Hello,

I am extremely new to linux and am having trouble booting my computer from the CD. I downloaded the knoppix CD, and I wrote the image to a disk. I entered the bios and set my computer to boot from the CD-rom. When it booted the computer began in dos mode with A:\>. I typed e: then dir/p to see what files were on the cd in the e: drive. There were files there, but I dont know what command to type to open the OS. Shouldn't it automatically open? I really want to get this thing started.

Try looking under E:\ for dos or dosutils. I think if I remember there is a GO.BAT file that has some perameters for LOADLIN.EXE

Also there are some utilities there for making DOS FLoppy boot disks but have not tried them.

Better though to check the CD you burned. If your bios is set to boot from the CD then you should not be getting an A:\ that would indicate a DOS boot disk.

KC

Hi there,

Firstly, welcome to linux! May you enjoy many years of free,reliable software (once you get it to work at all, that is )

As to your problem, it seems as if your computer is just ignoring your CD and booting into DOS (which is presumably what you have on the hard drive). I think your problem might be the same as my niece is having with her computer. I gave her a Mepis Live CD the other day, but her computer just ignores it and boots into Windows anyway. Apparently some older BIOSes can't boot from CDs using the iso format used by some linux CDs. If this is the case with you, you could try using SmartBootManager (http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/about.html). You put this on a floppy, boot from the floppy, then tell it to boot from the CD.

Hope this helps

Thanks, I really appreciate your response.

It's actually the second time I burned the cd. I feel kinda like a bonehead, but the first time I moved the files over and wrote the CD image, the second time I moved the enitre knoppix file over to write to the cd. I could try burning the CD again, but I dont feel confident that it would make a difference having already tried to burn it twice. Wouldn't hurt though I guess.

The DIR for the first burn had an .md5 file, an .iso file for a burning program (NTI CD Gold-which I used to write the CD) a german readme file, and the other files which would not run.

The DIR for the second burned cd (to which I copied the entire knoppix folder) showed a file that said KNOPPI~1 <DIR>, and that was all.

Maybe there is a website or oa book that someone can suggest which would be helpful for the EXTREME beginner not quite yet linux user....



amanda

I have to ask this because it's a common mistake, but did you write the iso as a single file to the CD, or did you actually burn the image? (i.e. if you look at the CD contents in windows there are lots of files and folders on the CD, not just the single ISO file?)

Thanks for asking.

Actually, I think this may be my problem. I thought I wrote the image to the disk, but maybe I'm not even getting that step right. As I said in the previous reply, I tried twice to write the CD. First with each file from the knoppix folder, then with just the enitre knoppix folder from the download. Each time I checked a box that said "bootable cd" and I was asked if I wanted to burn the CD as an image, to which I responded "yes". Maybe there is a problem with this step and there is a better way to wirte the cd image. I am definately not familiar with the burning program I used.

I really appreciate the info...keep it coming...please.

amanda

Should have looked at this sooner, but to be more specific:

When I looked at the cd in windows the is a file folder called KNOPPIX_V3.7-2004-12-08-EN, which when opened contains 8 files:
1. KNOPPIX_V3.7-2004-12-08-EN
2. KNOPPIX_V3.7-2004-12-08-EN.iso
3. KNOPPIX_V3.7-2004-12-08-EN.iso.md5
4. KNOPPIX_V3.7-2004-12-08-EN.iso
5. KNOPPIX_V3.7-2004-12-08-EN.iso.sha1
which are followed by three text files.

Hopefully this, with the prev. info helps someone help me.

thanks again

amanda

Thank you PeteBourner.

I am in the process of taking your advice.


amanda

It seems like your not burning the iso right.
The iso is like an archive file which should be un-archived (like unzipped) in the process of burning.
If you'r using Nero then try opening windows explorer, right clicking the file, choosing "open with" and selecting Nero. Nero will then do everything for you

thank you yotamk.

I ended up writing the cd wrong. You have to make sure to create a CD image in ISO format. I already knew that, but I wasn't doing it right with my burning program.

So, for the NTI gold burning program this option is in the "FILE" drop down menu. Select it then move on with the download. The computer booted from the CD without a problem.

I'm a linux user now.