chem1,
Here is a rundown on the stages of LILO

LILO Description
Prompt
Display

L The first stage boot loader started, but it was unable to load the second stage. This usually indicates a media failure.

LI The first stage and the second stage of the boot loader have successfully run. This typically means that LILO cannot find the kernel.

LIL Can't read the data fro the map file. Usually caused by a media error.

LIL? The secodn stage boot loader was loaded but at an incorrecto address.

LIL- The descriptor table is corrupt.


LILO LILO has successfully completed.


Since you are getting LIL- I'd try to run LILO to try correcting the Problem.

Good luck!

I'll presume you're using Redhat because everyone else does.

Download the RPM from here and install it:

# rpm -i grub-0.90-11.i386.rpm

Next, as root, run it:

# grub

then install it on a blank floppy:

grub-install '/dev/fd0'

and you have a boot disk. If you're happy with it:

grub-install '/dev/hda'

if you have an IDE.

Bert

My guess would be you didn't install any bootloader on /dev/hdb1. You should do so either in rescue or via boot floppy.

If you want NT bootloader to take care of Linux, here goes:
# After you installed 2K on /dev/hda1
# & Linux with lilo on /dev/hda2
#
# Replace /dev/hdb1 if need be
#
Boot Linux & open terminal
dd if=/dev/hdb1 of=boot.lnx bs=512 count=1
cp boot.lnx /mnt/floppy
Boot 2K
copy boot.lnx c:\
edit boot.ini
After multi(0)..., add a new line
C:\boot.lnx="linux"
Reboot

OK...
I have booted using a Rescue Floppy and here is my LILO.CONF
**********************************************************
prompt
timeout="60"
default=Linux
boot="/dev/hdc1"
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
message=/boot/message
linear
#image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-3
# label=Linux.bak
# initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.18-3.img
# read-only
# root=/dev/hdc2
# append="hdd=ide-scsi"
vga="771"

other=/dev/hda1
optional
label="NT"

image="/dev/hda1"

image="/dev/hda1"
root="/dev/hdc2"
initrd="/boot/initrd-2.4.18-5.img"
append="hdd=ide-scsi"

image="/dev/hda1"

image="/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-5"
label="Linux"
root="/dev/hdc2"
append="hdd=ide-scsi"
read-only
initrd="/boot/initrd-2.4.18-5.img"

***************************************************
and here is the error that I get when I try to run /sbin/lilo

*********************************
Warning:/dev/hdc1 is not on the first hard disk
Added NT
Fatal: Kernel does not support Initial RAM Disks
************************************************************

Any ideas whats happening here
One more point...
I commented out the previous Kernel 2.4.18-3 since I upgraded to 2.4.18-5 using the Red Hat update agent

Thankx in advance...

the kernel does not support initrd..

this means you need to rebuild the kernel to use initrd

I f I got it right, what u r saying is that I enable initrd in the kernel ( If you can guide me to that , it will be a great help) and then the problem will go away

Am I correct?

Thankx in advance...

you need the kernel source, check and see if you have it. It will be in /usr/src/

then you just need to follow the kernel howto and when you go through the configuration you will see the ram disk setting

hUm,
Let me try...then I will let you know...I guess I can achieve the using the KDE Kernel COnfigurator

Thankx in advance...

OK, I have checked and Linux Kernel Configurator in KDE says that Initial RAM Disks are supported in the Kernel (2.1.18-5)

Now what do I do

Thankx in advance...

You can clean out your lilo.conf a little more by removing the lines in bold print.

prompt
timeout="60"
default=Linux
boot="/dev/hdc1"
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
message=/boot/message
linear
#image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-3
# label=Linux.bak
# initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.18-3.img
# read-only
# root=/dev/hdc2
# append="hdd=ide-scsi"
vga="771"

other=/dev/hda1
optional
label="NT"

image="/dev/hda1"

image="/dev/hda1"
root="/dev/hdc2"
initrd="/boot/initrd-2.4.18-5.img"
append="hdd=ide-scsi"

image="/dev/hda1"

image="/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-5"
label="Linux"
root="/dev/hdc2"
append="hdd=ide-scsi"
read-only
initrd="/boot/initrd-2.4.18-5.img"


Then run /sbin/lilo again. How are you booting linux? Are you using w2k's boot loader? If you are, you'll probably have to make a new copy of the linux boot sector ( hdc1 ).

WOW!
Just by removing these lines ....LILO runs perfectly.....now I will check and try to reboot the system with this new Cofiguration

Thankx a bunch...

You're welcome.