Hey,

When changing the lilo.conf file I copy the tutorial exactly but when I go to run lilo -v, I get a
"Fatal: First sector of /dev/sda1 doesn't have a recognizable boot."

Hopefully, someone can help me out with this, I'm running on a T61 Lenovo, Vista Ultimate OS, trying to use Backtrack 2.

Lilo.conf File:

lba32
boot = /dev/sda
#compact # faster
promt
timeout = 300
vga = 791

#Linux start
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda4
label = BT2
read-only

other = /dev/sda1
label = Windows
table = /dev/sda

Now i tried re mounting my /boot/ from a previous post on the forum, and apparently this doesn't help because now I get a
"warning:
/proc/partitions' does not exist, disk scan bypasses
Fatal: creat /boot/map~: No such file or directory"

fdisk shows the partitions in order and correct System

When I use the command 'mount' the output is

tmpfs on / type tmpfs (rw)
proc on / proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
usbfs on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw,devgid=10,devmode=0666)
/dev/sda4 on /mnt/sda4 type reiserfs (rw,noatime)
/dev/sda2 on /mnt/backtrack/boot type ext2 (rw)

when I try command "chroot /mnt/backtrack/ /bin/bash/"

output is:
chroot: cannot run command '/bin/bash/' : No such file or directory

Any Help would be greatly appreciated

Did you run /sbin/lilo -A after changing lilo.conf?

It might also help to see the output of fdisk -l, and the contents of /etc/fstab.

First, let me say I greatly appreciate your help and very quick response. My only hope is I can learn Linux to a high enough extent I could help people in my shoes one day. When I run fdisk -l, I get:

cannot open /proc/partitions

when I do nano /etc/fstab, the output is:


/dev/sda4 / auto defaults 1 1 (WHICH IS In the Nano Reader)

I did run lilo -v when I edited lilo.conf the first time. I might also add that when I first tried to edit it and run lilo -v, I did see that linux was added it stated :

Linux added*

But it hung up on the windows part stating the fatal error.

Thank you in advance,

Sean

Hi,

If that is all you got in the '/etc/fstab' then you should create a proper one.

I like to test my lilo.conf;

The first lilo will test (-t) the lilo and the second will write to the MBR. 'Man lilo' to understand the command.

BTW, do you have your windows partition set as active (boot)?

Thanks onebuck for the reply,

This is going to sound most likely to be very simple, but that code regarding the fstab, I'm not sure how to use that correctly for my partitions? I'm not quite sure what the 0, and 1's mean at the end and I don't want to make another terrible mistake. If there's anyway you could clarify that for me, it would be very helpful.

Thanks

Sorry about the last post, I looked up the fstab info, should have in the first place. My fstab now reads

/dev/sda1 / vfat defaults 1 0
/dev/sda2 /mnt/backtrack/boot ext2 defaults 1 2
/dev/sda3 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/sda4 /mnt/backtrack reiserfs defaults 1 1
/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom auto noauto,owner,ro 0 0

devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5, mode=791 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0


now when i test booting up the /dev/sda2, it seems to be working now,

it says *added linux
but when i do this to the windows partition I get an error, I haven't yet run " Lilo -v" I wont want to write to the MBR. Hope this can help someone in figuring out what mistake I have made.

I believe my windows partition is set to active boot, but I don't know how to check this.

Much appreciated

Hi,

If you use fdisk, then you can see the partition(s) information.

How are you booting your system? What's the problem with writing to the MBR? The 'lilo -v';

I would suggest that you look at the 'man lilo' and 'man lilo.conf' to get some good background.

I would suggest that you also look at 'Slackware® Essentials' and 'Slackware® Basics' which are Slackware based but still good guides.

These links and others can be found at 'Slackware-Links' .

Thanks for the links, and for the man lilo, didn't know that existed. Those have given me a lot to read, I understand a lot more about lilo now but still not sure where I am making the mistake. My active partition which is flagged is my sda2 which is my linux boot, fdisk still sees all my partitions perfectly. And I did write to the MBR, when I run lilo I get:

Reading Boot sector from /dev/sda
Warning: 'proc/partitions' does not exist, disk scan bypassed
Using MENU secondary loader
calling map_insert_data

Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz
Added Backtrack*

Boot Other: /dev/sda1 on /dev/sda, loader chain
Fatal: First sector of /dev/sda1 doesn't have a valid boot signature




Any Advice??

Hi,


Make the active partition on sda1. Re-run your lilo as shown before.

Sda1 is active re-ran lilo
same error

Ignoring entry 'boot'
reading boot sector from dev/sda
Warning: 'proc/partitions' does not exist, disk scan bypassed
Using MENU secondary loader
Calling map_insert_data

Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz
Added Backtrack *

Boot other: /dev/sda1, on /dev/sda, Loader CHAIN
Fatal: First sector of /dev/sda1 doesn't have a valid boot signature



Any ideas?

Hi,
Is your active '/boot' on '/'?

Not sure about that one, sounds like that could be the problem... How do I check if the active is /boot in '/'?? Is that in fstab? or fdisk?

Thanks onebuck for your help

Hi,
You could post your '/etc/fstab'. You could also do a 'mount' to what is mounted and where.

Hi,

my fstab reads,

/dev/sda1 / vfat defaults 1 0
/dev/sda2 /mnt/backtrack/boot ext2 defaults 1 2
/dev/sda3 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/sda4 /mnt/backtrack reiserfs defaults 1 1
/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom auto noauto,owner,ro 0 0

devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5, mode=791 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0


is the problem with the /dev/sda1 and where its reading the boot partition? should it not be '/'?