Contender for stupidiest questions ever

[jpnitya]

Hi!

I've installed Knoppix 3.2 in a primary slave 80G HD while I have Windows on the primary master. I did not install LILO upon installation but would like to do so now. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get it to work. I've checked the lilo.conf file and it appears fine with a mention to my Windows system. I run lilo; it doesn't give me any error but when I reboot I don't see any change. I've tried to boot from both the primary master and slave (in BIOS) but I still can't boot Linux from HD. I can boot from floppy though and Windows is working fine.

But my major problem is when Knoppix is running (as root or as knoppix). How can I access the Windows hard disk? How can I access the other Linux partitions that I created (I split the primary slave in 4 partitions using cfdisk prior to installing Knoppix: I installed Knoppix in the first partition of 4G, then I had another 800 Meg partition for swap and then I had two other partitions of 4G and 71G, but using "df" I can only detect the 4G hdb1 partition where the kernel is installed. How can I use the other partitions?) Finally, how can I access the CD-ROM? When I booted from the CD, I'm pretty sure I could access the CD-ROm. How can I access it now.

Thanks.

[Steve Cronje]

Quick response from work:

You need to read up on the MOUNT command - there is a ton of information out there, and will introduce you to the command line, if you like! You could use "man mount", from a terminal, but a web search will also net you lots of helpful info.

Other keywords are "Samba", for mounting the Windows partition.

HTH
Steve

[adamm]

You also have to remember, if you are running windows XP and have an NTFS file system, you will not be able to write to it with Knoppix. (unless someone can correct me) Knoppix does not play well with NTFS, you can read it all day and get data from it, but won't be able to write to it.

[rickenbacherus]

Hi!

I've installed Knoppix 3.2 in a primary slave 80G HD while I have Windows on the primary master. I did not install LILO upon installation but would like to do so now. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get it to work. I've checked the lilo.conf file and it appears fine with a mention to my Windows system. I run lilo; it doesn't give me any error but when I reboot I don't see any change. I've tried to boot from both the primary master and slave (in BIOS) but I still can't boot Linux from HD. I can boot from floppy though and Windows is working fine.

You can post your /etc/lilo.conf file if you like. Did you uncomment (remove the '#' symbols from) the lines that refer to windows before you ran lilo?

[jpnitya]

Hi!

Thanks for the help, I can now locate my CD-ROM and hard disk partitions. Yet I still can't get Linux to boot from hard disk. Can anyone help me? Here's the lilo.conf file:

vga=791
# /etc/lilo.conf - See: `lilo(' and `lilo.conf(5)',
# --------------- `install-mbr(', `/usr/share/doc/lilo/',
# and `/usr/share/doc/mbr/'.

# +---------------------------------------------------------------+
# | !! Reminder !! |
# | |
# | Don't forget to run `lilo' after you make changes to this |
# | conffile, `/boot/bootmess.txt', or install a new kernel. The |
# | computer will most likely fail to boot if a kernel-image |
# | post-install script or you don't remember to run `lilo'. |
# | |
# +---------------------------------------------------------------+

# Support LBA for large hard disks.
#
lba32

# Overrides the default mapping between harddisk names and the BIOS'
# harddisk order. Use with caution.
#disk=/dev/hde
# bios=0x81

#disk=/dev/sda
# bios=0x80

# Specifies the boot device. This is where Lilo installs its boot
# block. It can be either a partition, or the raw device, in which
# case it installs in the MBR, and will overwrite the current MBR.
#
boot=/dev/hdb1

# Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/')
#
root=/dev/hdb1

# Enable map compaction:
# Tries to merge read requests for adjacent sectors into a single
# read request. This drastically reduces load time and keeps the
# map smaller. Using `compact' is especially recommended when
# booting from a floppy disk. It is disabled here by default
# because it doesn't always work.
#
# compact

# Installs the specified file as the new boot sector
# You have the choice between: bmp, compat, menu and text
# Look in /boot/ and in lilo.conf(5) manpage for details
#
install=/boot/boot-menu.b

# Specifies the location of the map file
#
map=/boot/map

# You can set a password here, and uncomment the `restricted' lines
# in the image definitions below to make it so that a password must
# be typed to boot anything but a default configuration. If a
# command line is given, other than one specified by an `append'
# statement in `lilo.conf', the password will be required, but a
# standard default boot will not require one.
#
# This will, for instance, prevent anyone with access to the
# console from booting with something like `Linux init=/bin/sh',
# and thus becoming `root' without proper authorization.
#
# Note that if you really need this type of security, you will
# likely also want to use `install-mbr' to reconfigure the MBR
# program, as well as set up your BIOS to disallow booting from
# removable disk or CD-ROM, then put a password on getting into the
# BIOS configuration as well. Please RTFM `install-mbr('.
#
# password=tatercounter2000

# Specifies the number of deciseconds (0.1 seconds) LILO should
# wait before booting the first image.
#
delay=20

# You can put a customized boot message up if you like. If you use
# `prompt', and this computer may need to reboot unattended, you
# must specify a `timeout', or it will sit there forever waiting
# for a keypress. `single-key' goes with the `alias' lines in the
# `image' configurations below. eg: You can press `1' to boot
# `Linux', `2' to boot `LinuxOLD', if you uncomment the `alias'.
#
# message=/boot/bootmess.txt
prompt
timeout=150
# prompt
# single-key
# delay=100
# timeout=100

# Kernel command line options that apply to all installed images go
# here. See: The `boot-prompt-HOWO' and `kernel-parameters.txt' in
# the Linux kernel `Documentation' directory.
#
# append=""
append="hda=scsi hdb=scsi hdc=scsi hdd=scsi hde=scsi hdf=scsi hdg=scsi hdh=scsi apm=power-off nomce"

# Boot up Linux by default.
#
default=Linux

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20-xfs
label=Linux

read-only
# restricted
# alias=1

image=/vmlinuz.old
label=LinuxOLD
read-only
optional
# restricted
# alias=2

# If you have another OS on this machine to boot, you can uncomment the
# following lines, changing the device name on the `other' line to
# where your other OS' partition is.
#
# other=/dev/hda4
# label=HURD
# restricted
# alias=3
other=/dev/hda1
label="Windows"
table=/dev/hda

#other=/dev/hda5
# label="Windows(hda5)"

#other=/dev/hda6
# label="Windows(hda6)"

[rickenbacherus]

# Specifies the boot device. This is where Lilo installs its boot
# block. It can be either a partition, or the raw device, in which
# case it installs in the MBR, and will overwrite the current MBR.
#
boot=/dev/hdb1<- change this to /dev/hda1

# Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/')
#
root=/dev/hdb1

Make the change in [b]bold[/] above and of course rerun LILO

[jpnitya]

Hello,

So I've tried your suggestion and I got:
Device 0x0301: Partition type 0x0C does not seem suitable for a LILO boot sector
but DOS/Windows/OS2 FAT partitions are now usable.
Warning: boot record relocation is necessary: /dev/hda1
Added Linux *
Skipping /vmlinuz.old
Added Windows

Then when I rebooted my computer LILO was active and I could boot Linux, but when I selected Windows, it flashed the message:

Loading Windows

LIL

(Or something similar.) And it did not proceed. So I had to waste an hour to re-install Windows. Anyway, I'm booting Linux from floppy. Any more suggestions?

Thanks a lot (ironic to rickenbacherus).

[rickenbacherus]

Hello,

So I've tried your suggestion and I got:
Device 0x0301: Partition type 0x0C does not seem suitable for a LILO boot sector
but DOS/Windows/OS2 FAT partitions are now usable.
Warning: boot record relocation is necessary: /dev/hda1
Added Linux *
Skipping /vmlinuz.old
Added Windows

Then when I rebooted my computer LILO was active and I could boot Linux, but when I selected Windows, it flashed the message:

Loading Windows

LIL

(Or something similar.) And it did not proceed. So I had to waste an hour to re-install Windows. Anyway, I'm booting Linux from floppy. Any more suggestions?

Thanks a lot (ironic to rickenbacherus).

Yeah I have another suggestion- next time before freaking out find out what you really need to do. Instead of reinstalling windows all you had to do was boot a win98 floppy and type this:

fdisk mbr

You're welcome- (ironic to jpnitya)

[jpnitya]

I did and LILO was still there.