new to slackware, lilo won't boot but bootdisk is fine

slackist · 06-06-2004, 12:01 PM

Sorry to post what I am sure is a common question.

My first experiences with linux were RH9 and FC1, but for reasons I decided I want Slackware.

Got the disks, did the install, and everything is fine when I boot from a floppy but I cannot for the life of me get Lilo to boot my system.

my lilo.conf is

Code:

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
lba32 # Allow booting past 1024th cylinder with a recent BIOS

boot = /dev/hda
#compact # faster, but won't work on all systems.
prompt
timeout = 600
# Normal VGA console
vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# ramdisk = 0 # paranoia setting
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz-ide-2.4.22
root = /dev/hda1
label = Slackware
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends

If I boot without a floppy I get L (top left) and then about 10 screens of 99.

I have searched and searched but none of the solutions worked for so far,

During the install I set up /, home and swap, output from cfdisk is

Code:

Partition Table for /dev/hda
                                                                                                    
         ---Starting---      ----Ending----    Start     Number of
 # Flags Head Sect Cyl   ID  Head Sect Cyl     Sector    Sectors
-- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----------- -----------
 1  0x80    1    1    0 0x83  239   63 1023          63    39054897
 2  0x00  239   63 1023 0x83  239   63 1023    39054960    78125040
 3  0x00  239   63 1023 0x82  239   63 1023   153150480     3144960
 4  0x00    0    0    0 0x00    0    0    0           0           0

Please note that my Slackware installation (somehow) started working after making these changes.

I still am not sure what I am doing, so sorry for wasting your time

jailbait · 06-06-2004, 05:08 PM

"lba32 # Allow booting past 1024th cylinder with a recent BIOS"

If you have a large hard drive and an old BIOS then the BIOS may not be able to address the entire drive. Linux only uses the BIOS during boot so if you have /boot beyond the BIOS addressing limit then lilo cannot find the kernel. If this happens to be your problem then the solution is to set up /boot as a small partition at the very beginning of the hard drive to guarentee that /boot in within the BIOS addressing range.

Another possibility is that you may have minor hardware incompatibilities among your hard drive, hard drive controller chipset, and BIOS. If that is the problem then you should switch to grub since grub handles such minor glitches better than lilo.

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

-X- · 06-06-2004, 08:43 PM

I assume this is the original conf file and your / is on the #1 partition, that s/b within the 1024. But if by some chance you put / on #2, lilo could very well be the problem. Anyway, I agree with jailbait and use grubs. That's my choice. Just boot on of the diskette and download and setup grubs. At one time linuxpackages.net had a package for slack. It's a mess the first time, and isn't to bad the forth or fifth time. Get it and come back here. Maybe post to the slackware forum.

or maybe a lilo 'pert will show up.