Boot problems

Lewis Barclay

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Jul 26, 2004, 3:19:44 AM7/26/04

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Hi,

I've been trying to setup an old PC I have as a router / firewall running
Mandrake Linux 9.0. The machine is an old Dell Optiple Gxa, with a 1.6Gb HDD
and 233Mhz Pentium2. THe hard disk came from another PC but was all working
when installed (running win98) I removed all partitions before running the
Mandrake setup ...

I ran the complete installation and re-booted and all that happens when the
machine restarts is immediately after BIOS the screen writes the following
to screen 'L 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09 09
09 09 09 ...' (except a few more 09's!).

After some investigation it appeared that the issue I had was with the LILO
boot loader so I replaced it using the repair disk and rescue mode but I get
exactly the same results.

Can anyone help please!

Im fairly new to linux so could do with some easy to follow advice!

Thanks

Lewis

Eric Moors

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Jul 26, 2004, 3:50:24 AM7/26/04

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Lewis Barclay wrote:

According to lilo's documentation:

0x09 "DMA attempt across 64k boundary". This shouldn't happen. Try
omitting the COMPACT option.

Eric

Thomas D. Shepard

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Aug 1, 2004, 12:15:26 PM8/1/04

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Try using Grub to boot. On a working machine, get and build (and maybe
install) grub if you don't already have it, and make a grub boot floppy.
The documentation will tell you how to boot from that grub boot floppy,
without in any way changing your installation. If you like the results,
considering installing grub on all your systems. If not, ask for more
help. This should be pretty easy, unless you gloss over the documentation
too hastily.

--
Thomas D. Shepard
Sorry, you can't email me.
(Email address is fake.)

Vik

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Aug 19, 2004, 3:31:03 AM8/19/04

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Eric Moors wrote:

I have the same problem. Can anyone help me what to do, or I'll have to
repartition my disk ?

john

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Aug 19, 2004, 10:32:05 AM8/19/04

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Vik wrote:

Try rejumpering the hard drive ie from slave setting to master or master to
slave. Look at BIOS and make sure it is right setting for correct drive.
Make sure LILO is looking for hda not hdb or visa versa.
I had this happen yesterday and I was able to resolve it, I am reasonably
certain that this is what I did to resolve it. I have been playing with
swapping drives and playing with lilo too.

john

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Aug 19, 2004, 3:40:27 PM8/19/04

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john wrote:

another thing to check would be your BIOS boot devices.

Peter D.

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Aug 25, 2004, 10:39:27 AM8/25/04

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Vik wrote in alt.os.linux.mandrake:

> Eric Moors wrote:
[snip]

>> Try
>> omitting the COMPACT option.
>>
>> Eric
>
> I have the same problem. Can anyone help me what to do, or I'll have
> to repartition my disk ?

Remove the "compact" line from /etc/lilo.conf then rerun lilo.

If you have a boot floppy, use it to get the system started. Otherwise
use the installation CD to get into rescue mode and repair your system.

You have a lot of reading to catch up on. ;-)

--
Peter D.
Sig goes here...