A few issues

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10-13-2003, 05:45 PM
rushworld

A few issues

I wish to do a HDD install of Knoppix onto my laptop. I am a complete linux/multi-OS newbie and I want to know how I can 'dual boot' knoppix with windows 98.

I can create partitions and everything fine in PartitionMagic 7, I just want to make sure that I can have the choice of whether to run win98 or knoppix when I boot up. Is there any tutorials on how to set this up?

Also I've ran into a problem with my 'root password', I never have set a password (or don't remember doing so), yet it keeps on asking me for one. I can type the 'su' in the shell to get into root, but when I tried to run lilo (someone said it's used for a boot loader or something), it asks me for a password, and nothing works... Can anyone shed some light on this issue? Thanks a lot.
10-13-2003, 07:22 PM
rickenbacherus

Re: A few issues

Quote:

Originally Posted by rushworld

I wish to do a HDD install of Knoppix onto my laptop. I am a complete linux/multi-OS newbie and I want to know how I can 'dual boot' knoppix with windows 98.

I can create partitions and everything fine in PartitionMagic 7, I just want to make sure that I can have the choice of whether to run win98 or knoppix when I boot up. Is there any tutorials on how to set this up?

Set up your partitions then and when you run knoppix-installer it will offer to format them and install Linux to them. Also- you will have the opportunity to install LiLo to the MBR- choose yes. LiLo is intelligent and will let you select your OS from a menu.

Quote:

Also I've ran into a problem with my 'root password', I never have set a password (or don't remember doing so), yet it keeps on asking me for one. I can type the 'su' in the shell to get into root, but when I tried to run lilo (someone said it's used for a boot loader or something), it asks me for a password, and nothing works... Can anyone shed some light on this issue? Thanks a lot.

This quesion has been asked so many times I'm not even going to answer it. Call me rude. :)

What I'm wondering is, if you're not sure what LiLo is then why in the world would you try to run it?
10-14-2003, 12:17 AM
CivilEng

Ouch... feeling a little Eliteist today are we?

Be nice rickenbacherus, the man's just trying to get things working and doesn't know where to go for help.

That said, you should know better man. Don't be a user-level user. You have to be above that to work with Linux.... translation: you have to be willing to learn, and take responsibility for your system's wellfare. No competent admin would ever try to run or install a package they don't know. And that's what you are now, your own admin.

Lilo will be friendly. But worst case scenario: a word of advice. Make yourself a Win 98 boot disk, and if everything seems fried when you turn your system back on after installing Knoppix to the HD, chances are your master boot record (MBR) is toast. Boot with the M$ floppy, and type the following:

a:\> fdisk /mbr

That should set you straight. Welcome to the club, and don't worry... no one bites. Not even rickenbacherus, who's actually a really nice, helpful guy.

Good Luck,

Civ
10-14-2003, 06:03 AM
rushworld

I would love to learn all about it, I just can't get anywhere... Cause I don't know what my root password is. Is a default one set or what? Because I never did set one...

Also where do I type this knx-hdinstall? I tried in lots of places but it just told me invalid program or something... Is there any location on the Internet (other than the FAQs cause I followed them) where I can get more information?
10-14-2003, 12:54 PM
rushworld

This is where I am at right now..

I found out I needed to type 'knoppix-installer' instead (from the FAQ) and that worked fine. I set it all up, and looked for advise on IRC about lilo and things like that, so I put it on the MBR. But asking some of my linux saavy friends they've said that lilo isn't good for dual booting with Windows.

This is my situation and what I really want to get out of it.

I wish to learn everything there is about linux because my university course next year has some aspects with it, and I haven't used it at all. I found the Knoppix Bootable CD on a magazine cover, and it worked fine. I came to the website and found out I can install it to the HDD, which I really want to do, so I don't have to use the bootable CD anymore.
On my laptop I have windows 98, which is going to be my main OS until I get a better feel for knoppix (linux).

I need a boot loader, like the one for Windows NT, where it has a menu for the OS you want to run. Having the ability to load into Knoppix or Win98 when I start up.

I have three partitions, a FAT32 one for Windows 98, a Linux one for Knoppix and a Linux Swap. I can select the Linux partition in the Knoppix install configuration fine, I just want to sort out the booting problems first.

Someone told me to get 'Grub', which I have downloaded, but have no idea what to do with it. And I don't really want lilo to 'stuff up' like some people have bluntly put it -_-

Could anyone provide me with the intitmate steps in doing what I need? Because I haven't got the faintest idea, and no one on IRC seems to want to help me :( Any URLs would be appreciated, or details typed here on the forum.

I need to know how to set up the boot loader like I want it, install Knoppix to the HDD, be able to get into Windows or Knoppix without any issues, and be a happy man...

If anyone can help me at all, it'll be greatly appreciated. I've been 'playing' with Knoppix CD and it's a great product, and I wish to learn even more from it for the future.
10-14-2003, 01:24 PM
horo

Hi rushworld,

let knoppix-installer put lilo into the mbr. With this lilo you can choose Linux or Win98 from the boot menu _without_ any further configuration. BUT IT IS ALWAYS _A_GOOD_THING_(tm) TO HAVE A BOOT DISK!

Ciao Martin
10-14-2003, 01:32 PM
rushworld

Thankyou for the info, if I find that something goes wrong and I want to remove Knoppix from the boot, and then totally format the partition to just come back to Windows normally (eg how I have the setup right now, before installing Knoppix), how would I go about that?

I do have a win98 boot disk handy, two of them actually. I really want to have this information before I begin anything so in the worse case scenario I won't have a heart attack -_-
10-14-2003, 02:32 PM
horo

CivilEng told you just some posts above...

Ciao Martin

P.S.: Maybe you made some bad experiences with Windows, but Linux is userfriendly and polite :D
10-14-2003, 03:23 PM
rushworld

OMG It worked so far, I love you guys so much.

It installed perfectly, and windows loaded. I haven't tried loaded knoppix yet.

You're right, I have had some MAJOR problems with Windows in the past and I'm always scared to upgrade things nowadays, so I hopefully will learn a lot from knoppix, ty all again. A superb product, and superb support :)