LinuxQuestions.org
Help answer threads with 0 replies.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Slackware > Slackware - Installation
User Name
Password
Slackware - Installation This forum is for the discussion of installation issues with Slackware.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 01-25-2005, 12:39 PM   #1
gmartin
Member
 
Registered: Mar 2003
Location: PA
Distribution: Slackware 13.37 Linux Reg # 341245
Posts: 285

Rep: Reputation: 40
Lilo install failed


I went through and rebuilt my Slack 10 system and after I went through the final config i recieved an error that lilo failed. And of course on boot there is no OS.

I have two drives in the system, but only partitioned one (/dev/hda). I put a small swap partition as the first partition (/dev/hda1) on the drive and the rest is root (/dev/hda2). I suspect this is the issue. Do I need to have a linux partition as the first partition on my boot drive?
 
Old 01-25-2005, 01:08 PM   #2
320mb
Senior Member
 
Registered: Nov 2002
Location: pikes peak
Distribution: Slackware, LFS
Posts: 2,577

Rep: Reputation: 48
Re: Lilo install failed

Quote:
Originally posted by gmartin
Do I need to have a linux partition as the first partition on my boot drive?
Nope...........you can put the /boot partition anywhere you'd like...............
 
Old 01-25-2005, 01:28 PM   #3
gmartin
Member
 
Registered: Mar 2003
Location: PA
Distribution: Slackware 13.37 Linux Reg # 341245
Posts: 285

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 40
And will lilo put the MBR in the correct place regardless?
 
Old 01-25-2005, 01:52 PM   #4
DaHammer
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Planet Earth
Distribution: Slackware, LFS
Posts: 561

Rep: Reputation: 30
It will write to the MBR of whatever device you tell it too in lilo.conf.
Code:
boot="/dev/hda"
Tells lilo to install to the MBR of hda. Anyway, you can install it manually by booting to the rescue disk, CDROM, bootdisks/rootdisks, or some other recovery disk. Once booted just manually mount /dev/hda2, edit the lilo.conf file on it and run lilo with the -C option telling it where the lilo.conf is. An example:

Code:
mkdir -p /mnt/hda2
mount /dev/hda2 /mnt/hda2
---- edit /mnt/hda2/etc/lilo.conf to suit your needs ----
ln -sf /mnt/hda2/boot /boot
/mnt/hda2/sbin/lilo -C /mnt/hda2/etc/lilo.conf
umount /mnt/hda2
reboot
Edit: The above method has potential for problems. Use one of the below methods instead:

Code:
mkdir -p /mnt/hda2
mount /dev/hda2 /mnt/hda2
chroot /mnt/hda2
---- edit /etc/lilo.conf to suit your needs ----
/sbin/lilo
exit
umount /mnt/hda2
reboot
Or if you're using the Slackware CD or bootdisk/rootdisk combo, then you could also just boot straight into your root, by typing "mount root=/dev/hda2" and the boot: prompt. Then just edit the /etc/lilo.conf, run lilo and reboot. However, you must have the modules for whatever kernel version the CD or bootdisk/rootdisk uses installed on /dev/hda2 if you need any of them. Otherwise you'll get errors, may still work well enough though.

Last edited by DaHammer; 01-27-2005 at 03:39 AM.
 
Old 01-26-2005, 10:13 PM   #5
glaz
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2004
Posts: 58

Rep: Reputation: 15
I am encountering the exact same problem!

when i do the following:
/mnt/hda2/sbin/lilo -C /mnt/hda2/etc/lilo.conf

it gives me a message:
Fatal: Sorry, don't know how to handle device 0x0100

any clues on what this error might mean?
 
Old 01-27-2005, 03:40 AM   #6
DaHammer
Member
 
Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Planet Earth
Distribution: Slackware, LFS
Posts: 561

Rep: Reputation: 30
Quote:
Originally posted by glaz
I am encountering the exact same problem!

when i do the following:
/mnt/hda2/sbin/lilo -C /mnt/hda2/etc/lilo.conf

it gives me a message:
Fatal: Sorry, don't know how to handle device 0x0100

any clues on what this error might mean?
I replied to your thread in the main Slackware forum. Also notice I updated my post above.
 
Old 02-01-2005, 09:56 PM   #7
gmartin
Member
 
Registered: Mar 2003
Location: PA
Distribution: Slackware 13.37 Linux Reg # 341245
Posts: 285

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 40
I need to work on this more often...

When I boot this system, I get a message that says:
No boot signature in partition
Operating System not found

Here's what I did:

- I booted to slackware install. Ran install allowed it to run lilo and it failed

- I rebooted to the slack install and based on above, I mounted /dev/hda2 as /u/

- ran chroot /u/

- cd /sbin

- lilo -C /etc/lilo.conf -M /dev/hda - v

- results:
/boot/boot.0300 exists - no /dev/hda backup copy made
The Master Boot Record of /dev/hda has been updated


Here's what I know:

- /dev/hda2 is marked as bootable

Contents of lilo.conf:

lba32
boot = /dev/hda (also tried /dev/hda2 - which is correct?)
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
prompt
timeout = 1200

change-rules
reset
vga = 790

image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda2
label = Linux
read-only

on running liloconfig
If I chroot to /u (see above) and run liloconfig, it tells me it returned an error and won't run. If I capture stderr, I see references to "cannot open /proc/partitions". Which of course it cannot because /proc is not under this chroot.

If I try liloconfig without chroot it does nothing and simply drops back to the prompt

Any thoughts on this madness?

Last edited by gmartin; 02-01-2005 at 11:20 PM.
 
  


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
System Down: Broken LILO after failed kernel upgrade. Please help! Yalla-One Linux - Software 1 03-30-2005 03:53 PM
Lilo failed to install? MDesigner Slackware - Installation 6 02-23-2005 03:08 PM
failed install lilo during install process sirpelidor Mandriva 5 01-15-2004 12:51 AM
linux single user mode and lilo installed failed ckamheng Slackware 1 11-27-2003 01:06 PM
lilo - installation failed davep Linux - Software 2 04-29-2003 04:07 PM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Slackware > Slackware - Installation

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:23 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