Need to install LILO
 

hi all ,

i have linux 12.5 .... and it doesn't boot by it self

i need to install LILO (Linux Loader)...

how do i install it .. and whrere can i reach it ?

thanks

erm you'll have to be a little more specific my friend.

You may well have something 12.5, but it almost definitely won't be called "Linux 12.5".

If you could tell us what the distro name is, then someone might be able to tell you straight away.

Also, if you've managed to install something (either singlely or dual/multi boot) then it's possible that you have put the bootloader in the wrong place.

For instance, where a dual boot is installed, if you don't install the bootloader to the "MBR" (major boot record), but put it somewhere like on (one of ???) the linux partition(s) then the system won't see it.

It does sound strange, but it should normally be put on the MBR so that it's basically looking down on the available operating system(s) and thus, knows what too offer you.

If you did get that far, then I'd suggest, that for ease and speed, just rerun the installer again, make sure you tell it to use the same partitions and put the bootloader (depending on the distro, it might be lilo or grub) onto the MBR.

Or you could try booting the install CD/DVD again, and if it offers you "other" options, select that and see if you can "rescue" it - lots of distros will offer you a choice of what it is that you want to "rescue" i.e. mandriva has a dropdown, that includes re-installing the bootloader. So you could see if what you have offers the same.

Good luck

regards

John

i don't know the CD Name is "" aDigital-12.8 "" its called aLinux 12.8

see link

is there a method to know what is my distro ?? as you see its not in CD name !

i don't know what is singley and multi but i didn't put anything anywhere :D

i could have installed LILO during linux installation but i didn't cause it said it might be unsafe if installed wrong

despite that i re installed linux to install LILO .. there was choices as i remeber
1. simple > must be set as boot
2. expert
3. MBR > might be unsafe

that was it with its comments

i choose 1. and it took too long .. NO TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG

if left it for months it wont finish

no the cd doesn't give option .. all its said about booting that you can use
[( vmlinuz root=/dev/xxxx ) xxxx=hda1 in my case]
to tell the comp where to boot from and that what i do every time i start the comp

thanks john .. waiting for your reply

Despite the warning (this sounds like the warning Slackware gives, incidentally), it is normally perfectly safe to install Lilo to the MBR (master boot record).

Welcome to Linux and Good Luck!

EDIT: I haven't heard of aLinux before, but apparently it used to be called Peanut Linux. their website is at http://alinux.org/ if you are interested

yeah i know the site ... But is there any way that i can know which linux distro i am ...

or that (( aLinux )) isn't a real linux in the first place

Note That : Its my first time to work on linux so i cant know if its a real linux or not :(

aLinux is a real linux distribution, it is listed at Distrowatch, a popular sitelisting all the various distribution of Linux.

A distribution or 'distro' is the Linux Kernel and all the tools and and programs which make it run your computer, to put it simply.

Have you managed to sort this ?

As Eternal Newbie says, it is pretty normal to install the bootloader to the MBR (major boot record). With dual boot systems (example is some sort of windows and a linux distro), it pretty much has to be there - think of the analogy of the tennis umpires chair. High up so that can see whats going on and direct accordingly. If it (the bootloader) is put anywhere else, it can't see everything thats going on in the software tennis match - or you have to have an umpire elsewhere (like on a boot disc - floppy or CD) to be able to direct the match.

If you do have a windows disc as well, then it's pretty straight forward to restore the windows bootloader.

I notice that you put your location as Egypt, so as an alternative, you might consider looking at one of the "bigger" distros (e.g. Mandriva, SuSE, Fedora or maybe one of the *buntu's, knoppix or similar) which have native support for your first language (presuming it's not english) which might help with locating assistance/answers too your questions a little quicker (thats not that I want too sound patronising, but I suspect a fair number of the newer users to linux would benefit from native language support if they aren't first language english speakers).

Hope you have succeeded in sorting out your problem.

regards

John

thanx john ,,,

i managed to get lilo work ...

but speaking about distros is that (( aLinux )) a bad distro ? ( i really dont know ! )

i found so many distros of linux more than you mentioned ,, where can i get information about the differences so i can choose the distro that suits me ..

and just asking ,, what do you think of ((( Debian ))) is it a good one to start with ?

and about the language - My first langauge is arabic - ...
i guess you cant work with a computer unless it's in english language :D

for example you cant learn programming in arabic (( LOL ))

it have to be in english

and i'm working on improving my english :)


and THANKS