Lilo troubles - RedHat Linux & Win XP *Please help
 

Hi all

I've installed RH Linux 7.2 and can't boot up Win XP anymore...
It boot automatically into Linux (no choice for OS)

I have two HD: 1st -> 2 partion with Win2000/WinXP
2nd -> Redhat Linux 7.2

I know that there is something wrong with the bootloader...

Could someone give me advice how to solve this problem?
(I'm absoult beginner in Linux *I don't know any commands there)

Many thanks for your replies *thx mgroyal

Which bootloader do you use? LILO? Grub?

Bootloader Lilo
 

Yes I'm using Lilo...

Could you send there your /etc/lilo.conf ?

The Lilo setup was done automatically by the Redhad installation...

So,I've no idea about configuration...

Are you talking about a Linux command? Where/how can I set up Lilo manually?

What I need to do that I can boot up Windows?

/etc/lilo.conf is a text file where lilo configuration is kept. You can edit it to make a choice between Linux and Windows. But if you were using XP boot manager it will be better to let Windows use its boot manager. You can delete lilo using
lilo -u
but remember to make a boot disk to have a possibility to get to Linux after this. A good guide about using NT bootloder (which is the same XP uses) is in NT-bootloader-HOWTO (or it has a similar name).

Hi mara

Thanks for your patience and responsing my stupid questions....

So things become clear... Just learnt that vi = edit ... So, I'll try to adding follow lines to the lilo config file:

other = /dev/hda#
label=Win Xp

if this not working I'll try your soulution lilo -u and adding linux in boot.ini.

Unfourtantely I can't make any boot disk -> only CD RW -> no floppy....

I hope that one of them will work properly....

Thanks mgroyal

Boot cd is a boot disk, too. :-)

I've installed RedHat 7.2 using LILO Boot-loader on the first sector of the boot partition and NOT ON MBR. A linux bootdisk has been successfully created... So, I can normally boot up WinXP and Linux will only boot up by using the appropriate bootdisk.

In Linux I created the bin-file using:
dd if=/dev/hdb2 of=/tmp/LiloBoot.bin bs=512 count=1
->
mcopy /tmp/LiloBoot.bin a:
->
Then I started Windows and copied the file to d:\
->
This I added to the boot.ini: d:\LiloBoot.bin="RH Linux 7.2"
Note: "I removed /fastdedect from Win entries because I heard this will ignore booting up Linux
->
Then I restarted the system and tried to boot up by choicing the Linux panel entry. No luck at all... The system restart again and come back to the boot menu...

So, in my opinion I set up everthing correctly und I'm wondering why it's not working. Below you'll find my hole system specification. I'd be very grateful if some could help me in that matter...

Tanks in advance for every reply *Cheers Marco

My System profile:
----------------------
HD1 (60GB)
c: -> 1 Partition -> NTFS -> Win2000 (This I want to uninstall later)
d: -> 2 Partition -> NTFS -> WinXP (Main OS)

HD2 (10GB)
Linux Redhat 7.2

From Disk Druid:
---------------------
dev/hda1 Win2000 NTFS
dev/hda2 Erweitert
dev/hda5 WinXP NTFS

dev/hdb1 Boot
dev/hdb2 EXT
dev/hdb3 Swap

------------------------------------------------------------------------

/dev/lilo.conf (created automatically by RH Installer):
------------------------------------------------------------------
prompt
timeout=50
default=linux
boot=/dev hdb1
map=/boot/message
lba32

image=/boot/umlinuz-2.4.7-10
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.7-10.img
read-only
root=/dev/hdb2
append="hdc=ide-scsi"

You did it correctly, but lilo is installed in hdb1, not hdb2. Try the same but with hdb1.

Yes! Mara you're still there...

I also tried hdb1 without success... I'm considering if I this way is working for WinXP (thats the solution for Win2000)

Is it possible that NTFS partition can cause problems?

I have read something like this:

Win2000 = NTFS(1)
WinXP = NTFS(2)

Or, just crap?

Try lilo
then dd.
It may be that lilo was not installed.

Change this line:
map=/boot/message

To this:
map=/boot/map

Then run /sbin/lilo

Mara,

What you mean with lilo was not installed... I thought lilo is installed when I can boot up Linux... How can I try lilo? Is that same was Linuxcool is recommending?

Linuxcool,

Can you briefly explain me what map=/boot/map means

For runnining lilo:
cd /sbin/lilo
lilo (just typing lilo?)

Is there annother command than vi for editing files... I hate vi because I can't quite it with q and have even big problems to make any adjustments....

Sorry for these questions but I'm now at enterprise can't test anything at this time...

The lilo program is installed, but it should be started to place itself in the begging of a partition. Im' not sure it was done in your case.
To start lilo you can just type lilo. It's placed in sbin (so you can also use /sbin/lilo with the same effect).