Tri Boot system PLEASE HELP
 

Ok I originaly had XP then I installed Red Hat. But know I want to install Mandrake. I installed it But now when I get to the mandrake boot loader (im using lilo) Only Windows XP will start. The rest just reboot the system. I checked my hdd all of the OSs are there. I realy would like some info THANKS

Your Mandrake install CD has a rescue mode. Boot the install CD and select rescue mode. Then ask the rescue system to boot your installed Mandrake system. Once you are in the Linux system then you can fix lilo.

Thanks for the reply. I did that and when I try to fix the boot loader it tells me "Fatal: open /boot/message: No such file or directory" Now what do I do?

"Fatal: open /boot/message: No such file or directory"

This means that you are missing a file called /boot/message. You do not need this file. You can edit /etc/lilo.conf and remove the line which says:
message=/boot/message.

Or you can use a text editor to create /boot/message with whatever message you want to appear at boot.

Or you can use rescue mode to boot Red Hat and see if you can create a working lilo in Red Hat.

Whether you use Mandrake or Red Hat you will have to edit /etc/lilo.conf to set up the triple boot.

Ok that was VERY helpfull, but how do I even get into Red Hat or Mandrake. I cant get into any of them, only Windows. And the rescue mode tells me that im missing the file. Even though that file isnt important. So I have no idea how to get around that.

"but how do I even get into Red Hat or Mandrake"

You get into Red Hat or Mandrake from the rescue system. I don't know the exact command sequence in Mandrake but you boot the Mandrake install CD into rescue mode, or perhaps boot installed system mode. Then you tell the Mandrake rescue mode that you want to boot an already installed Linux system and tell what partition your installed Mandrake system or your installed Red Hat system is on. Then it will bypass the broken lilo bootloader and boot the system that you want. Once you are booted into one of your installed Linux systems then you can fix lilo.

When I explained the /boot/message error message I thought that you were working inside of your already installed system. if you were still in the installer CD rescue system when you got the error message then the error message is meaningless.

ok when I boot up the mandrake install cd I go into rescue mode by hitting f1 for more options then typing rescue then enter. There it gives me the options 1. Re-Install Boot loader (thats what gives me the error message about the boot message) 2. Restore WIndows Boot Loader 3. Mount your partitions under /mnt 4. Go to console 5. Reboot 6. Doc: what's addressed by this Rescue?
Now I could be wrong but I dont see anything about booting into an already installed Mandrake.

" I dont see anything about booting into an already installed Mandrake."

That surprises me. Perhaps there is a different option on your Mandrake install CD that will allow you to boot into an already installed Linux.

Or you could try your Red Hat install CD and see if you can get in that way.

I dont have my red hat cd right now, a friend of mine has it. Is there another way?

"Is there another way?"

Again, my knowledge of Mandrake is sketchy. You could try to use the Mandrake install disk to create a boot floppy. That could be in the section on 1. Re-Install Boot loader. Or you might go into the complete install section and see if you can make a boot floppy without actually installing anything else.

Thats bad either way becaus my laptop (thats what im trying to install it on) Has no floppy.

What does your /etc/lilo.conf file look like? Better yet, which OS are you going to let boot any of your OS's? It either has to be Mandrake or Red Hat.

"Thats bad either way becaus my laptop (thats what im trying to install it on) Has no floppy."

Then I guess that you need an install CD which allows you to boot an installed system. There does not have to be a match between the install CD and the distribution brand. Most distributions have a rescue system which allows you to boot an installed system with a broken bootloader. I was surprised that Mandrake did not.

See if you can find a SuSE, Red Hat, or Slackware install CD and use that.

The only other thing I have is a Knoppix-STD disc. Will that work?

I dont know I can only get into window so I cant look at it. Im trying to get into Mandrake.