LinuxQuestions.org
Latest LQ Deal: Latest LQ Deals
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Software
User Name
Password
Linux - Software This forum is for Software issues.
Having a problem installing a new program? Want to know which application is best for the job? Post your question in this forum.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 05-28-2001, 03:10 AM   #1
cubed
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: May 2001
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Distribution: Red Hat 7.0, 7.1
Posts: 29

Rep: Reputation: 15
Unhappy


I'm trying to install Redhat 7 on an IBM iSeries 1800 laptop (Japanese model) but it seems that LILO on the MBR will not boot linux and Windows ME.

I made sure that the boot partition was well clear of cylinder 1024, allowing for the recommended 16MB needed.

The problem I reckon is that LILO needs DOS to boot the MS OS but of course WinME has relegated DOS to being a virtual machine within windows.

Unless I've missed something, I've kind of given up on this method. I going to try LOADLIN within an DOS prompt but to boot my system into DOS mode, I need to boot from a floppy anyway, so I err, might as well just stick with a boot floppy for linux...?
Any suggestions or success stories?
 
Old 05-28-2001, 07:05 AM   #2
unSpawn
Moderator
 
Registered: May 2001
Posts: 29,415
Blog Entries: 55

Rep: Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600
linuxdoc.org has an excellent how-to on this:
www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/mini/Loadlin%2BWin95-98-ME.html

btw, there seems to be an unofficial real DOS-mode patch for WinME floating around, search for mfddme13.zip.
 
Old 05-31-2001, 11:23 AM   #3
cubed
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: May 2001
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Distribution: Red Hat 7.0, 7.1
Posts: 29

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Unhappy

Thanks for your reply unSpawn.

As a last comment before I ditch dual booting, it seems that on a Win ME preinstalled system, if Windows ME detects other bootable partitions on the system, Win ME will not boot.
This conclusion is from trials on three new (Fujitsu, Sony and IBM) Win ME preinstalled systems - two desktops and a laptop respectively.

After scouring newsgroups, FAQs and Linux and MS technical sites, I've come to this unfortunate conclusion about dual booting Windows ME and Linux. So when you install LILO and native partitions (notwithstanding the 1024 cylinder issue) if Windows ME is resident, you can only boot either win ME or Linux, until the non-windows bootable partitions are removed. Even bootloader programs I've tried produce consistent but disappointing results.

This problem is well documented on the Japanese redhat Linux pages (trust me) but not the English sites - perhaps this means these otc systems are not available elsewhere yet ...?
 
Old 06-01-2001, 06:25 AM   #4
unSpawn
Moderator
 
Registered: May 2001
Posts: 29,415
Blog Entries: 55

Rep: Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600Reputation: 3600
[QOUTE]Even bootloader programs I've tried produce consistent but disappointing results.[/QUOTE]

If uve got some time to explain a bit which bootloaders uve tried & what the results where that would be great.
Did u also try a commercial package like Powerquests' Bootmagic?
 
Old 06-04-2001, 02:30 AM   #5
cubed
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: May 2001
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Distribution: Red Hat 7.0, 7.1
Posts: 29

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Admittedly, I've been trying some fairly obscure ones - GAG and another free 'unified bootloader' program.

LILO doesn't load Win ME and GAG and the other one don't load anything when all the partitions are in place.

Specifically, what happens is that the programs pass control to Win ME and I just get the cursor in the top left. So the bootloader is doing it's job OK, I think it's Win ME that's being stubborn. I've covered most angles over the past six weeks since buying the software.

Do you think Bootmagic would be any more successful?
Unless the marketing blurb specifically addresses the issue of Windows ME and linux dual boot, I'm probably not going to risk it (in Tokyo no-one hears you scream about English language software!!)

Actually I guess what I'm asking is have you heard of anyone successfully dual booting linux and Win ME with bootmagic?

Thanks for your help unSpawn.
 
Old 06-04-2001, 10:11 AM   #6
mrsketch
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jun 2001
Posts: 1

Rep: Reputation: 0
Question I have a ? for u

Since u are trying to achive the same goal as me then u might be able to help me with this.
I've set up my partions one for Windows ME 7.5GB
One for Linux Naive 1.7GB and Linux Swap 170MB. And everything there is good. no bad sectors or nothing like that. Fdisk recognizes them. SO i believe i did that part correctly. But when i try to install linux i get this error
VFS: Cannot open root device.
Please append a correct "root=" boot option.
Kernal Panic: VFS
Unable to mount root fs.
I know its probably something I'm doing wrong. Am I even using the right file. What file should I call from dos to start the install? Any Info would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
 
Old 06-06-2001, 10:42 AM   #7
cubed
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: May 2001
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Distribution: Red Hat 7.0, 7.1
Posts: 29

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Lightbulb

Are you running Redhat 7?
Err, it sounds as though there's a problem with the way you're partitioning the drive.

Try the recommendations in the installation guide for the root, boot and swap partition sizes in Disk Druid.

As a 2 month novice myself, I don't really know what I mean or mean what I say but these people have a better idea:

http://www.linuxdocs.org,

and specifically:

http://linuxdocs.org/HOWTOs/Installa...WTO/index.html

Hey, please let me know if you get it to dual boot!
thanks
 
Old 06-06-2001, 02:16 PM   #8
rabidundead
Member
 
Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Earth
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67

Rep: Reputation: 15
Exclamation WHOAAAAA!!!! HOLD ON!!!!!!!!

don't do nothing!not a thing with the partitions, i got Win ME working on an HP Pavilion (oem) and Linux 7.1, i even share my cable-modem. i used GRUB. i'll help out later tonight.... i'm at work now and am rushed. read up on grub, and i'll be on around 9 CST to help out!

--
Rabid

"ah, DOS... back in the monochrome days before you could even display a 'blue' screen." :smash:
 
Old 06-06-2001, 02:47 PM   #9
rabidundead
Member
 
Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Earth
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67

Rep: Reputation: 15
Talking i'm on lunch

here's some more info. i had some of the same errors with the root= problem and the blinking cursor, but i got around it by creating a file to configure grub. i have all my notes at home, but i do know, that it is a simple text file configuration, and pointing to the proper partitions, i was able to boot either one from power-on. i even have an optional floppy boot, all from a gui selection menu at startup. i'll help you both when i get home, so hold tight...

--
Rabid

"the best tool i've ever found to fix my windoze problems was ... fdisk!" :smash:
 
Old 06-06-2001, 10:13 PM   #10
rabidundead
Member
 
Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Earth
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67

Rep: Reputation: 15
Cool ok, here goes...

when i first got my compuer, it had an oem of win ME.. then when i wanted to dual boot with a linux distro, i had all sorts of problems getting lilo to work. win ME can be tamed by dual booting using the GRUB bootloader.









i went to google and searched for grub, and found something on a new version (or continuing project) with all kinds of confusion filling my brain.









i went to the original archive of the original GRUB, and there is where i found the answer...



************ please note: the version of GRUB i used is in the linux mandrake 8.0 sources. but because of that distro's kernel version not supporting my devices properly (like my all-important eth0 & my soundcard), i went to redhat7.1 ( which cured my blues).









********** here is what its instalation entails...









first, if you have a linux boot disk, your ready to go, if not.. you'll have to make one. also have another floppy formatted (dos) and blank - you'll need it.









anyway, next step is to boot into linux from floppy.




then go into your root login and open a file manager...




or at a command line..









either way you need to create a dir called: /boot/grub/







next you'll need to create a file called: menu.lst







this will be a text file with the following:











timeout=20



default=0



fallback=3







title=Red Hat Linux



kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda5 hdc=ide-scsi







title=Windows ME



root (hd0,0)



makeactive



chainloader +1







title=Floppy Boot



root (fd0)



chainloader +1







------







do not include the ------- it's just a delimiter...







anyway to make it work for your system:







timeout= {seconds before booting *default*}







default= {menu entry to boot after *timeout* , first entry is 0, then 1,2,etc...}







fallback= {menu entry to boot if *default* fails to}







title= {title to display for this entry in the menu}







******* for linux ************





kernel ({hard disk, partition to find kernel}) /dir/boot-image-file-name root=/dev-dir/partition-of-root hdc{harddiskcontroller}=type-of-controller







******* for win ME ***********





root ({harddisk-should-be-zero,partition-should-be-zero})







** if you don't make wi ME the first partition, i don't know how well it will work **







makeactive {does the job of the windoze bootloader}



chainloader +1 {ditto}







******** for floppy boot (definitely a good idea)****





root (floppydrivenumber-zero-if-only-one-exists)



chainloader +1 {again, standard}







**************************







ok, save the file and hold on, i'll be right back with the GRUB installation itself







------



Rabid



"to be continued......" :smash:



 
Old 06-07-2001, 12:16 AM   #11
rabidundead
Member
 
Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Earth
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67

Rep: Reputation: 15
Exclamation

******** i'm doing this from memory, with some notes and stuff i took down from my own install. keep in mind, your menu.lst file must be accurate to your computer's setup, so don't use MY settings, i got my computer's partitions the way i want them, and that is almost certainly not the way you have them...



















so if you have any reservations, this is where to turn back ********



















if you are confident and ready to proceed...



















OK, go to



















-ftp://213.82.126.2/pub/FTOSX/step_2/-

(<-- sorry, the link is now dead. try finding it at :http://www.gnu.org!)










and find the grub source, its: grub-0-5.96.tar.gz

















>>>>>> it might be at gnu's ftp server also...
>>>>>




















after you have it, decompress it to /usr/src:



















tar xvfz grub-0.5.96.tar.gz



















then compile using:



















./configure









make









make install



















now you're ready for that blank floppy:




















Install using "dd" to the floppy disk:





















dd if=grub-0.5.96-i386-pc.ext2fs of=/dev/fd0




















****** if a windows loader occupies the MBR, then use the windows boot disk to get to a minimal DOS prompt (go thru the gui tool it provides then exit to the prompt), then type:



















fdisk /MBR



















!!!!!!!! this will erase the master boot record so that you can install GRUB there: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



















next, boot the GRUB floppy: you will come to the grub command line:





















to install, you use the install command line:





















grub-install --root-directory=/dev/hda



















after that, remove the disk and reboot. you should see your new GRUB gui menu...





























****** IF you have any problem with it booting, use your linux floppy to boot, then verify your partitions and hd names are correct in your /boot/grub/menu.lst file. *********



















-------------









i hope everything in there was right... if you need resources for something gone wrong... go to :



















http://www.futuretg.com/FTOSX/Develo...tep_2_old.html



















for a good aid about grub, albeit, its for FTOSX...



















also go to:


















http://www.uruk.org/orig-grub/install.html

















this is the original grub installation guide from the original author... note that this is for any earlier version, but is what i used to piece together everything for myself...

















- GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

















----








Rabid

















"and you thought all i was good for was foaming at the mouth!..." :smash: (tension management for this nerve-racking stuff) :smash:

Last edited by rabidundead; 06-24-2001 at 03:17 PM.
 
Old 06-08-2001, 10:13 AM   #12
cubed
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: May 2001
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Distribution: Red Hat 7.0, 7.1
Posts: 29

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Talking

Well glory be. GRUB, huh?
Thank you rabidundead. I'll try that.

Reservations? Me? Only at hell's door.

 
Old 06-10-2001, 02:08 AM   #13
rabidundead
Member
 
Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Earth
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67

Rep: Reputation: 15
Exclamation ANYONE! IMPORTANT URL INSIDE!!! (glad i could help)

Let me know if you have any questions. And don't forget to POST if it worked or not, so that others reading the posts can duplicate these kinds of things without wondering if it actually worked. Since this forum archives all of its posts, someone may be able to make use of this later!

















To everyone who don't post after taking advice, PLEASE DO!








This lets others know it worked and that, for one, we know what we're talking about. It also lets us know when something DOESN'T work under certain circumstances (configurations or hardware) so that we can avoid pitfalls in the future!

















Anyway, you're welcome, 'cubed'..
BE SURE TO READ BELOW!!!!!!!














Later.








-----








Rabid








"OK, so i've given up on it working... but can 'I' at least pick what color my CRASH screen is? I mean, 'I' don't particularly like BLUE..." :smash:













p.s.: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!











check out this article on DoS Attacks, 'root's everywhere NEED to read this one! it's at:













http://grc.com/dos/grcdos.htm













DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU, YOUR BOX COULD BE NEXT!






I'M GONNA LET JEREMY KNOW, TONIGHT...













!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Old 06-10-2001, 02:38 AM   #14
rabidundead
Member
 
Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Earth
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67

Rep: Reputation: 15
Exclamation Wanna discuss what happened to Themes.org?

(Had to edit this, I accidentaly posted twice)





I emailed Jeremy about the DoS attack, so if it becomes a threat, our beloved BBS won't fall victim.

Anyone alse know what's up with Themes.Org?





I know it got cracked, but anyone on the inside saying how messed up it got?





POST REPLIES AT NEW THREAD!: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...?threadid=3232

[Edited by rabidundead on 06-10-2001 at 04:20 AM]
 
Old 06-10-2001, 01:51 PM   #15
cubed
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: May 2001
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Distribution: Red Hat 7.0, 7.1
Posts: 29

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Question

Hi rabidundead.

Gah! It was looking so good...

A couple of questions, if you have time:

1. Where should I put LILO? Should I leave it out?

2. I can't get a DOS prompt after installing grub-0.5.96-i386-pc.ext2fs to the FD (because at that point there's two bootable partitions so WinME won't boot even from a floppy) but I'm able to boot from the GRUB floppy anyway, so that's doesn't matter right?

3. Error messages in GRUB,

When booting DOS:

Booting command-list

root(hd0,0) // I tried a few arguments in the command line editor just in case
Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xc
makeactive
chainloader +1

// system hang, flashing cursor, ends

When booting Linux:

Booting command-list

root(hd0,2) // Again, I tried a few arguments in the command line editor, jic
Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x5
Kernel /boot/vmlinuz root/dev/hda2 readonly

Error 17: Cannot mount selected partition

// ends

One other point, although maybe it's tacit knowledge, I have to fetch the grub-0.5.96-i386-pc.ext2fs file from the decompressed folder contents, right? What I mean is the ./configure, make and make install don't generate this file do they?

I've been repartitioning and reinstalling Linux every weekend for seven weeks tomorrow (Monday). I like to think it's a learning process. :-)

thanks for your help
cubed

 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
WinME side not loading in a RedHat 9 dual boot system. calkel2 Linux - Newbie 8 05-20-2004 02:31 PM
trying to make lilo work with both redhat 7.1 and winME Vlackmar Linux - Software 5 11-14-2001 01:30 PM
LILO/Boot/RH7.1/WinME probs!!!! DragonClaw Linux - General 5 07-09-2001 06:57 PM
Redhat 7.1 and winme lilo someguy62 Linux - Software 2 07-02-2001 08:01 AM
WinME, Redhat 7, LILO, dual boot cubed Linux - Software 0 05-28-2001 03:01 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Software

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:47 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration