Hey,
Can anyone give me some help on this. I'm trying to install slackware 8 on my new system (previous system was duel boot debian 2.1 and win95).
When I attempt to setup lilo I get the error: geo_query_dev HDIO_GETGEO (dev 0x1600): Invalid Argument. As much info as I can think of is
below, including precedure I am following when gettin this error.

Partion Info:

255 Head, 63 Sectors, 5005 Cylinders
Units = Cylinder of 16065 * 512 bytes

/dev/hda1 * 1 - 522 4192933+ (blocks) b (id) fat32 (w2k)
/dev/hda2 523 - 3964 27647865 (blocks) c (id) fat32 (LBA) (win prog)
/dev/hda3 3965 - 4398 3486105 (blocks) 83 (id) Linux Native (linux system installed)
/dev/hda4 4399 - 4500 819315 (blocks) 82 (id) Linux Swap

Verify command = 8112887 unallocated sectors (I know... room left for win9x if needed)

lilo.conf all - comments

lba32
boot = /dev/fd0
# OR /dev/hda3
delay = 50
vga = normal

image = /vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda3
label = Slackware
read-only

System Specs:

AMD TB 1.33 @ 1.47
Gigabyte GA-7DXR Mobo
256x2 Micron ddr pc2100 ram
VisonTek Geforce 2 gts 64ddr
Intel modem (I know won't work with 2.4 kernal need new modem)
IBM DeskStarGV 40GB
Samsung Floppy
Creative pc-dvd x2
Yamaha Lightspeed 2 20x burner
Hec-350LD-T PS

Procedure followed.
boot from boot cd.
#mount -t ext2 /dev/hda3 /mnt
#lilo -C /mnt/etc/lilo.conf
< FD light comes on >
geo_query_dev HDIO_GETGEO (dev 0x1600): Invalid Argument.

I assume the dev 0x1600 is the hex code for the hda3 partion, or just the hda drive itself that's being passed to the HDIO_GETGEO function. (hard drie io .. Get Geometry I assume).

Do I need to make hda3 bootable? I would think that would pose a prob as u can only have one bootable

Thanks for all help. I am trying to get this duel booting by monday when I start a class in linux.

TIA again
-John

Is that really your lilo.conf file? It appears that there are a number of lines missing.

There's no map, prompt, timeout, install, other, table, and default lines. The file indicates that it's trying to install lilo to the floppies boot sector.

that all seems right, except I've never seen the lba32 line before. Just a thought but maybe try to change it to
boot = /dev/hda
instead of boot = /dev/fd0, also i noticed it was commented out but when you have .boot = /dev/hda3 with the partition at the end of the line like that it sometimes craps out and gives an error. I'll post my lilo.conf incase that helps any:

boot = /dev/hda
delay = 50
vga = normal
image = /vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda1
label = Linux
read-only

Try this:
If you do this, it will write lilo into the mbr.

lba32
boot = /dev/hda
delay = 50
vga = normal
prompt
timeout=300
default=Slackware

image = /vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda3
label = Slackware
read-only

other=/dev/hda1
label=w2k
table=/dev/hda


You could try this if you don't want lilo in the mbr.

lba32
boot = /dev/hda3
delay = 50
vga = normal
prompt
timeout=300
default=Slackware

image = /vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda3
label = Slackware
read-only

other=/dev/hda1
label=w2k
table=/dev/hda

Then all you have to do is make the partition hda3 the active or bootable partition and it should boot without lilo being in the mbr.

One thing I'm going to have to tell you, is that you won't be able to add win98 without deleting and creating partitions. The reason is is that you have used up all the primary partition numbers (1-4). You'll need one of them to create an extended partition to hold some logical partitions.