New LILO 99 problem

[sonic20]

Using W98 on one drive, used second HD (not partition) to do a hard install with knx-hdintall. The install went without problem, although I did not understand what actually happened with LILO. Upon reboot, I got 99's half way down the screen.

I was able to load K with the boot disk, but unable to load windows with its boot disk, I got the messeage "unbable to proceed VFAT missing" or something to that effect.

I decided to restore W98 and when it rebooted a LILO OS option screen came on!! I opted to start W98 and just had to reset all options from the restore.

I shut down and tried now to load K from the LILO screen and the loading was going well until stopped at the following:

VFS. cannot open root device 1641 or 16:41
Please append a correct "root=" option
Kernel Panic: VFS: unable to mount root on 16:41

I need help!! I am going on 5 hours since I began the K hard install and I am going crazy. I know less than a noobie. Heeeeelp!

[fingers99]

Can you please post your /etc/lilo.conf

For what it's worth, mine which boots SuSE and Knoppix is:

boot = /dev/hda
change-rules
reset
read-only
menu-scheme = Wg:kw:Wg:Wg
lba32
prompt
timeout = 80
message = /boot/message

image = /boot/vmlinuz
label = SuSE
root = /dev/hdc3
vga = 791
initrd = /boot/initrd
append = " hdb=ide-scsi"

image = /boot/vmlinuz.suse
label = failsafe
root = /dev/hdc3
vga = 791
initrd = /boot/initrd.suse
append = "ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off hdb=ide-scsi"
optional

image = /boot/memtest.bin
label = memtest86

image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20-xfs
label=Debian
root = /dev/hda3
vga = 791
initrd=/boot/initrd.gz
append = "hdb=ide-scsi"

You might like to take a peek, edit yours as appropriate and run /sbin/lilo to write it. Do keep a back up of the old one, though!

[sonic20]

I appreciate your reply, but I belive the problem is that a second partition was not done in hdb for the swap file when I did the knx-hdinstall. I was able to boot up using the cd and I couln't see the partion for the swap file.

In addition, there is no /etc/lilo.conf, only /etc/lilo.conf.old ! But when I boot up I do get a red LILO box with the option to boot into Linux or W98! Go figure.

I have spent so much time on this that if I have the same problem as before, I don't want to reinstall W98 and all the programs I also had to reinstall.

I am going to stop for the time being, purchase a box w/o OS this weekend and install Knoppix on it.

Now, how can I get rid of LILO if I can't find /etc/lilo.conf or at least make W98 the default OS in the LILO screen?

[Stephen]

Now, how can I get rid of LILO if I can't find /etc/lilo.conf or at least make W98 the default OS in the LILO screen?

Boot from a the boot floppy you made during the install of win98 and fdisk /mbr to repair the Master Boot Record and you should now be able to boot to win98 as usual.