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Linux Problem

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2003 1:49 pm
by Albinoni
I partitioned my Maxtor 30GB HDD into three partitions using PM 7.0, installed 98SE, 2000 Pro and then Linux. All partitions and installations of software went well accordingly, also 98 and 2000 boot up well, no problems there what so ever. Also the installation of Linux went well and I installed it on a 4GB partition, which is more than ample for my usage. After doing so I installed Boot Magic 7.0 on the Win 98SE partition, went to Configs. then added the Linux partition to it. Also since 2000 Pro supports dual boot with other MS OS, it I did not have a problem with it. Finally I save then exit and rebooted the machine. After the POST screen, Boot Magic did come on or boot up and it showed me the options, they were Windows 2000/XP, if I clicked on that than the screen would change to the default dual boot 98/2000 screen and from here I make the selection to what I need to use, fine all worked well. If I choose the Linux option I get a message that says the following:

Preparing computer to load Linux

....

-

I wait and wait and wait and nothing happens, also I noticed that the HDD light stays on continuously.

If I choose to load 98 or 2000 it does it straight away no problems what soe ever.

Please help me someone.

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2003 2:30 pm
by dodecahedron
what Linux distribution did you use?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2003 5:44 pm
by CignaXI
I had the same problem with boot-magic. I think it is having problems with the boot image of linux. I opted to make a linux boot disc and when I need to use linux I use the boot disc; else the system boots WinXP and XP gives me the OS menu.

PS: You should go to Partition Magic's Tech-Support they have a good one.

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2003 9:14 pm
by socheat
It may be that when you installed Linux you told LILO to write the boot block in the MBR, and when you installed Boot Magic, it overwrote what LILO wrote. So, try this (make sure you have a Windows boot disk or the BootMagic bootdisk too):

- Boot up linux using your bootdisk you made when you installed Linux. If you didn't make one, most distro's install CD's double as a rescue disk. With Debian, you put the install CD in, and type rescue root=<root partition>, where <root partition> is the partition you installed Linux to.

- Once in, edit your /etc/lilo.conf file, and check the line that reads:
boot=/dev/hd<some partition>

- If it looks something like "boot=/dev/hda" or "boot=/dev/hdb" (with no numbers after the last letter) then that's definately your problem. That tells LILO to write it's boot block in the MBR. You'll need to change it to "boot=<boot partition>", Rerun lilo and reboot. This'll tell LILO to write the boot block to the start of that partition, which is where BootMagic is looking. I'm assuming /boot (boot partition) and / (root partition) are the same partition.

Hope that helps,
Socheat