I just got done installing RH9 on an XP drive, and when it was sdone installing and I rebooted, I didn't even get LILO to give me the choice for what OS to boot to. My thinking is because I put the partitions in the extended part of the drive as logical partitions. Can you only boot to Primary partitions?

I have a 120 GB WD HDD and here is how I had the partition table before...

Beginning of drive

C: 30 gb (NTFS) (Primary)
D: 50 gb (NTFS) (Extended logical)

/Root: 100 meg (ext3 extended logical)
/: 15 gig (ext3 extended logical)
Linux Swap: 256 meg (swap extended logical)

End of drive

Right now in Partition Magic, I deleted the 3 linux partitions and I am moving the D: 50 gb partition to the end of the drive, leaving room for the 3 linux partitions right in the middle of the drive. I'm hoping that this will let me create the linux partitions as primary because when I tried to reinstall RH9 it wouldn't let me create them as primary partitions. When I do reinstall it which ones do I check as "Make boot partition" or whatever it asks? Just the /boot partition or all of them?

This is going to take a loooong time to move the 50 gb partition to the end of the drive, time to go grab a snack.

Thanks

Hi DGath,
u need to choose LILO then MBR when install linux if u want the OS prompt? If u choose LILO but boot partition instead of MBR, u need to create a boot disk at the end of installation process.

By the way, maybe linux doesn't recognize the NTFS primary.

Hi Dgath

Did you install LILO to the MBR?

Red Hat needs its own ext3 partitions - you cant put it into a pre-existing Windows logical partition.

You can boot a kernel form an Extended partition as well as a primary partiton.

I wouldnt move your D partiton to the end of the drive - leave it were it is.

Firstly I would make sure you have completely free space at the end of your drive after youve put your C and D partitions on - Dont partition the free space in advance with Parition magic for Red Hat.

Firstly try and let Red Hat install itself Automatically into the free space.

Sometimes Red Hat 9 comes up with an error when it detects pre-existing multiple Windows partitons - it says something like "Booting constraints dont meet..........."

If it doesnt install automatically, try partitioning manually - if you do it manually I'd only use a Root and Swap partition for starters.

You dont need to force any of the Red Hat partitions to be a primary partition - Red Hat will take care of the details.

Just try Automatic partitoning into the free space first - then try manuall partitioning if that doesnt work.

If it still comes up with a boot constraints error when partitioning you can overide it and ignore it - just carry on and install as normal.

re-post if there are any more problems

K, I'll go ahead and try to have it install itself. As far as installing LILO to the MBR... I figured it automatically would, I never saw anything to install it to the MBR.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

Hi Dgath

Red Hat by default will want to install GRUB - you have to click on the button at the top of the screen that says "Change bootloader"

Then just select LILO.

If youve left the "advanced options" checkbox checked then youll have the option of where you wan tto install LILO to.

On the next screen - Choose install to the MBR.

Good luck and re-post if there are any difficulties

Well I reinstalled and did what was suggested, do the advanced options and "install to MBR" and same result. This time I made a boot disk though so I was actually able to get into RedHat. Any suggestions?

Hi Dgath

Use your boot disk to get your lilo.conf file up on the screen - save a copy - then post it here.

Also type

fdisk -L /dev/hda

and have a look at your partitions - do they all look right?
Post this aswell

I think GRUB is a easier boot loader to use. Why not give it a chance? You will love it.