Boot/Install Problem with LILO on Slack 10.1
 

Hi,

I'm trying to install Slack 10.1 on an HP Netserver LPr. This particular machine has an integrated SCSI controller, and it booted, formatted, and installed fine to the SCSI disks. However, when it went to install LILO, nothing worked. It couldn't install to the boot sector of the main disk, it couldn't install to the MBR, etc. I made a boot floppy during install, so when I rebooted the machine, I thought that would work. However, it doesn't boot, just says "Boot Failed". Without the boot disk, it reports "No Operating System".

I reinstalled at least twice, same setup, same result.

I also can't get the slackware install discs to find my SCSI HDs.

Then, I remembered that this machine had a lingering NT4 installation, that showed up in the install process, even though I supposedly formatted the disks. I couldn't get cfdisk or fdisk to see the NTFS or FAT32 partitions that supposedly exist.

A friend of mine reccomended I use Knoppix to boot the machine and delete the partitions. However, Knoppix also fails to boot. With a number of options (boot knoppix, boot knoppix26, a combination of paramaters, including ones to attempt to mount my SCSI disks), it never has worked. The screen from my most recent attempt:

boot: knoppix26
Loading linux26....................isolinux: Disk error 03, AX = 4200, drive 9F

Boot Failed: press a key to retry

I know that last part isn't Slack related, but I thought more details could be useful.

Thank you for the help.

Do you have a SuSE (evaluation) CD? If so try it, they have a very good hardware recognition, perhaps it will work on your particular SCSI setup.

I do not, but I did some more research.

I burned the Knoppix disc at 4x, and it loads and runs just fine. As well as finding my SCSI disks alright, it DOES find a VFat partition.

How could I completly wipe this partition?

Also, do you think SuSE would be my only choice? I'm kind of predisposed to Slackware, since I've had a ton of luck with it on other machines.

Thank you.

Um, so this was a burner-related problem.

Just use fdisk / cfdisk / sfdisk and delete it and create a new, it's as easy as a breeze.

No reason to use SuSE, since you got Knoppix running. I just mentioned it because of it's good hardware recognition. Stay with what works for you best by all means.

Alright, thanks again. :)

I asked about the wiping of the partitions, because I had done that with Cfdisk, and installed, but still got the MBR problem, and even after formatting twice, it still showed up.

Sorry to double post, but I might've found what the problem was, in case other people have the same thing.

I removed the first SCSI drive, and put only the second one in, and noticed it has a FAT32 partition. That might've been the cause of all the mess, I'm going to format that disk and see what happens.

Don't forget the MBR of the second SCSI-drive...

Yep, that worked. Didn't have to toy with the secondary HD, just made a big ext2 partition to use as a secondary thing.

Thank you a ton.

Now to figure out why it only sees one of the processors. I think I'll make a new thread in Slackware general.

Ok here goes a newbie to a regular user. Hope no one gets mad. I am well, very new at the Linux deal, though I have plaed with S.C.O. Unixware 2.1 2 and got it running on the second try with an array of SCSI drives. I am a Reg Linux user #384805 too.

so here goes.

I will suggest to you using the reiserjs file system and the jfs.s kernal. I had a lot of problems with th ext2 and 3. The reiserjs wirks just fine.
so lets take a walk here

1: Boot the Install CD
2: login and selct cfdisk
3: delete the entire Drive
4:: Make a new Partition All the Drive
5: Make it Bootable
6: Write the information
7: Reboot

At this point the drive is basically ready to put something on it. So we will go through this next part

type Setup

8: Select the Destination Drive
This will start the drive formatting process Select reiserjs format
Using the Reiserjs Format you will have one big drive and should have no issues,.
9: Any other drives that are fat or fat232 mount them so they are seen
10: Do a Full Install and let the Discs Swap by themself


At the final point are some things to consider

It will bring you to the Kernal install

Be sure to Write a Boot Disk
then it will ask for the Kernals on the CD
Select the jfs.s and then it will nmake your boot disk

Now as it progresses, it will begin with the Lilo config screen
At this point it is very important to follow here

11: Select the Destination /dev/hda1
12: Selct the Main Lilo Header
this will ask you for a few things
make your Title as it suggests ior to whatever you like
Thne install the Lilo config

This has worked 5 times in 3 days on this system since I installed an errant Extension in Firefox and had to re do the whole system because I did not know where the files were hidden. Now I do so this won't happen again.

at this point it will ask for serailport, mouse and fonts, and your display. Not exactly in that order but it will.

When all says success, then let the cd eject and type reboot at the cli. And at this point you should get a CD boot error and then Booting Linux

at the prompt type root and your password it asks you to create. Then if you want a better display other thanthe 1024x768 32 I suggest you find your display book, the monitor. I am sure you know how much ram your Video Card has so pay attention to this.

run xorgconfig

It will walk you through a few things mouse, keyboard and the like, finish with that and move to the display
It will ask a bunch of things Iam sure you can find with no problems
On the Menu for Video Refresh find Vertical Sync in your manual. Type in the values they have for your display, Eg: Mine is a Snoy Multiscan15sfII and I selected 8 and 50-120 for my display and 65535 for the Video Ram

I have an nVida GeForce 2 MX 400 64MB and does not use the nVidia Drivers as it crashes this system.

Once you have all the correct values, say yes and save it
type startx and you should see the Default XWindowing system you setup.

KDE
GNU
and several others.

My pref is KDE

if you do that and want to see the other menuing systems type xwmconfig at the prompt and select one.

You can then see the differences between them all.


I hope you can get all this and understand the reiserjs fornmat is the only way to go for now. Be well and Good luck as I have had this over and over in the past two weeks since moving to Slackware and having some conflicts with printer ports and a few other things, SBLive24 and todate I have all that working and no issues at all now.

:Pengy: