Can't boot linux from HD after installtion?

[jjmac]

>>
This 99999....occurs when lilo not
properly installed on your mbr.

You can try reinstall lilo:
1) Boot from cd.
2) Open konsole and run command:
su
mount /devhad*x /mnt/hda*x *x= partition which
knopppix installed chroot /mnt/hda*x lilo
(check your /etc/lilo.conf first, to make sure it's okay)

If this doesn't word, you need to reinstall your
knoppix.
>>

The error suggests that Lilo's map file wasn't
correctly updated after the previous change.
Lilo needs to be run as "root" after every
config change. It's got nothing to do with it's
installation on the 'mbr'.

By the way... how come so many people think
that the first disks boot sector is the best
place to install a Linux loader, over-writing
the 'mbr' in the process. If a person had
any sense at all they would leave the 'mbr' as
it is, then install their Linux loader some
where else. Such as, to the partition that Linux it self is installed on.

This eliminates a whole set of future 'mbr'
related problems that may crop up for the user.
Like table corruption, due to the new 2.6.x
kernels dealing with disk geometry, and the subsequent
removal of Linux. Where people say "i want to
remove Linux but how do i get rid of grub"

Why the 'mbr'... because of 2 bit installer defaults
that could really use updating i would think,
along with a sheep mentality amongst users
in general. Espcecially if they have been
brought up in a windows context. And have been
duely trained to just go with the flow, so to speak

jm

[shah]

This eliminates a whole set of future 'mbr'
related problems that may crop up for the user.
Like table corruption, due to the new 2.6.x
kernels dealing with disk geometry, and the subsequent
removal of Linux. Where people say "i want to
remove Linux but how do i get rid of grub"

The kernel 2.6.x or whatever has nothing to do with mbr. It will not change your mbr or corrupt it. If kernel 2.6.x can corrupt your mbr, it obvious you shouldn't use linux.

Bootloader is not part of your kernel and both are different thing.

It's all about knowledge, how much you understand about mbr , partition, kernel, bootloader...etc.

No matter where you put your bootloader. As long you know what you did and know how to fix it, you'll be okay. If you have multiple OS in your system and you put lilo or grub in linux partition, still a question will arise, why my system boot directly to other OS?

[jjmac]

shah

>>
The kernel 2.6.x or whatever has nothing to do
with mbr. It will not change your mbr or corrupt it.
>>

Just to clarify a bit there shah, you may be
mis-interpreting what i ment...

"nothing to do with mbr"

Programs that deal with the "mbr" will utilise
kernel system calls, basically to access the
bios' "int13h" interface.

Which has gone through some changes over the last
few years. These changes will depend on the
vintage of the bios mainly. And relate to
extenstions to the bios' interface to allow for
larger disk recognition, ie; 32 bit.

The 2.6.x series has also moved away from the
24 bit 255 head system in favour of the 32 bit
16 head system for the same reason. I personally
would have liked them to have kept closer support
for 24 bit as well rather than going for raw
geometry only.

You may have noticed a "bugzilla" thread that
relates to this. Table scrambles, mainly
involving the FC test releases installer.
It seems to have croped up in Mandrake as
well. Three related associations were involved
though.

The way the bios dealt with geometry,
depending on how new the bios was. and whether
the installer bothered to check on any
discrepancy between what the kernel saw and
what the bios saw... which it didn't.

So, yes, it does play a role. All read writes
to anywhere will involve the kernel to some
degree.

If the user program checks on this though, it
may compensate. As in, my old lilo v22.2 refused
to update my map file under a 2.6 kernel with
out passing the "-P ignore" switch. The newer
v22.5 doesn't have a problem but still warns
on the geometry discrepancy. But then, iv'e
got an older bios, and an old Windows as well.

>>
If kernel 2.6.x can corrupt your mbr, it
obvious you shouldn't use linux.
>>

On the contrary...

It's obvious that the relationship between the
various systems should be appreciated
a little better. If the kernel had no influence...
then why use a kernel at all

>>
It's all about knowledge, how much you understand
about mbr , partition, kernel, bootloader...etc.
>>


Knowing some of the quirks, specialities
to expect is handy, to be sure....
The 2.6.x is
making inroads though, and so a few curious things
along the way should be expected i think.


>>
No matter where you put your boot-loader. As
long you know what you did and know how to fix
it, you'll be okay.
>>

True, but i suggest, some places are more
potentially problematic than others. Which
is basically why all the other Unix like systems
tend to prefere the first sector of their own partition.
Part of the trick is to try and see potential problems
before they become so, and then try to avoid them

>>
If you have multiple OS in your system and
you put lilo or grub in linux partition,
still a question will arise, why my system boot
directly to other OS?
>>


You will need to clarify that some what. You
didn't have it's partition set active by
chance ???

All the mbr needs to do is jump to a location
that has a loader. Thats all it was ever meant to
do. As long as it can reach the address,
it can drag that file in and then go back
to sleep.

I would even predict that as time goes by,
we may well see a lot of changes in the Linux
boot process. By v2.8.x we may even have the
boot code moved out of the kernel itself.

jm
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