New Slack install not booting

mapesju · 08-27-2004, 01:50 AM

I just installed Slackware 10 on an old comp(P2 233mhz, 98mb ram, 4gb and 2gb drives, 32x CD-ROM, 8mb video) and when I restarted it, the hard drive didn't boot and all I got was an L followed by WAY too many '99's.

I've got 2 partitions on the master drive, primary Linux(ext3) and logical swap. is this the problem? Do I need a special boot partition separate from the / partition?

Please help, I'm still new meat in the linux world.

insyte · 08-27-2004, 01:58 AM

Did you install LILO during the setup process. That might be the problem.

If you did, where did you install LILO? MBR?

mapesju · 08-27-2004, 02:01 AM

I did not install lilo to the MBR, I installed it to... whatever the first option is. the MBR was labeled as being dangerous to install to.

suslik · 08-27-2004, 02:11 AM

run CD 1 again, install lilo into MBR.

This is an old system, with an old BIOS = lotsa ways to make lilo unbootable is config is unusual.

insyte · 08-27-2004, 02:12 AM

Well, personally I always install to the MBR. Its quite safe. I mean, when one installs windowsXP, the user doesn't know that it installs the WINNT loader in the MBR without permission.

Anyway if you made the bootdisk during the setup. Use it to boot into your system. By default it will boot into the location of your / partition.

If not, use this command

Quote:

mount root=/dev/hda1

Just point /dev/hda1 to your / partition

Then I suggest running

Quote:

su
liloconfig

and install lilo to the MBR

mapesju · 08-27-2004, 03:21 AM

well, that worked, thanks.
there are just a few more things to work out, but I'll get them.

redsea · 08-27-2004, 04:29 AM

If your old PC has a floppy drive, during installation you can install lilo on a floppy, it may be useful to 'test' lilo, then , if lilo works properly , you can install it on MBR.