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Which distro have you unpacked the two necessary files from? Have you already partitioned your drive? Since you're referring to hd(0,1)?
The Grub4Dos installation you are performing now is only to be able to select a Linux boot environment.
The Linux files you unpacked and put in C:\boot are on hd(0,0), the same as your Windoze. Just perform first with ONE Linux to get it up and running. Next you can clean other partitions and install other distros.
Don't try to add the others at once, since you can only boot from one at the time and perform the installation. Once you booted into Linux it will ask you for your source location, so keep that handy since you'll have to type it in. After installing the first Linux you can add others easily.
Yes, all partitions are formatted. I want to keep MS Windbag in place, untouched. So I do NOT use (hd0,0), is that correct? I would assign the next partition (hd0,1) in the menu file right?
No, you have unpacked the two files into C:\boot which is on hd(0,0). You have to leave it to hd(0,0) in order to be able to boot the Linux environment. Then once booted you'll be asked for the source location of your media. Type that in and you'll be able to install Linux to another partition of your harddrive, for example hd(0,1).
When you reboot after Linux installation was successful then you'll be able to boot either in Windows, the first Linux boot environment, or the one you installed completely onto another partition.
If in the menu.lst you change hd(0,0) to hd(0,1) then the bootloader will look on that partition for its boot environment and will exit with an error since the necessary files are on your Windoze partition hd(0,0) in \boot directory.
By the way, you didn't format the partitions as NTFS now did you? If detected by the installer then it's best to let the partitioner that comes with the installer take care of the necessary actions to format it to ext3 or so.
Im back! How convenient! No-go, buddy. It was spittin all kinds of DOS-type errors at me. Judging by some other forum entries, the liveCD may be the problem. There was at least one such entry on that tutorial site, near the bottom.
But Im excited! I got so close (failed at the last step), and now I know how to do it! Next time you're in Florida, I'll buy ya a beer!
Next question, one in which several noobs have asked, but never answered: What is the matrix? Just Kidding! What does alpha mean, in this ISO? ---> debian-503-alpha-CD-1 Can I use that?
Btw, if I do not pre-format the partitions, how would I get any files there in the first place, like the instructions say?
Well at least your She-Beast didn't blow a fuse so that's good.
You'd probably have to go with another distro that's not a LiveCD then. The Debian alpha refers to the architecture of the computer, I believe it was DEC. If you're beast is a regular PC then you'll have to go with the i386 image. Based on your hardware specs I'd go with the xfce image instead of Gnome or KDE, which would be a bit heavy.
You can get the image you need directly from this link.
So just download it, repeat the steps to extract the files you need and try again.
About the matrix: that still is a well kept secret, if you want to find out, just go down the rabbit hole
I'll take you up on that beer, but might take some time before I get to Florida again.
If you do not preformat the partitions the Linux installer will detect them as available space, and you can then indicate to use it.
Ok Thanks a bunch man! I have the proper torrents comming down the pipe right now. Should be ready when I wake up.
I think other Noobs will learn from all this, too.
Hey Eric, you around? I never got that CD-less GRUB trick to work, after several attempts, and several proper ISOs. So I played around with my ISO prog, DaemonTools, and was successful the first time! WHEW!
I installed Ubuntu 9.10 gnome. It seems like a child's art program, that doesn't function very well. I don't get why there are no X's in the corner, to conveniently close a window. And I can't understand why the OS won't let me move windows around the screen. Annoying. And where ever I leave the curser, it leaves "debris", like an image error in that spot. The whole thing has been pissing me off for a few hours!
Any suggestions for the next distro, since I likely won't sign on to Ubuntu ever again...
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so that's good.
