DSL with existing boot manager?
Forum: HD Install
Topic: DSL with existing boot manager?
started by: RoGuE_StreaK
Posted by RoGuE_StreaK on Jan. 05 2004,01:58
HiJust tried installing to hard-drive yesterday, I already have Mandrake9.0 on my drive plus WinME, so I didn't run the LILO setup 'cause I thought it would stuff my current boot manager.
When I tried editing the boot manager in Mandrake, I can't get the thing to work, it gives all these options for a Linux boot in the manager setup, tried copying what existed and changing the partition to point to my DSL install, I think it attempts to boot, but not sure if it is half booting part of mandrake, then it stalls with the capslock and scrolllock lights flashing?
When I tried configuring as a non-linux boot, it simply said the partition didn't contain anything that was bootable?
Any thoughts? Obviously I don't have a clue how the boot managers work...
Posted by wrayal on Jan. 06 2004,18:16
The flashing lights means a kernel hang (bad sign). Give us lilo.conf from mandrake and DSL, and tell us what partition each OS is installed on - I'll try to help!Wrayal
Posted by RoGuE_StreaK on Jan. 08 2004,10:26
Here's my mandrake lilo.conf:boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
vga=normal
default=windows
keytable=/boot/us-latin1.klt
prompt
nowarn
timeout=10
message=/boot/message
menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw
image=/boot/vmlinuz
label=linux
root=/dev/hda5
initrd=/boot/initrd.img
append="quiet devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi"
vga=788
read-only
image=/boot/vmlinuz
label=linux-nonfb
root=/dev/hda5
initrd=/boot/initrd.img
append="devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi"
read-only
image=/boot/vmlinuz
label=failsafe
root=/dev/hda5
initrd=/boot/initrd.img
append="failsafe devfs=nomount hdd=ide-scsi"
read-only
other=/dev/hda1
label=windows
table=/dev/hda
other=/dev/fd0
label=floppy
unsafe
image=/boot/vmlinuz
label=DamnSmallLinux
root=/dev/hda8
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.19-16mdk.img
read-only
as you can see, the last one is my attempt at adding a DSL boot. Looking at it in the text form, it's probably pretty easy to see where I've stuffed up - I was just using the quick gui tool to set it up. I'm guessing the "image" and "initrd" are completely wrong?
If I recall correctly, hda1 is windows, hda5 is mandrake, hda6 is mandrake swap(?), hda7 is my data partition (D drive), and hda8 is the partition I made for DSL
On a vaguely similar note, I had copied the CD files to a dos partition on my old (486 50MHz, 8MB, 200MB) laptop, and tried following what someone else had said on how to set it up from there, but when I try using the boot disk it stalls, basically flashing what I assume are the same errors - any clues on this?
Thanks heaps
Posted by wrayal on Jan. 09 2004,18:03
Okay, here's how I think you do it:Firstly, don't use the gui, edit lilo.conf.
Secondly, try mounting the damnsmall partition. Try:
mount /dev/hda8 /home/*insert your home here*/mnt/hda8
Now, try accessing that partition. If you can, all is well, otherwise u will have to use the DSL boot manager.
Now, for the last bit do this:
In the last section change /boot/vmlinuz to /home/myhome/mnt/hda8/boot/vmlinuz
change initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.19-16mdk.img to initrd=/home/myhome/mnt/hda8/boot/*insert boot image in /boot folder of DSL here*
and finally check the "append" section in your DSL lilo.conf and add that in after the initrd line.
Then become super user and just type "lilo"
That should work. I think.
Try it and tell me what hapens!
Wrayal
Posted by RoGuE_StreaK on Jan. 11 2004,15:26
Thanks, I've gotten it to work, though not sure if it's the standard way of how it's supposed to boot of hard-drive? Do you normally need to type in user "damnsmall" and a password to start x?I couldn't find an .img file in the /boot folder, so I copied the floppy-boot image there - is this right, or was I supposed to use one of the existing files that isn't named .img?
Can't remember what the append bits were, forgot to check before I botted windoze to go online ;) (still haven't tried dialing-in with linux...)
OK, so it's operational, and I've managed to change some themes, now is there an easy way to remove the progs I don't use and add different ones?
Also, any way to give the "damnsmall" style access to "root"? whan I log in as root, I get about 3 menu items, and when I'm in "damnsmall" I don't have the permissions to change any of the files!
Posted by wrayal on Jan. 12 2004,16:17
That's odd, I could have sworn there was a .img file in there....I guess copying the image did work then, though I will check it out more later. Though, it could be that I got it wrong, and the whole .img thing is causing the problems with menu items/root permissions/etc.
So did my advice actually help? If it did, that's pretty much a first time. Does this stop me being a linux n00b I wonder?
Wrayal
Posted by peter on Jan. 13 2004,00:23
Your original Mandrake lilo.conf specifies the wrong kernel ( the Mandrake kernel, not the DSL one) . Depending on what you've done since, it is possible you are booting from the wrong kernel. Try:
uname -r
the output of this should be that the DSL kernel is 2.4.20-xfs or something like that ( I'm in Debian at the moment so I can't check...)
When I set up my triple boot (XP, Debian, Mandrake), I found initially that the defaults copied from the Mandrake lilo.conf worked- but in fact they were wrong, and uname -r showed the wrong kernel....Also scsi settings for cd-rom and cd-rw were wrong and had to be appended in lilo.conf. A certain amount of research was necessary to correct everything, but unfortunately I can't remember the exact details.... good luck!
Posted by Peter Sorensen on Feb. 03 2004,15:00
Have just put 0.5.? on my hard disk. (ACER 512T) Would like not to touch MBR. Is it possible to use floppy boot into hard disk. Used Mandrake 9.0 install to resize. Used 2g from 10g for Mandrake, 300m for DSL, 7g for win98. DSL does more from 50m than a 2g mandrake. Note before resize, remove hibernate file, and create again after resize. My system says 1024x768 but this puts most of the enhance stuff off screen. 800x600 is ok. Mnadrake can make floppy boot, wondered if I reinstall mdk after setting up.Next would like sound recording and editing.:)
Posted by Peter Sorensen on Feb. 05 2004,07:50
backed up mbr and ran mkliloboot. went OK so have dual boot system. Mandrake is only accesable from boot floppy. don't know if i'll use it. Notice playing cd's and music files that microphone is live. haven't found a config yet. acer uses essolo? driver. windows and dsl both boot fine. dsl comes up in enhance now. updatedb persists.:)