Dual Boot Problem (Windows XP & Red Hat 8)
 

I have Windows XP on my 120 gig HD and I just installed Red Hat Linux 8.0 on my new 80 gig HD. Everything went fine, but when I boot up my computer I get two choices, windows or linux.. If i choose windows, a black screen with only the words "Loading Windows XP" appear and stay forever...

I use LILO and I think that my boot config is bad or something, but I am *brand* new to linux, please explain in full detail how to configure lilo so i can boot into windows!

email me please...thanks
sypkensj@hotmail.com
Jason

You should post your lilo.conf file so people can take a look at it. I'm not to familiar with lilo but it sounds like this is a configuration problem. You didn't mention if booting Linux works.

Anyway LILO is probably trying to boot XP in the wrong place. Post you lilo.conf file.(I think its called lilo.conf) Whatever the lilo configuration file is post it.

You have to be more specific.. how do i post that

I don't know any of the commands..how do i view it or anything?

....
I'm a newbie...remember

Open the file "/etc/lilo.conf" with an editor, cut the text from there, and paste it into your next reply here. Then we are (probably) able to help you.
(well, you don't HAVE to use an editor, you'r web-browser can open the file too..)

Every program I try to open lilo.conf in says access denied...........

suggestions?

Make sure you are the root user.

I am the root user...there are no other users.
is there a way that I could check?

Well how could you get an accessed denied error if you are root? What distro are you running? I believe you have to create another user besides root during installation.

whoami will tell you who you are.

whoami what ? how do i run whoami...

how would I log in as root.. I have a root password, and one account.

my AIM is sypkensj if you have that, since you are obviously online

Well..got it thanks to crashed_again
heres my lilo.conf


prompt
timeout=50
default=WindowsXP
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
message=/boot/message
linear

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-14
label=linux.bak
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.18-14.img
read-only
append="hdd=ide-scsi root=LABEL=/"

other=/dev/hdb2
optional
label=WindowsXP

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-24.8.0
label=linux
append="hdd=ide-scsi root=LABEL=/"
read-only
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.18-24.8.0.img

Well, if your shell looks similar to this:
[root@localhost root]#

then you are root

But if it is ie like:
[sauron@localhost sauron]$

like Mine is,
then you are a REGULAR user. Reg's have no permissions to
open or modify .conf files in /etc/, only root does. (type "whoami" to see it. )
You probably are logged in as a reg, so do a "su root", and type root's
passwd to get The PoWeR of God on your box.. =)

anyone know how to help me if thats my lilo.conf ?
still cant boot windows

Are you sure your xp black screen would not go away?

Try waiting 15 minutes, if you DO eventually get in, then it's because your XP is trying to access the linux drive.

Otherwise, what do I know, I am also a newb.

15 minutes...is this just a guess or a valid response? I will try it..
just start it and leave for class i guess

Obviously the 15 minutes is just a number that I spitted out at random, but it does take a long time if windows is trying to access a linux drive.