Installation errors Redhat 8.0 and 7.2

[freebsd]

I previously used Mandrake and wanted to give Redhat 8.0 a try... During the installation there was an error alerting some files being missing and the setup didn't continue.

I then decided to take out my old Redhat 7.2 cds and install it... It installed properly but when after the installation I rebooted my pc, Redhat didn't load. There was only a line which read 'L..' ... And that was it..

Can someone help me with both matters ??

[Mustafa]

freebsd;
did u installed a bootloader during installation if yes then did u created a boot disk when installing redhat?...if you installed a bootloader but u cannot get into your linux box then all you need to do is just put the bootdisk in your floppy drive and boot yur system...if you dont have created a boot disk then you boot ur system from a msdos (bootable)floppy or Cdrom and then type this command to format your current MBR...command is as follows.
fdisk /mbr
after this you need a third party bootloader...you can use Mrbooter(www.masterbooter.com) ..bcoz its easy to use and it will automatically detect your linux partiton and you can get into your linux box...after getting into linux if you have winnt(NT,2000,xp) ,,,you can use Windows Nt bootmenu for booting into linux ....(you will do this if you have have installed bootloader on first boot partiton) to do this you all need to know abt your linux boot partiton by typing
df -h
mine is hda10....now you are going to put linux boot record in a binary file ,,,,you will use this binary file in the next steps..to do this
type
dd if=/dev/hda10 of=/mnt/root/MBR.Lin bs=512 count=1
now put this binary file in your Ms dos drive (C drive)
now reboot your system into windows and open C:\boot.ini file into any editor ...mostly notepad and put the following line at the end
C:\MBR.Lin="Linux RedHat"
now you are ready to boot your linux box from NT boot menu...
*****if you choose to install your bootloader on MBR*****
as you already have formatted your current mbr so you have to reinstall grub or lilo ...you can get grub(package) from the installation cd...if yu have sucessfully installed the booloader on MBR .now you even can use nt bootmenu to boot into linux ..to this you just need a ms dos or linux based utility that can help you to dump your current mbr in a binary file and if you have done this ...then you repeat the step that we used above.(edit your boot.ini file)...
this will now the final step...
***boot into your linux box and type Vi grub.conf(infact we r going to edit grub.conf) ..here you edit the default boot menu time ...change its value to '0' this will not let your grub menu to stay any more and it will directly let you in the default selected OS..(note! you have choosed linux as default)
****if someone feels that there is something wrong(i m in hurry this time so i m not sure if there is any fault)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
regards
Mustafa

[freebsd]

Thanks..

I'll follow the steps you told me... But what abt the redhat 8.0 errors during installation which force the setup to end alarming some files missing??

Is there a remedy for it other than getting a new pack of redhat 8.0?

[Faraz.Fazil]

HI,

I think i missed this thread.

For the first query, i assume that no OS list is shown on your pc and only a "L" appears on startup.It seems as though your bootloader i.e lilo got corrupt.Did u install the bootloader during the install? If yes then lilo right?Did u install it to mbr or first sector of partition?Did u make a boot disk?
It maybe that you installed the bootloader to the wrong location on your system.Lilo is normally installed on the mbr or the first sector of the boot partition.

Anywayz, mustafa answered your first query very well.Keep it up mustafa!

To resolve the loader issue, follow mustafa's guide.In short , if you have a boot floppy, use it to start linux.If you dont have the boot floppy or if u want a permanent solution, then you have to install a bootloader, lilo, grub , or any third party bootloader.Lilo and grub are installed through linux, so you will need to boot in rescue mode from install cd and install lilo or grub.
Or you can install a third party bootloader like bootmagic or MRBOOT which can be installed after restoring the windows bootloader thru fdisk /mbr, booting to windows and installing the 3rd party loader from windows.

As for the redhat install issue, it seems that your installation media was not good.Did u run the media check that redhat setup asks for before install?

I recommend you to get the latest version, i.e redhat 9.It is available from pluc cd's and also available at all cd stores here in pakistan like rainbow centre in karachi.Then try installing redhat9.

[farhanksa]

aoa
its because that old lilo dont support loader beyond 8 GB.
u edit ur lilo.conf file
in there it must be written Linear or LBA32 try each of them .
write again ur loader after editing the conf file and write it by command
lilo /dev/hd? ? = a or b or c or d use either of them bcz u need to install loader on the mbr not on the pfirst sector of partiton.

best alternalive is to make a botable floopy 2 or 3 in quantity

[Faraz.Fazil]

Yes, another possiblity.
Thats why I always recommend installing the latest version of any distro.

For the 8 gb lilo constraint, there are two possibilities that may directly fix this problem.

1. Try Chaning the hdd access mode in the bios to NORMAL, LBA, LARGE,Linear and AUTO

or if changing the options in #1 doesnt work then:

2.Try changing the entry in lilo.conf to linear or lba32.

aoa
its because that old lilo dont support loader beyond 8 GB.
u edit ur lilo.conf file
in there it must be written Linear or LBA32 try each of them .
write again ur loader after editing the conf file and write it by command
lilo /dev/hd? ? = a or b or c or d use either of them bcz u need to install loader on the mbr not on the pfirst sector of partiton.

best alternalive is to make a botable floopy 2 or 3 in quantity