PC freezes after install redhat 6.1

[kasaert]

Hello everybody,

I've already reinstalled several times my linux 6.1. The only thing that changed is that I've put in a HD of 2 GB in a 486. It worked fine before.... with my old HD.

Would it be possible that my MBR of my HD is bad???? Because the PC boots and then you see LI.... Which should be LINUX so because he blocks there I suspect it's my HD's MBR....

Can I change the bootorder from MBR to the other possibilitie or is the only possibility reinstalling and choosing the other option where you can put your LILO???

Or can I try to put the system file back from the boot diskette that I've made during the installation, like you can do with (should I say it in this forum???) windows???

Thx for answering ;-)

[fancypiper]

Somehow you misconfigured lilo.

Perhaps these google hits (http://www.google.com/search?q=lilo+gives+li&x=30&y=4) will help.

[mdwatts]

If you have a known working bootdisk, first try booting using a Win9X bootdisk that contains fdisk and run

fdisk /mbr

Next boot with the Linux bootdisk and as root, run /sbin/lilo to rewrite Lilo to the boot record.

It may be best if you first post the contents of /etc/lilo.conf and your partition setup before attempting any of the above.

[kasaert]

lilo.conf :

boot=/deva/hb
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout=50
default=Linux

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.2.12-20
label=linux
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.2.12-20.img
read-only
root=/dev/hda1

My primary HD is one of 2 GB that exists of one partition
Then I have my secondary that is 512 Mb that also exists of one partition.....

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by kasaert
lilo.conf :

boot=/deva/hb


Is that a typo as it should be

boot=/dev/hda

if Lilo is installed in the mbr.

You added another HD to the existing pc? Is the original HD with Linux still the primary/master drive?

[kasaert]

Ok,

it was a typo my mistake :-/

Yes I added a new HD but the original HD with the linux is still the primary HD.

[mdwatts]

So the additional HD was added as primary/slave and jumpered as such?

Primary/master jumpered as Master (not cable select)

Primary/master (new drive) jumpered as Slave and not as cable select

Have you removed the new HD to see if your system boots ok?

[kasaert]

I think we're not exactly on the same wavelength anymore :-/

My first configuration was a primary HD of 512 Mb and a secondary of 408 Mb. This worked fine....

Then from a friend I've got a 2Gb HD. Then I changed the configuration to a primary of 2Gb and a secondary of 512 Mb. And I reinstalled linux on the primary of 2 Gb.

But that doesn't work he always hangs on the LI

Now if I start with a bootdisk he continues and there is no problem...

Is it a difficult manipulation what you explained in your first reply????

[mdwatts]

Sorry about that.

So the only difference is you now have Linux installed on the 2gb drive, the 408 has been removed and the original 512 that was the primary/master (with RH installed) has been moved to primary/slave? Did I get it now?

The version of Lilo included with RH 6.1 does have the 1024 cylinder limitation problem, BUT since you installed Lilo in the mbr and the very first partition (hda1) is the actual Redhat root partition, I really don't see how that could cause a problem.

Does the bios in the 486 detect the full capacity of the 2gb drive?

You could try adding

lba32

to /etc/lilo.conf (run /sbin/lilo as root after)

or if that doesn't help, try

linear

instead.

Now if that still doesn't help, see if removing the 512 entirely will allow Linux to boot from the 2gb.