Redhat 8 won't boot

[aeolus]

Ok, I'm pretty new here, and fairly new to linux in general, and I'm having problems getting Redhat 8 to run.

After installing Redhat, the system rebooted, and GRUB came up fine. Immidiately after choosing Redhat, though, I get the following error:

--
File system type is -ext2fs, partition type 0x83
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro root = LABEL =/ hdc=ide-scsi
[Linux-bzImage, setup=0x1400 size=0x10ea0d]

Error 28: Selected item cannot fit into memory
--

I know some general basics about linux, but have absolutely no clue what would be causing that error. Has anyone seen this or have any suggestions? I've already reinstalled once, and got this error both times. I've posted my system specs below in case that's relevant. Thanks!

-aeolus

-----
Athlon XP
Asus nForce 415
1GB DDR RAM
Leadtek Geforce4 ti4400
SoundBlaster Audigy
USB mouse/USB keyboard

hard drive 1:
10GB FAT32 partition - WinXP
30GB ext3 - Redhat
256MB swap

hard drive 2:
100GB NTFS - not sure what I'm going to do with this one :)

[Spit]

I think your swap partition is too small - it should be at least the same as the size of your RAM. Did you do the partitions manually?

[CrashTestDummy9]

Originally posted by Spit
I think your swap partition is too small - it should be at least the same as the size of your RAM. Did you do the partitions manually? That could be , and it would suck if it was true .
I have a problem with the 2x your RAM rule of thumb and ive never tried a swap partition smaller than my physical ram .
Its worth a shot if you have the disk space .
I dont see any other reason , that would be hardware based , for it not booting .

[aeolus]

Originally posted by Spit
I think your swap partition is too small - it should be at least the same as the size of your RAM. Did you do the partitions manually?

Yes, I did do the partitions manually, as I was afraid it would wipe out my FAT partition if I let the installer do it automatically. I will try making the swap partition 1.5GB and see if that fixes the problem. Thanks!

-aeolus

[aeolus]

No luck. I reinstalled Redhat, and created a 1.5GB swap partition, but I still get the same error... Any other suggestions? I would really like to give Linux a try, but I can't get Mandrake to install and run with my Geforce4, and Redhat's not getting much farther... :(

-aeolus

[Spit]

Ah, I've just noticed something else - no /boot partition?

The minimum partitions you'll need are :


/boot 100Mb is all thats required, but should really be at the start of a disk, due to some bioses not being able to see further than the first 1024 cylinders

swap Keep that at 1.5Gb

/ the root can take up the rest.


I would suggest using your second disk, if there is not much on it.

[CrashTestDummy9]

Originally posted by Spit
Ah, I've just noticed something else - no /boot partition?

The minimum partitions you'll need are :


/boot 100Mb is all thats required, but should really be at the start of a disk, due to some bioses not being able to see further than the first 1024 cylinders

swap Keep that at 1.5Gb

/ the root can take up the rest.


I would suggest using your second disk, if there is not much on it. You dont "need" a boot partition . A seperate boot partition is desirable according to some people but if you dont create one then the install will make a /boot directory in / .


Wish I could offer some help .


Did you try searching on Google or Redhats site for info concerning "Error:28" ?

[aeolus]

Originally posted by CrashTestDummy9
You dont "need" a boot partition . A seperate boot partition is desirable according to some people but if you dont create one then the install will make a /boot directory in / .


Wish I could offer some help .


Did you try searching on Google or Redhats site for info concerning "Error:28" ?

Well, I reinstalled and let Redhat auto-partition for me, it created a /boot partition, and I still get the error. I tried searching a bit earlier on Error 28 on Google and didn't find anything. I will keep searching, though. If anyone has anymore suggestions, I'll happily entertain them. :) Thanks!

-aeolus

[aeolus]

I've tracked the problem to being GRUB. I reinstalled and switched to LILO, and it gets farther along in the boot proccess, but I'm still having problems. Now, it just hangs on "Finding module dependencies." Any suggestions? Thanks!

-aeolus

[emunoodle]

Try checking your CD's to make sure nothing got corrupted.

[mdwatts]

No No No... You certainly do not need a 1.5gb swap partition and it had nothing to do with the original error message.

/boot only needs to be around 20mb unless you are planning to have around 20 different kernels. Then 30mb would suffice.

As suggested, it could be due to a bad burn or download of the iso image. Verify both if you can.

Can you boot using the bootdisk or installation cd in rescue mode?

If you can, please post the contents of your Grub config.

My distro uses /boot/grub/menu.lst.

[aeolus]

I let the installer check the CDs, and it says they are fine. I get the same error with the bootdisk, but I am able to use the CD's rescue mode. I'm using lilo, cause I couldn't get grub to work (see above postings), but I'll go ahead and post my lilo.conf and grub.conf files blow.

By the way, I've been doing all my testing with minimal install and letting Redhat auto-partition for me. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

-aeolus

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

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-14
label=linux
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.18-14.img
read-only
append="hdc=ide-scsi root =LABEL=/"

other=/dev/hda1
optional
label=DOS

-----
/boot/grub/grub.conf (same as menu.lst)
-----
# ... long header at top ...
default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-14)
root (hd0/1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi
initrd=initrd-2.4.18-14.img
title DOS
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
-----

[mdwatts]

Which bootloader are you actually using, Grub or Lilo?

And is root (hd0/1) a typo as it should be

root (hd0,1)

Since you have 1gb of memory, perhaps the Redhat kernel is having a hard time with it.

Add mem=1024M to the kernel line of your Grub config.

kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro mem=1024M root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi

If that doesn't work, try a little less (1000M).

[aeolus]

Originally posted by mdwatts
Which bootloader are you actually using, Grub or Lilo?

And is root (hd0/1) a typo as it should be

root (hd0,1)

Since you have 1gb of memory, perhaps the Redhat kernel is having a hard time with it.

Add mem=1024M to the kernel line of your Grub config.

kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro mem=1024M root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi

If that doesn't work, try a little less (1000M).

I'm using lilo, and yes, hd0/1 was a typo. Grub won't even start linux booting, though that might have to do with my memory as you mentioned...

I'm thinking it's not the boot loader that's causing my problem, though. I'm having the problem whether or not I boot of the boot disk, and it seems like it's starting up linux just fine... until it gets to "Finding module dependencies," where it just hangs indefinitely. I pressed I to do an interactive startup when it prompted me, but it didn't do anything, it just keep on booting like I didn't press anything.

I will try reinstalling and modifying the grub config file to specify my memory size and see if that helps... Thanks,

-aeolus

[Spit]

Hve you got anywhere with this, aeolus?

[aeolus]

Originally posted by Spit
Hve you got anywhere with this, aeolus?

No, unfortunately. I've tried the previous suggestion of putting mem=1024 and that didn't work. I've also tried doing an install of Mandrake 9, and it hangs at the same spot, finding module dependencies... I even downloaded the Eval iso of Suse, and it just plain doesn't work (I get a garbled display). I don't think linux was meant to work on this computer... :)

-aeolus

[mdwatts]

All I could find with a G4L is

http://www.conectiva.com.br/cpub/pt/incConectiva/suporte/pr/instalacao.placa.asus.8.html

which seems to indicate it is a problem with some of the Asus boards.

Perhaps try removing some of the memory or update your bios to the latest or try some of the bios settings.

[CrashTestDummy9]

This may be totally ignorant and irrelevant but if I read your specs right , the mobo has onboard graphics and you also put a video card in there . Did you disable the oboard graphics in the BIOS?

Other than that , I think your installs are freaking out on the nvidia chipset(north and south bridge?)

Like I said , its just a shot in the dark .

[aeolus]

Originally posted by CrashTestDummy9
This may be totally ignorant and irrelevant but if I read your specs right , the mobo has onboard graphics and you also put a video card in there . Did you disable the oboard graphics in the BIOS?

Other than that , I think your installs are freaking out on the nvidia chipset(north and south bridge?)

Like I said , its just a shot in the dark .
I have the version of the board without video or lan (has sound, but I disabled that). I'm thinking it's probably a board problem. I have the latest bios, and I've tried different bios settings, but none of that worked. I noticed my bios doesn't have a setting for plug and play, so I wonder if it's on and I can't change it or something. Very frustating...

-aeolus

[CrashTestDummy9]

Usually a PnP problem shows up after install though , not during . I could be wrong there .

That board has an NVidia N Bridge and S Bridge chipset doesnt it ?

I dont know for sure but my guess would be that , that is the culprit .

[aeolus]

Originally posted by CrashTestDummy9
Usually a PnP problem shows up after install though , not during . I could be wrong there .

That board has an NVidia N Bridge and S Bridge chipset doesnt it ?

I dont know for sure but my guess would be that , that is the culprit .

I suspect that's the problem too. It might be a PnP problem, cause the install finishes fine, it's on the first boot that it hangs. (maybe this post is in the wrong forum :))

-aeolus

[LoKe137]

I read on another post about adding "mem=nopentium" to your lilo config...You could try it :) wouldnt hurt, ehehe

[Out50Stang]

Originally posted by LoKe137
I read on another post about adding "mem=nopentium" to your lilo config...You could try it :) wouldnt hurt, ehehe

that is only if you have a NON-pentium chip......

i am having the same problem, only with RH 9

how are you getting into RH to get you .conf files?

i try to boot from a floppy and it hangs, like you said i guess, but from my understanding you are getting into RH somehow, i just want to know how..... :confused:

here is my post, maybe you can follow it too...
Can't Start with Grub (http://linuxnewbie.org/forum/showthread.php?threadid=79400&highlight=Cannot+fit+into+memory)

i was told that something is using too much of the lower memory, and when GRUB tries to get in, it can't cause theres no room..... read my post....

also upgradeing to GRUB 0.93 supposedly works, but i can't upgrade it since i can't get into RH, thats where i thought you could explain to me how you get in