First slackware install, one big problem

98acura · 09-28-2004, 08:12 PM

Hi, this is my first post to the forum, but not the first time ive been here. I've been reading alot of threads here recently regarding a slackware install. I just recently built a new computer, and of course it has to run linux, but i've been using a pentium 2 400mhz IBM pc for the last 5 years, so installing redhat 9.0 was pretty brainless. My new computer however, is a nForce3-250 motherboard, with an amd64 processor, and a SATA HD. So I had alot of reading to do. I came across bonecrusher's sata iso disc 1 of the slackware install discs, and I also read through shilo's entire website prior to the install. ANYWAY, I installed it, everything went off without a hitch, go to reboot the system, bios finishes loading then lilo goes to start.

It gets as far as:

L

Then the system hangs, so I have to reboot, I put in disc one, and got it to boot off of the disc. starts up fine, kde starts without any trouble except for sound. So I try to change some lilo settings, thinking maybe the VGA mode was the problem it wasnt. Lilo is installed on the MBR of my sata drive (/dev/hde). Does anyone know what this problem is?

I'm not very familiar with lilo, as i've used grub mostly. Here is my lilo.conf file...

Code:

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot="/dev/hde"
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
prompt
timeout="1200"
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
  reset
# Normal VGA console
vga="0"
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# End LILO global section
# Windows bootable partition config begins

other = /dev/hde1
	label="Windows"
  table = /dev/hde
# Windows bootable partition config ends
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image="/dev/hde1"

image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/hde5
  label = Linux
  read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

Thanks

gbonvehi · 09-28-2004, 08:26 PM

I would try reinstalling lilo, also image="/dev/hde1" is useless there

Boot from cd, be sure that your hard disk is the root and run: liloconfig
(This has happened to me before, but i don't remember the problem)

acascianelli · 09-29-2004, 09:52 AM

when you installed slackware, during the lilo config did you install lilo to the MBR or someplace else?

98acura · 09-29-2004, 10:54 AM

I installed to the MBR. The drive is a sata drive. I've read about several people with this same problem, but i havnt found a solution yet. Anyone have any ideas?

acascianelli · 09-29-2004, 11:22 AM

id try compiling a new kernel with the sata driver compiled in instead of as a module maybe

98acura · 09-29-2004, 11:26 AM

im gonna do that tonight when I get home from work, but the kernel shouldnt have anything to do with lilo.. I dunno, I guess I can always do a fdisk /mbr from dos, and just boot slack from a floppy.. just seems so ghetto booting a brand new amd 64 computer from a floppy disc.

eelriver · 09-29-2004, 12:11 PM

Are you sure your sata drive is /dev/hde*? My sata drives are always identified as /dev/sda*?

98acura · 09-29-2004, 01:51 PM

yea, im sure its hde
I find it kinda weird also
but here is the partition table:

Code:

Partition Table for /dev/hde

         ---Starting---      ----Ending----    Start     Number of
 # Flags Head Sect Cyl   ID  Head Sect Cyl     Sector    Sectors
-- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----------- -----------
 1  0x80    1    1    0 0x07  254   63 1023          63   111217932
 2  0x00  254   63 1023 0x05  254   63 1023   111217995    45078390
 3  0x00    0    0    0 0x00    0    0    0           0           0
 4  0x00    0    0    0 0x00    0    0    0           0           0
 5  0x00  254   63 1023 0x83  254   63 1023          63    39070017
 6  0x00  254   63 1023 0x82  254   63 1023          63     6008247

Im lost as to what to do, i've tried everything i've read, and nothing seems to work..

98acura · 09-29-2004, 03:43 PM

well, I got lilo installed onto a floppy disk.. now I can boot windowsxp, but not slack.. but I think I blew up my kernel trying to recompile it.. oh well I give up for now, try again in a few hours.. if anyone has any suggestions on how to get lilo to work on the mbr lemme know.. thanks

WilliamS · 09-29-2004, 07:49 PM

Try deleting (or commenting out) the line : "image="/dev/hde1"" and the blank line below it.

Then run lilo -v

Here is my linux section of lilo.conf for comparison; I boot from mbr.

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda1
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

H2O-linux · 09-29-2004, 09:01 PM

Make sure your BIOS virus protection is turned off if you have that option.
I also had the same problem with an XP dual boot system on my raid board. I finally resorted to using a boot disk for SLACK.

user_of_slack · 09-30-2004, 12:41 AM

If you just see L

The first stage boot loader has been loaded and started, but it can't load the second stage boot loader. The two-digit error codes indicate the type of problem. (See also section ``Disk error codes''.) This condition usually indicates a media failure or a geometry mismatch (e.g. bad disk parameters).

From: http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Bootdisk-HOWTO/a1483.html

To expand on WillamS post ...
Try running this command:

lilo -v -v -v -t > lilo_results

Then open up the new file lilo_results.

What it will do is print out what lilo is doing. The -v is verbose. You can have up to 5 -v each increasing the information displayed. The -t means test, it will not write anything.

bobbyseatbelt · 09-30-2004, 01:38 AM

i've seen this very problem many times. you just need to reinstall lilo. usually when i see this i just boot off the cd again (as you did) then goto the liloconfig menu.
ie:
root@meat:~# liloconfig

then just goto expert -> begin -> [hit enter] -> Root (if that doesn't work then "MBR") -> 5sec -> add a linux partition to boot, install lilo. if it doesn't come back up after reboot and you still get "L", then boot off the cd again and install to the MBR. dont worry, its safe. before i figured it was something as stupid as this i used to use the hard drive format utility in the BIOS and let it go for about 30secs to kill the partition tables and whatnot (yes this was way back in the day when they had that option in the BIOS). anyways, good luck

revodddball · 11-11-2005, 09:48 AM

doing some reading on this. most 64 bit distro's seem to say lilo is not good for 64 bit processors regardless of 32bit/64bit os installed. it seems to be something about the hardware and lilo not jiveing.

sweetnsourbkr · 11-11-2005, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by revodddball
doing some reading on this. most 64 bit distro's seem to say lilo is not good for 64 bit processors regardless of 32bit/64bit os installed. it seems to be something about the hardware and lilo not jiveing.

That's not true. I'm running an AMD64 on an nForce4 chipset and it boots fine. I have had similar problems while booting, but a bad kernel config was usually the cause. However, I have experienced hangs while using SATA hardware with older kernels. Can you download the latest 2.6.14+ and reconfigure that. Or try installing Slack10.2 ... 10.1 never ran on my system, while 10.2 did. From your initial post you stated you had Slack10?