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herbman
03-16-2001, 03:08 PM
hi all, well here's my problem:

for the last couple of years I've been dreaming about owning Linux. A few weeks ago, i pucked up the courage to go and buy myself a copy of Redhat (as everyone says its one of the best to start out on). Instead of getting the boxed set, I bought a SAMS book/guide which came with a couple of Redhat 7.0. Wicked I thought...so i got it. I got home read a few lines of the intro then skipped to the installation part. Now, i've never had problems installing Windows, so i didn't think i'd have any problems with Linux (now i realise just how juvenile i really am).

This is my setup: HP OMNIBOOK 2100 Laptop, 3.2GB HardDrive Reformatted + Clean, 90MB RAM, ATAPI CD Drive and floppy drive. Unfortunately, there is only one drive bay :mad:. That means i can either have the CD Drive in OR the floppy drive in..but not at the same time..and if I want to change from one to the other I have to reboot my laptop.

The problem is thus: I boot the computer using the CD that came with the book and it takes me to the installation process of Redhat Linux 7. I flew through the installation (even got past the partitioning stage alive :D ) but the most unexpected thing happened (its always what u least expect). It was when i reached the last stage of installation...'Would you like to create a startup disk?', well now i'd love to but because your running from the CD (i said) i am not able to insert a floppy disk for you to create one. The thing is (i don't know if this is a bug in this copy of Redhat) but it wouldn't let me uncheck/deselect the option. The check box was 'checked' and faded so i could uncheck it. The only thing io could do is click next. So thats exactly what I done but the installation just froze, the mouse was working OK but there wasn't anything i could click. So i waited and i waited....and i waited some more but nothing happened so instead I shut down inserted the floppy drive and booted up. My whole installation was lost and now so am I.

Since this happened i have reinstalled Windows 95 onto my laptop but would dearly love to have linux. I have thought about a harddisk installation but i fear i won't have enough room.

Please help, any suggesstions

mychl
03-16-2001, 03:14 PM
maybe if you install the boot loader to the master boot record, you will be able to uncheck the startup disk option?????

Just a stab in the dark though, good luck.

bdg1983
03-16-2001, 05:11 PM
There may be a parameter you can pass to the kernel during the install that prevents the creation of the startup disk.

Have no idea if this is possible. I would suggest you search around Redhat's support site for any install options.

Linuxcool
03-16-2001, 08:13 PM
Maybe this link will help: http://www.redhat.com/support/manuals/RHL-7-Manual/install-guide/s1-upgrade-lilo.html

Note the Create boot disk at the top of box. Unchecking this might solve your problem.

If that doesn't work, you could try a text mode install to see if that will get you around the problem.

[ 16 March 2001: Message edited by: Linuxcool ]

herbman
03-17-2001, 08:52 AM
yeah, cheers for all your posts. I haven't tried a text based installation...it might just work though. Again, thankyou :D