hi,

I experimenting with Slack 9.0. The cd did not boot. So used loadlin and hav successfully installed slack9.0..till it asked me to select a kernel.. I chose a kernel and set the loaders accordingly .. now each time i boot linux ..it takes me to the


"*******Welcome to slackware 9.0 installation*******"

screen .. i then

1 )hav to mount my linux root partion under mnt
2) and then chroot to mnt
3) then if i give "gdm" it starts X

God .. i want

1) Kernel to go into X automagically
2) I dont want the start up "slackware installation screen" to come
3) i want slack to boot like redhat or any other..


Kindly help..i ve been with Redhat 9.0 for past 2 years.. decided to move to something more difficult.

Thanks a million.

Seems like you didn't complete the Lilo installation bit.

You probably have loadlin pointed to the installation boot floppy image that you used to install Slack. After installing Slack, you need to change loadlin so that it loads vmlinuz instead of boot.img.

Slack defaults to the console on boot. You need to edit /etc/inittab to set the init level to for graphical login; the instructions are in the comments. Note that Slackware uses init level 4 for graphical login, not 5 as in some other distros.

As for Slack booting like Red Hat... Slackware is more of a hands-on distro than Red Hat, by nature and preference. Slack does not have a lot of administration tools, and it requires you to edit configuration files. While this may be intimidating at first, it's actually quite simple and powerful. Since you decided to move to something more difficult, be prepared to do a lot of reading. Check out the Slackware manual at http://www.slackware.com

What do you mean, "The CD did not boot."
Is your ISO image screwed up? Does the machine BIOS not allow booting from CD? Did you have to create a bootdisk?

Did you choose bare.i?

Have you thought about starting over and selecting some different options during the install?

Are you familiar with http://www.slackware.com/book?

From linfreek's question, s/he indicates that s/he used a boot floppy image with loadlin to boot into a ramdisk-based Slackware session, from which s/he mounted the cd and performed the installation.

So, linfreek is clearly dualbooting with Windows/DOS and Slackware, with loadlin. Therefore lilo is unnecessary. Unfortunately, it sounds like linfreek failed to edit the loadlin settings after the installation to boot from the new vmlinuz kernel image created after the installation, rather than the initial boot floppy image used to commence installation.

Further, I too have had intermittent booting problems with Slackware CDs in the past, and not just from CDs that I've burned, but also with a CD that I purchased.

i did install lilo.. i hav grub too... please tell me which kernel from slackware cd would be more appropriate.. i did use the bare.i kernel....

I no longer use loadlin.. i used it only during installation.. now i use boot loaders for starting up...I dont know wat is happening.. after booting my kernel it simply does not recognise my installation.. it simply creates a set of folders..like etc, mnt,etc but i hav to mount my installation device /dev/hda10...this is where i hav installed slack.

Hope i was clear .

kindly help

Ai-yaa, I should know better than to reply to these "Help Me, Pleeeeease! Urgent!" posts, but I'm such a sucker. IHBT.

linfreek: unless you are deliberately trolling for an RTFM response, you need to be more informative with your questions. As the saying goes, "Garbage in, garbage out." I completely misunderstood your initial post, because of your spurious reference to loadlin. Now that I re-read it, you stated that you "chose a kernel and set the loaders accordingly .." In your last post, you state that Slackware is installed on hda10 (which you can get to through chroot) and that you installed lilo AND grub.

So:

1. You may have installed the packages for both lilo and grub, but which did you actually choose to be your bootloader? Slackware defaults to lilo, so if you don't know, it's probably lilo.

2. Post the contents of your /mnt/hda10/etc/lilo.conf file; this would help us diagnose what's going on. If you want to solve this on your own, however, then research this site or google for "lilo.conf", edit your lilo.conf file, chroot /mnt/hda10 and run /etc/lilo

3. Post the contents of /boot (without chrooting) and /mnt/hda10/boot

4. What's on your other nine partitions (ie. hda1 - hda9)? Do you need to boot into any of those? If you do, then you will need to configure those partitions in lilo.conf too.

hi,

Following is my lilo file... i think i completely understand the boot loaders.. but still..i want to know which kernel to use...



# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda5
root = /dev/hda10
image = /boot/vmlinuz
#compact # faster, but won't work on all systems.
prompt
timeout = 300
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# Normal VGA console
# vga = normal
# 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
# ramdisk = 0 # paranoia setting
# End LILO global section
# DOS bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/hda1
label = Windows
table = /dev/hda
# DOS bootable partition config ends



The follwing is my Grub.conf file...


default=1
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,4)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.20-18.9)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz ro root=LABEL=/
initrd /initrd.img
title DOS
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1


I hav FAT in my 1-9 partitions...And i use a seperate boot partition.. /dev/hda5.

The contents of my boot folder after booting slack are...

boot0300,boot.030a,boot_message,map,vmlinuz...

But the contents of my /dev/hda5 are diff.....
I run initially LILO.. (win/slack).. if i chose slack i goto NTloader.. from here i can run GRUB too. that how i hav setup my loaders .. I hav in all 3 boot loaders (grub,NTloader,LILO) ...

Thanx

Why do you need three boot loaders?

I may have missed something but you can normally use just one to do what you want.

I use lilo and don't know anything about grub. It seems to me that your lilois all screwed up and it wouldn't do much of anything.

Your grub has a reference to RedHat. If that was set up in a RedHat install it's not worth much for your slack install.

Your lilo,conf should start with global settings then have a stanza for each O.S. you are booting. Each stanza has entries pointing to where to boot from and a labels (names) for each seperate distro/item which are listed for selection by lilo when your box boots. You don't have alabel for your linux distro in your lilo.conf.

Note that after editing (changinging) your /etc/lilo.conf you have to run the command /sbin/lilo as root. If there is something wrong with your lilo.conf you will get an error message. Use /sbin/lilo -v 3 for a more verbose message.

If you haven't googled around to find some lilo help and examples yet here's: here's a lilo.conf that works well for me.

# Global settings
boot=/dev/hda
vga=normal
default=slack-9.1
prompt
nowarn
timeout=300

# Stanza for Slackware-9.0 installation
image = /mnt/hda5/boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda5
label=slack-9.0
append="hdb=ide-scsi"
#vga=788
read-only

# Stanza for Slackware-9.0 installation
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda9
label = slack-9.1
append="hdb=ide-scsi"
read-only

# Stanza for win-98 installation
other = /dev/hda1
label=windows
table=/dev/hda

# This stanza lets me boot from a floppy if I need to
other=/dev/fd0
label=floppy

linfreek, I think justwantin is correct; your grub.conf seems leftover from your Red Hat install; let's proceed with lilo only. Forget "NTloader".

Before we can help you with lilo, however, we need to know precisely what is in both your /boot (after booting) and your /mnt/hda5/boot (before chroot) folders.

So far, you've indicated that your /boot contains:

boot0300,boot.030a,boot_message,map,vmlinuz...

Your use of the ... ellipses is unfortunately ambiguous. Does the above mean that there are more files in /boot, or is that it? Please copy the output of 'ls /boot' and 'ls /mnt/hda10/boot' exactly as they appear.

If the contents of /boot are limited to the files you've posted, then your problem is that you did not mount hda5 as your boot partition during the Slackware installation script. Slackware 9.0 installs the kernel as 'vmlinuz-ide-2.4.20' (Slack 9.1 would have vmlinuz-ide-2.4.22, I think) under /boot, and symlinks vmlinuz to the kernel. Your /boot also should have config-ide-2.4.22, System.map-ide-2.4.22, and the symlinks config and System.map.

From the contents of your /boot directory, however, it appears that you simply copied the contents of a boot floppy into hda5. Let me guess: when you initially installed, you had loadlin boot from the bootfloppy kernel in hda5 into a ram-based Slackware shell, mounted the Slackware CD (that you couldn't boot from), then ran the Slackware setup script.

If the above is true (please confirm), then Slackware actually installed its kernel (the distro kernel, not the bootfloppy kernel) under /mnt/hda10/boot. So, to set up lilo, then do the following:

1. After booting as you usually do, mount /dev/hda10 and chroot /mnt/hda10, as you usually do.

2. While in chroot, edit /etc/lilo.conf as follows:

# append="hdc=ide-scsi" #SCSI emulation for IDE CDROM /dev/hdc; uncomment if needed
boot = /dev/hda
default=Slackware
install=/boot/boot.b
lba32
map=/boot/map
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
prompt
timeout = 50
vga = normal

image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda10
label = Slackware
read-only

# DOS bootable partition config begins; uncomment if you need this
#other = /dev/hda1
#label = Windows
#table = /dev/hda
# DOS bootable partition config ends

# Boot from a floppy -- thanks, justwantin
other=/dev/fd0
label=floppy

3. As root, run /sbin/lilo

4. Reboot.

better make that /sbin/lilo

and if you get a failure run it again with a -v 3

that is /sbin/lilo -v 3

If your having a problem you will get some feed back on your console which will help you uidentify the problem.

Oops... absolutely correct, /sbin/lilo; I'm correcting my above post to change /etc/lilo to /sbin/lilo. thanks, justwantin

hi all,

Seriously i was upset after i got flamed by spurious for not being clear. I thought none will respond again.Thanx a million. I shall explain what i did in the installation

It goes like this.

1. Tried booting from CD - negetive
2. Friend adviced me to use loadlin. Got it from slackware FTP .The file was INSTALL.zip. It asked me to create a dos partition (100MB) . Extract install.zip.I then changed the linux.bat file to point to the kernel of my choice.The entry in linux.bat file is

"\linux\loadlin \linux\bzimage root=/dev/hda9 rw "

3. Then i ran linux.bat. It loaded the kernel and left me in a shell (the same one iam getting now when i boot).

4. I gave "setup" command, and i proceeded with the installation. I was fairly comfortable with the menus that came up. Till the menu which asked for a kernel. Surely i have never come across such a situation (Redhat never asks).

5. This is where i messed up.Like spurious said

>>If the contents of /boot are limited to the files you've posted, then >>your problem is that you did not mount hda5 as your boot partition >>during the Slackware installation script. Slackware 9.0 installs the >>kernel as 'vmlinuz-ide-2.4.20' (Slack 9.1 would have >>vmlinuz-ide-2.4.22, I think) under /boot, and symlinks vmlinuz to the >>kernel. Your /boot also should have config-ide-2.4.22, >>System.map-ide-2.4.22, and the symlinks config and System.map.

6.Yes i did not mount /dev/hda5 .When it asked for kernel during install i remember choosing "bare" kernel.But may be b'coz i had not mounted my /dev/hda5 it did not install it there.But i feel it would have installed in /boot under /dev/hda10 (my root drive where iam installing slack).

7. Like you correctly guessed i copied the contents of "bare.i" folder into /dev/hda5 and set grub to boot this kernel ("vmlinuz") i had just copied.

>>when you initially installed, you had loadlin boot from the >>bootfloppy kernel in hda5 into a ram-based Slackware shell, mounted >>the Slackware CD (that you couldn't boot from), then ran the >>Slackware setup script.

Absolutly correct.Even now when i boot,it loads the kernel into a ram-based slackware shell. I have to manually mount all my hard drives both ext2fs and FAT. What should i do to get a proper kernel to be installed.


8. I tried this too -- booted the kernel and typed "pkgtool" . From here i reran the slack installation scripts. I got an option to install kernel.To choose kernel from CD i had to mount the CD. Then i asked it to detect the cd. It did and gave me a list of kernels. I choose "bare" kernel and asked it to install. It installed as vmlinuz ,nothing like vmlinuz-ide-2.4.20 or config-ide-2.4.22 or System.map-ide-2.4.22.

9. Furthur i use a SEPERATE BOOT DRIVE ---> /dev/hda5 and my root is /dev/hda10.How do i tell this to LILO.

10. The "ls -l" listing of

/BOOT :

total 1276
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Nov 7 00:30 1.txt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 512 Oct 31 00:57 boot.0300
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 512 Oct 27 00:12 boot.030A
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 226 Oct 31 00:52 boot_message.txt
-rw------- 1 root root 30208 Oct 31 00:57 map
-r-------- 1 root root 1257431 Nov 1 20:54 vmlinuz


I am deleting all contents of my /boot and /dev/hda5 (can do this from Knoppix live cd). So no kernel . Pls tell me how i freshly install a kernel and change lilio

Thanx

Unless I had a very good reason not to, I'd just reinstall You'dve learned from
your mistakes and install setup will be a breeze. This time try a normal install
from the cdrom.

I've had problems with not being able to boot from slackware cd's on several
boxes.

It's common, here's an excerpt of a slack-9.0 review that discusses it

<snip>
Getting Ready for Slackware Linux 9.0
By Daniel de Kok - Posted on 2003-03-18 19:37:45
at OSNews [http://www.osnews.com/]

The problem is that not all BIOSes are able to boot ISOLinux. However, in most
cases this can be solved by using Smart Bootmanager
[http://btmgr.sourceforge.net], which is a boot manager that can be installed on
a floppy disk. It can also boot El-Torito bootable CD's, including Slackware
Linux 8.1 and newer versions. Get Smart Boot Manager from
http://www.turbolinux.com.cn/~suzhe/...ody=about.html
<snip>

Smart bootmanager works well for me and I usually have a spare floppy with
it on hand. Download the Linux binary to save time, it's small. If you only have
access to an M$ box there's also a DOS .exe version available.

Don't matter which since it is only used to write the bootmanager to a clean
formated floppy.

I think you'd be better off getting an install up that's running properly and
then you can learn about the rest; like boot directories, and lilo.conf.

Next time just select the kernel from the install disk when asked. It'd be
bare.i anyway unless you called for another one at the beginning of the install.

When you install slack be sure to make a boot floopy or two.

This may not solve your immediate problem but in the beginning it's sometimes
easier to take the path of least resistance. I probably hold the record for
reinstalls of SuSe and Mdk when I first started out with Linux three plus years
ago. Even now as long as I have /home /etc and /usr/local backed up I
find fresh installs an attractive option in some cases.

Cheers
Rick

Hey thankx, maybe you are right. I will reinstall and get back to all you guys who tried to help.