Hi,
Whenever I install Redhat/Fedora, I get a warning to modify partition(or create a boot up disk), in the Manual Partition page of installation. Later after installation, the grub dosent load and a command prompt of grub appears. I can however boot with a floppy, but how to make the grub work? I have a 13gig hDD hda1 is 3Gig win98, hda5 - ext3 3-4gig, next 400 mb swap, rest for Win software. Please help me out

ok... so you cant load linux withought the boot floppy.. and grub contains no options....
if so:

as root type:
mount /boot
cd boot
ls

there should be a load of files... one wshould start with linux and reed like 'kernel-2.8.6.1-rc1' or somthing VAGULEY similar. make a note of EXACTALLY what that filename is (it will alwaise start 'kernel')

next type
cd grub
ls

there should be a file called grub conf.. if not... no matter....
type
vi grub.conf

or [insert your fave text editor here] grub.conf

now it gets trickey..... where is your boot partition? hda1? hda3? the same place as everything else?

man I think it shud work. But sorry i forgot to mention, My floppy drive is screwed and cant boot from the floppy at all

might i suggest getting a new floppy drive? (or harvesting one of somone elses computer ..... (while there not looking))


can you get into your linux system at all?

no abs not. Thats the whole problem. I tried reinstalling the grub thro the rescue cd too. But in vain. I could try doing that drive harvesting but is there an easier option. Any clue why this happens. I used red hat 9 before but it was ok then. why the problem now?

if the hard disk is truley ancient, it may be a disk fault...
or just one of those random spookey bugs that haunted my fedora install

also, if you still have a win partision on the machene, get dos and go "format mbr" ... then reinstall...

you may need to run a live cd (or the shell form your install cd?) and mount the drives to make changes....
to do that run the cd unbtill the installer starts then hit ctrl alt and f1, 2 , 3 until you see somthing that looks vaguley like a terminal

its quite ancient, but mainly its good. and i have already tried the fdisk/mbr comand. it still dosent work. Also the live cd u r talking about. It does come. that is ctrl alt f1 f2 f3 does work during the install.

firstly.. have you tried doing a re-install? it may be a one off problem....

seondally... see if from this prompt you can gain access to the /boot partition as per my earlier instructions...