Linux will not boot

[axman505]

I just installed linux on a computer, and when Lilo goes to load, all that it does is display a L with a blinking cursur after it and hangs. Any ideas?

 

[RhythmAce]

If you can boot from a floppy or CD log in as root and check /etc/lilo.conf. It should look something like the following:

prompt
timeout=50
default=linux
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
message=/boot/message
lba32

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.7-10
label=linux
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.7-10.img
read-only
root=/dev/hda2

Your kernel may be different so 2.4.7-10 will be what ever kernel you have. What I want to bring your attention to is the line with lba32. Replace that with "Linear" and then run "/sbin/lilo -v" and see if that works. Sometimes this will happen if you don't do a complete format before installing linux.

 

[ifincham]

Hi,

Normally when LILO stops with a 'L' there would also be a two-digit error code (e.g. 01) that explains the reason. However, assuming no hardware problems, frequently this will be due to a 'geometry mismatch'. This is where the disk geometry reported by the BIOS does not match what LILO thinks it is .

You may need to put 'linear' or 'lba32' in your /etc/lilo.conf file so that lilo uses LBA instead of CHS addressing. See -->

http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Large-Disk-HOWTO-5.html

Is this a large ide drive ? Is it connected direct to the motherboard or via a promise card or suchlike ?

Hope this helps

 

[axman505]

well, i think i know what the majority of the problem is. Do you think it is bad that the lilo.conf file was blank?? I will try to put all the good stuff in there later. Is there an easy way to figure out was hda linux is on for the lilo.conf file?? THanks again!

 

[RhythmAce]

Yes indeed a blank lilo.conf could be a bit of a problem. The only reason I can think of for not having a lilo.conf is if you are using grub instead. In that case, you should find a file called /etc/grub.conf and the file will look very much like lilo.conf. You may be able to edit lilo.conf once you log on but the file system may still be set to read-only. I can't figure out what you are asking in the second question but hda is your first physical hard drive. Hda1, hda2, hda3 etc. are partitions. If the suggestions in the above replies don't work, you might try "lilo fix-table". However, that is an option and I don't know if it works on the command line- I never tried it. Have you ever tried just reinstalling lilo?

 

[axman505]

this is where i am at. I got everything in the lilo.conf file. I trying both lba32 and linear, both of which did not work. It still just hangs on L. Mind puxzzling. No error codes or anything. I am stumped on this one

 

[ifincham]

Hi,





Just to emphasise... Make sure that you re-run the command '/sbin/lilo' as root every time you change the config file. /etc/lilo.conf is not read at boot time - only the boot sector image created by /sbin/lilo. (It actually wouldn't matter if the lilo.conf was blank as long as the boot sector was correct).





This behaviour is different from grub which actually reads /boot/grub.conf directly so, with grub, you don't need to change the boot sector itself.





Regards

 

[RhythmAce]

By this time ya coulda reinstalled the whole kit 'n kaboodle. ) Just a question, where did you have the boot loader installed? MBR or the first sector of your root partition?

 

[axman505]

Get this .. this is really weird. I go into the BIOS aNd auto detect the harddrive and save the configuration. But when i reboot, the cylnders and sectors change to smaller numbers, thus messin gup the drive. i think this is why Lilo is messing up. Any suggestions how to fix this?