i've problem starting my slack . (dual boot ) win xp
1- i installed slack 10.1 from bootable cd without any problems but when
reached lilo step it failed .
2- i decided to install it from cd . i booted the 1st cd and i typed bare.i /dev/hda4 no initrd as my slack partition is hda4 in order to boot as root and tryed to type lilo and this what happend
3-i also tried to see if there is any problem in fstab
4- i've toggled a bootable flag to linux partition
i've tried a lot of things but can't remember it now . really i'm frustrated
any idea will be appreciated

For the error 2 : you have to create the /etc/lilo.conf file

For the error 3 : you typed "/etc/fstab" at the prompt, so the shell
believed it is a command and tried to execute it, however as
this file has not the executable bit set, the shell has no permission
to execute it.

To display a file, try : cat /etc/fstab

1,2) try to run " liloconfig " , pick the " expert " option and install in the mbr.
( this will also produce a lilo.conf file )
if it fails, can you post the error-message here ( if any ).

4) the bootable flag should be on your wintendo partition.
linux doesn't care.

egag

thanks to everyone
i tried liloconfig command but at last step it said

this is my /etc/lilo.conf

you didn't add a linux and windows partition.
run liloconfig again, and this time make sure you do :

-start with new header
-add linux partition
-add windows partition
- install in the mbr

that should work.

egag

sorry i forgot to write the rest of /etc/lilo.conf
this is my whole lilo.conf

--------
#
# Start lilo global section
boot = /dev/hda <-------change this line
# compact #faster , but won't work on all systems.
prompt
---------

---------
# linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root =/dev/hda? <----------fill in your Slack-partition
label = slack
----------

save the file and type " lilo"
watch the output ( should be " added slack, added winxp" or so )

egag

which text editor slackware uses ?
or
how do i change these lines
i'm slackware nowbie my friend

oh...pico will do
-type " pico /etc/lilo.conf "
-do the editing
-ctrl-o and then " enter " to save
-ctrl-x to exit.

commands are also listed on the bottom of the screen.

egag

a lot of thanks egag
here is the last news
when typed pico /etc/lilo.conf . i saw blank page with pico version at the top of page and pico's commands at the bottom of page and it says file /etc/lilo.conf not found
when i tried to view my lilo.conf from expert menu i found it . where has it gone ?
really i do want to know what is happening with me ?

what is the " expert menu " ?
( i don't understand )

are you sure you didn't make a typo ?
do a : ls -l /etc/lilo.conf
to see if it's there.

egag

expert menu that derives from liloconfig command to install lilo
i did ls -l /etc/lilo.conf and no such file or directory

then rerun liloconfig and afterwards check the file.
fill in all the fields correct. ( take it easy )

egag

i tried it a lot of times and this is what happened step by step
1- 3 choices (simple ,expert .skip )and my choice was expert
2- (begin, linux , windows ,install , recycle , skip, view , help )
i clicked begin ,
(afterwards it asks for parameter ) i don't know what it means and i clicked enter
3- screen buffer page , i tried 5 choices
4- target page 3 choices (root, floppy, mbr) i clicked root as i don't need to overwrite mbr
5-lilo timeout , i clicked 30 second
now finished the begin menu
6- i clicked linux and assigned /dev/hda4 and named it as slack
7- i clicked windows and assigned /dev/hda1 and named it win or whatever
8- at the end i clicked install and this error came again (lillo install error #1)
i know you got tired and i've searched a lot of web pages without usefulness