Slackware 8.1 installs OK but doesnt boot properly

del · 05-15-2003, 03:07 AM

Hello,

I'm a total newbie to Linux, so this may be a really simple problem to solve, but...I installed Slackware 8.1 and it seemed to go through the wizard and install itself with no problems at all. But then on booting the system for the first time (after setting my password, etc) I get the following message:

Code:

VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem) readonly.
...
An error occurred during the root filesystem check.
You will now be given a chance to log into the
system in single-user mode to fix the problem.
If you are using the ext2 filesystem, running
'e2fsck -v -y <partition>' might help.
...
Entering System Maintenance Mode
/dev/console: Read-only file system

I eventually got fed up, couldn't find any explanations on the web, so installed XP over it. I recently tried installing the same version of Slackware again, hoping maybe it would work this time, but now I am getting the same errors again! The 'e2fsck' command doesn't seem to fix anything either. I have a single partition on the volume, the ext2 (Linux) partition.

I did get a BIOS warning from this ChipAway thing on booting after installing Linux telling me I have a boot sector virus. I think it's just telling me this because Linux has modified the Master Boot Record and the BIOS is confused and thinks its a virus, so I disabled the virus-detection feature in CMOS, but I don't know, maybe this could be the reason for my problems?

I never had any problems with Windows XP, so it's not a hardware problem. It's quite an old computer which I'm trying to resurrect, a PII-700, but I've been told Linux can run on anything...

I'd appreciate any ideas anyone has!
Thanks

tangle · 05-15-2003, 12:12 PM

Do you have a swap partition? If not you need one. Also I would use RieserFS for a filesystem.

Texicle · 05-15-2003, 02:13 PM

When you set up the partitions, how did you set them up exactly? Also, did you make sure that the ext2 partition was set as bootable while running fdisk or cfdisk if you don't have another Linux partition?

del · 05-15-2003, 08:35 PM

I don't have a swap partition, I thought they were only necessary if you have under like 8Mb of RAM or something? Does this mean I have to reformat or can Linux easily resize partitions, like Partition Magic?

I set the partition up when installing Slackware, I did it with either fdisk or cfdisk can't remember (the one that gives you a huge list of like 100 different filesystems, and Linux is '82' or something). I don't think I made sure it was bootable...how do I do that now?

Thanks guys

tangle · 05-15-2003, 08:53 PM

Type fdisk /dev/hda (if it is the master on the primary IDE). Them a
and pick the partition that you want to make bootable (usually 1). You can type m in fdisk to get a list of commands.
I not sure about resizing though. Do a search for it here.

del · 05-19-2003, 03:57 AM

Ok the partition wasn't bootable. I have now changed that, and when I print the partitions in fdisk I get:

Code:

   Device Boot    Start      End    Blocks    Id  System
/dev/hda1   *         1     2489  19992861    83  Linux

But I'm still getting the same error messages when booting up!

Do you suggest reinstalling Slackware with RieserFS?

quietguy47 · 05-19-2003, 05:46 AM

when you install, go into cfdisk and set up 4 partitions.
boot
/ (root)
swap
home
Install lilo to the MBR and you should be just fine.