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Topic: Help on Old PC HD Install, Help on Old PC HD Install

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jam22

Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: Mar. 2006

Posted: Mar. 07 2006,02:31

Hi! I really need some help here.

I have a IBM PC300 running on Pentium 1 166mhz with 32 mb of RAM. I wanted to try out Linux on this machine.

I had several problems with this unit since it cannot boot from CD. So I followed the WIKIs instruction on how to boot from floppy and proceeded to install to the hard disk.

I have partitioned the hard drive for both DOS/WINDOWS and for LINUX.

So far, I am able to do so. Unfortunately, I need to always place the boot floppy to run DSL. Also, I could no longer access DOS. I also need to use a boot floppy for it. Although, the partitions in the hard drive seems to be okay and I can move files around.

There was a post in the wiki on how to correct this but unfortunately the link to the GRUB boot image does not work.

What seems to be the problem?

The_Pirate Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 9
Joined: Mar. 2006

Posted: Mar. 07 2006,19:21

Well... Your boot loader screws up (what a wonder of logic!).

I'm not very good with GRUB - may i humbly suggest you try LILO?
Mainly because that one i can work out...

After booting DSL, you ought to be able to find a file:

/etc/lilo.conf

Open it with less:

less /etc/lilo.conf

and check the entries. If there is seperate entries for Linux and Dos/Win - and they point to the correct devices, like /dev/hda1 or /dev/hda2, that file ought to be OK.

Then run as root:

/sbin/lilo

and try to reboot the machine. If all's well, you get a boot menu that gives you choice between Linux or Dos. Try it. if it works, be happy, if not... Well try a re-install with Lilo. It only takes ten minutes.

jam22

Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: Mar. 2006

Posted: Mar. 08 2006,05:11

Hi Pirate,

Have to admit. I am new to linux and I have problems doing your instructions. I am more familiar with Kanotix (also knoppix derivative). In there, I could just log in as root and edit any file (I have been editing GRUB.LST).

I am having difficulty editing lilo.conf. I could see the problem. The root=/dev/hda5 (should be hda4). I cannot edit it. It tells me that this is a system file and is read only.

Hope you can help. Sorry for the silly questions.

The_Pirate Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 9
Joined: Mar. 2006

Posted: Mar. 08 2006,08:15

Jam, i hope you do not take this as an insult - but if you are very new to linux, it may be easier to just use 15 minutes on a re-install with LILO?

On the other hand - you don't learn anything from that...

To edit system files you need to be 'root' - the top administrator. To become root, open a terminal (i'm on a WinCan now at work, but i think the terminal is top-left icon on the DSL desktop) and enter

su

Then it asks for your root password. Then you are the Top Dog of the computer!
Write:

cd /etc

to change to the proper directory, and

vi lilo.conf

to open a small, stupid, but handy editor. Use the cursor to move to the right spot, and delete the faulty entry. Press 'i' to enter 'insert' mode, and type the new stuff. When finished, press 'esc' a couple of times, then

ZZ

(upper case is important) to save and exit. Then

cd /sbin

and to install the changes:

./lilo

Last thing is to get out of root again:

exit

and you are back where you started. Please reboot, and check if all's well. Else keep editing

Have fun!

jam22

Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: Mar. 2006

Posted: Mar. 10 2006,02:16

No Insult taken. Its the only way to learn.

I have tried your suggestion. I still come out not being able to save the changes in the file.

Went to the terminal window and did the following:

sudo su
cd /etc
vi lilo.conf

I first tried ESC ESC ZZ. It returned an error message. I tried :wq. It told me it was an read only file and I need to use the ! command. Tried :wq!, Can't open file for writing.

Incidentally, I tried it with GRUB.

sudo su
cd /boot/grub
vi menu.lst

Same as with Lilo, I can't save the changes in the file.

Hope you can help.

Thanks,

JAM

9 replies since Mar. 07 2006,02:31

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