Can`t boot linux
 

Hi all, I`m not a complete noob, but close enough.
I have just installed RH 7. The installation went fine but when I try to boot I have the following problems, either:

1: Just booting from the hard drive LILO dosn`t appear to be installed, it just keeps booting to Windows XP.

Or...

2: When I use the boot disk it brings up LILO and will only let my select Linux as a OS, no mention of Windows. So I select Linux and it loads up the first line then says "Error 0X10" which I have found out generally means bad media.

I have also got a version of RH7.1 which wont get past the initial text screen where you choose what you would like to do, i.e install/upgrade, repair ect. It just goes to a blank screen. Are the 2 problems related? Do you think that my hard drive is buggered?

Both versions have been installed on this system in the past using the same way as I did it today with no problems. As far as the installation went I let Linux manage it`s own partitions, it`s worked many times in the past for me.

The only thing that I can think of is instead of letting LILO be installed in the MBR install it in the Linux partition, any ideas if this will work?

Thanks

If you install LILO to the Linux partition, then you won't be able to boot it without doing some funky things! You could, if you're inclined, mess around and try and use the Windows bootloader (not a good idea) to boot into Linux, or you could get another bootloader and point it to the Linux partition. I would suggest the latter, and I can recommend XOSL as an option.

I would think that this is your best option:
Get XOSL and sort it to boot into Linux.
Do so... boot into Linux.
Log in as root and edit your /etc/lilo.conf file
Change it to be installed into the MBR (change the line that says boot=/dev/hda2 to boot=/dev/hda).
Run lilo to make sure the changes are in place.
Reboot and cross your fingers.