LinuxQuestions.org
Visit Jeremy's Blog.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Hardware
User Name
Password
Linux - Hardware This forum is for Hardware issues.
Having trouble installing a piece of hardware? Want to know if that peripheral is compatible with Linux?

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 04-06-2006, 02:42 PM   #1
Rayek
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jan 2006
Posts: 17

Rep: Reputation: 0
Bootloader issues?


I tried to install Linux on my sister's computer, and as it turns out, none of the bootloaders work with her system. As it is an old computer without specs (I don't know them) I think it may be hardware related. Is there a way I can get a smaller, or possibly an older bootloader to work a dual boot on her older system? And as I had to install a Linux bootloader to be able to dual-boot with Windows, I pretty much rendered their PC useless, and I feel terrible.

Symptoms:

Both GRUB and LILO have errors, from an error 17 in GRUB to repeating 99 99 99 etc for Lilo.

Tried:

Switching bootloaders
Switching where the bootloader is installed and changing which drive is primary in the BIOS....

Any suggestions?
 
Old 04-06-2006, 02:48 PM   #2
b0uncer
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Aug 2003
Distribution: CentOS, OS X
Posts: 5,131

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
if you want the "windows bootloader" back, so that only windows gets loaded, I've heard you simply need to do

fdisk /mbr

on the dos prompt. the way I got an older linux (redhat 6, lilo) work, was to install it not to the mbr, but to the Linux boot partition, after which I simply switched the windows partition non-bootable and the linux boot partition bootable (as far as I can remember; it's been some time). that worked. but I'm pretty sure it's not going to work in all systems, and probably you'll have to figure out your own ways I'd try a new grub or lilo instead of an older one, if they don't seem to work. also, there are other (3rd-party) bootloaders you can use to dual-boot, but I think they're not entirely free of charge.
 
Old 04-06-2006, 07:14 PM   #3
syg00
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Australia
Distribution: Lots ...
Posts: 21,285

Rep: Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165
Sounds like a geometry mismatch. Maybe the drive is CHS based, and if (as is almost certain) you installed the loader from a liveCD (or install disk) it would be configured for LBA.

Check the BIOS for disk mode - in need you I believe you can force the geometry in grub (I haven't done this). Will need to be done from the grub prompt, and then setup run.
Hit the website for doco.
As above, "fdisk /mbr" run from a boot disk should get Windows back. For Win2k and later, boot the CD, and run "fixmbr" from the recovery console.
 
Old 04-06-2006, 10:39 PM   #4
Rayek
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jan 2006
Posts: 17

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
Next time I'm in Seattle I'll have to try that. They bough a brand new 200 gig harddrive, so I'm sure if I activate the boot partition on that drive and write LILO or GRUB to it, and set the BIOS to load that drive first, It might work. I'm not sure if I already tried that, but now I have a path to follow, at least.

And if nothing works, I'll just run 'fixmbr' from the recovery console...

Thanks for the ideas. The more the merrier, and I'd still like to hear some suggestions. The thing is, my sister and her husband are pretty politically against Microsoft, so I thought it was worth a try to give them everything they need in a PC for free, rather than having to pay for it.

Thanks a lot, again.
 
Old 05-18-2006, 12:39 AM   #5
Rayek
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jan 2006
Posts: 17

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
I have another question: will fdisk /mbr erase the entire harddrive? I shouldn't think so, since /mbr is directing a reformat of the master boot record, but fdisk is scary, and they have a lot of files they need on the harddrive.

Yet another question: if I run fixmbr from the recovery console (because the OS in question is Windows XP) is there any chance of it formatting or erasing any data on the harddrive?

The reason I'm asking this is because they have work they really need to get done, and i haven't been up there since, and I feel horrible for leaving them with such a large OS for such a small computer.
 
Old 05-18-2006, 03:49 AM   #6
syg00
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Australia
Distribution: Lots ...
Posts: 21,285

Rep: Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165Reputation: 4165
The fdisk we are talking about is M$ofts - that "fdisk /mbr" is a DOS command. The fixmbr is for later O/S's - use one or the other, whichever is more convenient. The latter is documented, the former was kept in the closet - both do the same thing. Neither will trash any data, although you'll likely get a "this may destroy your world, and kill your cat" message. M$oft wrote the utilities, so they should know.
 
  


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
XP bootloader issues with grub Gweedo SUSE / openSUSE 5 09-02-2005 10:45 PM
FC3 Bootloader issues wreckingcru Linux - Newbie 6 04-25-2005 06:18 PM
Win 2K / Mandrake 10 Dual Boot Bootloader issues SamRaimi Mandriva 5 11-02-2004 03:28 PM
Mandrake 9.1 bootloader issues after install venom_zx Mandriva 9 06-21-2004 10:46 AM
Mandrake 9.2 Bootloader Issues dwessell Mandriva 1 05-08-2004 09:51 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Hardware

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:17 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