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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?
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 ...?
[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?
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?
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
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67
Rep:
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:
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67
Rep:
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:
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67
Rep:
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
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67
Rep:
******** 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 :
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.
Distribution: Trying to get GENTOO 2004.2 INSTALLED... Weeeee!!!!
Posts: 67
Rep:
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:
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. :-)
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