Help... I need lots of help (hardware (ish) related)

[Rizzo]

OK, here is my problem. Try and follow:

I 2 HDDs in my computer, my main 20Gb drive and a second 3Gb drive, each one is just a single partition (C:\ and D:\).

I was runnign Windows 2000 on the 20Gb with the 3Gb for downloads and stuff like that.

I decided I would expirmirent with Linux, so I copied what I needed off the 3Gb onto the 20Gb and formatted it (FAT32).

I then installed Red Hat Linux 7, during which I got it to convert the 3Gb FAT32 drive into EXT2.

The first installiation didn't work for some reason (don't ask me how or why), so I reinstalled (without formatting the drive).

The problem is, that during this installation I somehow managed to format the 20Gb drive (don't ask me how, I didn't ask it to).

I booted into Linux and it worked fine. I decieded I would return the next day to mess around some more. I decided I would come here and post my success of a first Linux install.

Problem:

This is when I find out the 20Gb was formatted. I think f**k, mainly because I have lost 2 years worth of downloaded stuff, and goodness knows how many mp3s.

After settling down from wanting to smash my computer into little bits and scatter them around the room I decided I might as well get on and reinstall Windows 2000.

Get out Windows 2000 CD, put it in the CD drive and get my computer to boot from CD.

The first stage of the install goes fine, and it asks me to restart my computer, which I do.

MAIN PROBLEM:

When it reboots it goes into the Linux LILO boot screen thing. There is no mention of Windows 2000, or DOS or anything in the boot options; the only option is Linux.

I have read my Linux book about getting Linux to give multipule boot options ny editing the LILO.something file but I can't get it to work. I tried using LinuxConfig as well, no luck.

Basically, my problem is this (if you can follow me still):

When I boot my computer it uses the Linux boot sector (mbr or whatever it is called) to boot from, and doesn't allow Windows to overwrite it with its own mbr to allow me to boot into Windows.

I have tried forcing it to boot to the 20Gb drive, but it still gives the LILO. I have tried removing the 3Gb, but then it just gives LI.

I have formatted the 20Gb using fdisk and partition magic, then trying to reinstall Windows 2000. But still I have no luck.

I have tried formatting the Linux drive, but can't figure out how, my copy of Parition Magic (v6) says the drive is 'BAD' and gives and 'Error 4' when I try and format it. It won't even let me delete the partition.

So, can you help me?

How do I clean format a Linux disk (so I can reinstall it when I get Windows 2000 working).

And,

How do I get my computer to boot into Windows 2000?

PS

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, it is a cross between Software, Hardware and Linux really.

[stall6g]

have you tried to delete the master boot record yet? if you haven't try to do so and then reinstall win2k

[stall6g]

Hey Rizzo don't worry where the other 2 threads are. I just deleted them since this is a software related issue and to clean up a little of the clutter. Again try to clear out the mbr and then reinstall. let us know if that worked and if not we'll find another way to get your comp up and running again.

[Rizzo]

How do you delete the mbr?

[Vermine]

Rizzo.. Wait few minutes, i'm writing a complete soluce for your problem ...

[Vermine]

Ok i'll do this in more than 1 post...

First, to get back you Win2k...
use a boot disk that have fdisk on it.. and do a "fdisk /mbr"
that will reset your mbr to it's factory settings.. :)

Then you can try to restart and see if it see the boot file of Win2k, you might have to reinstall Win2k so it set his mbr. (Not sure if Win2k modifie the mbr or not)

Now, you should have a working 20G with Win2k, my next post in few minutes, will be the Linux part...

[Vermine]

Got 2 questions for you to finish my Linux soluce...

1. Is you 20G, Win2K drive will be a FAT32 or NTFS !?

2. Is it RedHat 7.1 ? if not, what is it, so i write the proper the command line with the right kernel settings

[Rizzo]

The 20Gb will be FAT32 (don't try and persuade me to go to NTFS).

It is Red Hat 7.1.

[Vermine]

hehe... no i won't even think about it... It's not the good tread to debate FAT32 or NTFS... ;)

Just wanna know because of the command line needed to be add to the boot.ini file that Win2k will create to make a multiboot Win2K and Linux.

That's perfect that you are in FAT32, i would have got some problem to get it to work in NTFS without asking you to create a small partition on the 20Gig in FAT32 to put the Linux kernel with a dos apps that will load linux.. But now that you tell me your in FAT32, there is no problem at all, i'm just looking to be sure of the kernel name and i'm done with the linux part... :)

[Vermine]

Ok, after Win2k installation, your ready to start with the Linux installation...

Do it like you did before.. BUT.. Do not pick LILO as your Boot engine, leave it to dos or whatever it is.

After installation is done...
a. boot your Win2k. Copy from your RedHat CD the file loadlin.exe from \dosutils to your c:\ and the vmlinuz. that is in \dosutils\autoboot to your c:\
b. edit the file boot.ini on your c:\ and add this line:

C:\="Red Hat 7.1"

c. you create a autoexec.bat and put this in:

loadlin vmlinuz root=/dev/hd2 ro

*Note that i've put hd2, just check when you install linux, what is the hd number on what your linux is.

This done, it's time to go to the church, and hope i have a good memory from what i did at my last Linux install... :)

If it's not working, at least you will not have to reinstall Win2k because you mbr will not be changed by linux install.

By the way, i'm not sure if it will affect the power of your computer since you are running linux from dos. BUT by this time, you will have find documents on hos to config the lilo to get it boot your Win2k and then install lilo on your drive.

Now enought typing... Try that and come back to us with the results or failure to we can try to solve your prob. :D

[Rizzo]

Thank you very much for your help.

I can see how the changes to the boot.ini and the autoexec.bat will work (which is good). Lets just hope they do :)

I am currently installing Windows 2000 (the fdisk /mbr worked) but it is getting late and I will have to finish tomorrow.

I'll hopefully post my results from my machine then.

[wbierman]

If you want to Dual Boot RH 7.1 forget the single partition on Drive 0. Partition that baby into 3-4 partitions. fdsk the MBR and reinstall Win2K. Next install RH but don't touch the partition that Win2K is on...VERY important. RH will install LILO and then just use that as your boot manager.

If you want, I can give instructions on how to restore the Win2K boot manager so it shows RH as a start-up option.

[Vermine]

For sure you will be in Win2k.. We will only have to see if linux will boot with loadlin. :cool:

Good luck !...

PS: I did format my 20g drive too... by mistake for sure... And it's soooo frustrating :mad: I know how you are feeling about it.. Loosing all datas and important stuff... Now i put data on more than 1 drive before doing a format... :) I wont do the same mistake again!... Learned from it... :D

[Vermine]

Originally posted by wbierman
If you want, I can give instructions on how to restore the Win2K boot manager so it shows RH as a start-up option.

Well, i want to see how... :) I'm interested in it. I've made him go with loadlin way cause i've used it in the passed and worked, but your way would be more effective than mine for sure...

[wbierman]

because you mbr will not be changed by linux install.

I beg to differ there. Linux will always modify the MBR when it is installed on any system with Win2K or any other Win OS already installed. It places LILO firmly in charge....

[wbierman]

Here it is....

(Probably a good idea to print this out for future reference.)

Q. How do I dual boot Windows 2000 and Linux from NTLoader?

A. If you insist on using Linux, here is a procedure you can use to enable a boot to Linux with Win2K NTLoader:


1.) Install Win2K as usual onto NTFS (thats right sportfans...it has to be NTFS!), and ensure you have also created the four Win2K boot/recovery disks.

2.) Boot the system with the boot disk that comes with Red Hat Linux 6.2 or above, then install Linux from the Red Hat CD-ROM.

3.)Create your Linux "/" and swap partitions on a spare disk or partitions.

4.) When prompted, select "Yes, make a BOOT DISK." You use this disk in step 9 to get into Linux. If you choose "put LILO to LINUX partition boot record instead of MBR" you may skip the next 3 steps.

5.) Linux overwrites the Win2K Master Boot Record (MBR).

6.) Boot Win2K using the four recovery disks, go into Recover, then select Command mode.

7.) When prompted, log on as Administrator.

8.) Execute the fixboot and fixmbr commands. You can now boot Win2K again as usual.

9.) To boot Linux from NTLoader, insert the Linux boot disk and restart the system.

10.) Log on to Linux as root.

11.) Type cd /etc and examine the lilo.conf file. At the beginning of this file, you will find an entry that shows where the default boot partition is (e.g., /dev/had).

12.) Modify this entry (e.g., using EMACS) so that it points to the disk and partition you installed Linux to. For example, if you installed Linux to /dev/hdc1, alter the original entry to reflect the appropriate disk and partition. In this case, you would change /dev/hda to /dev/hdc1. (If you don't remember where you installed Linux to, the last entry in lilo.conf will have an "image" entry that specifies the root disk/partition.

13.) Now execute LILO to write out the boot entry to /dev/hdc1 (type the command LILO without arguments). You should see a warning about this disk/partition not being on the first disk. Ignore it; we're happy that it's not stomping on the Win2K MBR!

14.) You need to copy this boot sector to your Win2K partition so that boot.ini can reference it for your Linux entry.

15.) While you are still in Linux, use dd to raw copy the boot sector to an appropriate file.

# cd
# dd if=/dev/hdc1 bs=512 count=1 of=bootsect.lnx


16.) Now use mcopy to copy this file to a DOS disk.

# mcopy bootsect.lnx a:


17.) You can now shut down Linux.

# shutdown -h now


18.) Boot into Win2K.

19.) Copy bootsect.lnx onto C: (and make it read-only).

20.) Add to your boot.ini a Linux entry--for example

C:\bootsect.lnx="Linux"



When you reboot, if you select Linux, you will see a LILO: prompt for a few seconds, then the system will boot into Linux (press Enter if you don't want to wait, and the system will boot into Linux instantly).

Well there it is...if you follow the directions step by step...it works.

[Vermine]

Well...

Your da man! :D

It is printed... I hope never lose that sheet... ;)

[wbierman]

Please note error in step 4. Should be "step 9" instead of step 8.

[Jodie]

Good description!

Actually, though, in RedHat 7.1 you can choose "custom installation" and then tell it not to write the MBR and you won't be stuck in LILOLAND...

[phil]

Don't worry Rizzo, I did the exact same thing about 2 months ago....I also didn't think Linux would touch my Win2K drive. The last time I had used Linux was when I was running Win98 so I thought I would be fine :rolleyes:

[Rizzo]

OK. I have Windows 2000 installed and I am just downloading the best GF2 drivers (they were in my downloads section, but I formatted that remember :), so I am currently viewing this in 800x600x8 and it is very grainy and hard to read :(

OK, wbierman, I think your solution is very complicated for a simpleton like me, so I am going to use Vermine's solution, because I can see how it works.

Anyway, I will update later when I have decent resolution to look at stuff in.

[dnar]

Confused (but then again, I am the penguin, I am not the walrus).

Is the question: "How do I setup LILO to dual boot Linux - W2K). If so, I can help you. If not, I am the eggman.

[Rizzo]

Yes, the question is now 'How do I setup LILO to boot Linux and Windows 2000?' because I have Windwos 2000 working fine.

Vermine, your solution didn't work. I think the reason is because when you load the autoexec.bat you are in a DOS/Windows 'Loading' enviroment, and thus it can't read the EXT2 partition. When I did try it I get some error saying that it couldn't read the drive.

[dnar]

Much easier if I just show you my dual-boot configuration. I have several kernel compiles & [shudder mode on] Windows 95 [shudder mode off]......

/etc/lilo.conf

boot=/dev/hda
append="hdc=ide-scsi"
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout=50
message=/boot/message
linear
default=Win4Lin-686

# RedHat 7.0 Install Kernel - i386
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.2.16-22
label=Linux-386
read-only
root=/dev/hda10

# TreLOS for Win4Lin kernel - i386
image = /boot/win4lin
label = Win4Lin-386
read-only
root = /dev/hda10

# Compiled Win4Lin kernel - i686
image = /boot/bzImage-2.2.16-22-Win4Lin-686
label = Win4Lin-686
read-only
root = /dev/hda10

# That other crappy operating system
other=/dev/hda1
label=Win95


Ok, its the "other" bit your after, just whack in the partition that W2K is located on and away you go. Set the default boot system by setting Default =

[siggy]

Shouldn't this dribble be in the Linux forum?:D

[dnar]

Originally posted by siggy
Shouldn't this dribble be in the Linux forum?:D
As this current conversation involves M$ products, it is best kept out of the Linux forum. But then again, what is doing in the "Software" forum....

[siggy]

I would think, because Windows and Linux are SOFTWARE. Just a guess though.:D

[Rizzo]

How do I get LILO to be my default boot manager, at the moment I have the Windows 2000 one (whatever you call it).

[dnar]

Originally posted by Rizzo
How do I get LILO to be my default boot manager, at the moment I have the Windows 2000 one (whatever you call it).
/sbin/lilo

[dnar]

Originally posted by siggy


I would think, because Windows and Linux are SOFTWARE. Just a guess though.:D


I could think of other terms to use.....:D :D

[phil]

Originally posted by Rizzo
How do I get LILO to be my default boot manager, at the moment I have the Windows 2000 one (whatever you call it).


Have a read of this (http://www.littlewhitedog.com/reviews_other_00011.asp) Rizzo...it may explain things a little more clearly.

[dnar]

Originally posted by phil






Have a read of this (http://www.littlewhitedog.com/reviews_other_00011.asp) Rizzo...it may explain things a little more clearly.
Thats a great reference phil, how did you find it? It's a shame RedHat dont spell it out as clearly!

[phil]

Originally posted by dnar

Thats a great reference phil, how did you find it? It's a shame RedHat dont spell it out as clearly!


I found this a while back dnar...I have been searching for it again for ages as I lost the link. There is some nice articles at LWD.

[siggy]

Phil you are da Bomb. :D

[Rizzo]

OK. I have just got round to trying the link that Phil posted and have just tried it. But I get this error when I select 'Linux' from the WIndows 2000 boot manager.

Windows 2000 could not locate 'ntoskrnl.exe' in the <Windows 2000 root>/system32 directory.

The file name breaks down into this:

NT-OS-Krnl, or NT Operating System Kernel (I presueme).

This, to me, means that when you select anything from the boot menu it still thinks it is trying to boot a Windows 2000 installation and looks for the appropiate files.

Anyone got a solution. As far as I can tell I followed the instruction to the letter.

[wbierman]

Please post the contents of your "boot.ini" located in your root Windows install.

[Rizzo]

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
C:\Bootdevices\LinuxBoot\linux.bin="Red Hat Linux 7"

[Rizzo]

Anyone got any ideas?

I really could do with the help, because then I can start thinking about getting to know Linux better (although my crappy WinModem won't work so I might have to steal a better one from somewhere).

[wbierman]

Did you follow these last steps?

14.) You need to copy this boot sector to your Win2K partition so that boot.ini can reference it for your Linux entry.

15.) While you are still in Linux, use dd to raw copy the boot sector to an appropriate file.

# cd
# dd if=/dev/hdc1 bs=512 count=1 of=bootsect.lnx


16.) Now use mcopy to copy this file to a DOS disk.

# mcopy bootsect.lnx a:


17.) You can now shut down Linux.

# shutdown -h now


18.) Boot into Win2K.

19.) Copy bootsect.lnx onto C: (and make it read-only).

20.) Add to your boot.ini a Linux entry--for example

C:\bootsect.lnx="Linux"

[Rizzo]

OK. Thankyou very much, I will try it later (don't have the chance at the moment.

[Vermine]

Ok, i've decided to install linux on my main computer, which had only Win2k before. So i've formated the whole thing and started over, here is what i did and it's working cause i've did it my self.

Installed Win2k
Installed Red Hat 7.1 with LILO on the MBR
logged in Red Hat
edited /etc/lilo.conf
added as dnar sayd a section for win2k like this:

other=/dev/hda4
label=win2k

You just have to change my hda4 to your win2k partition wich is probably hda1 like the one of dnar
and finally update the mbr with the new lilo params by executing the command: lilo
And reboot and realised that it's working very nice... ALOT easier than any way that i told you and other have submited... dnar is tha boy! :D

[Jodie]

Probably not the best place to say this, but grats on rockin' your way up the stats ladder, too, Vermine! Good going!:cool:

[Vermine]

Originally posted by Jodie
Probably not the best place to say this, but grats on rockin' your way up the stats ladder, too, Vermine! Good going!:cool:

Well in 1 week now, since i started genoming...
I now have at home:
- P3 500 (win2k, linux)
- P1 200 (win98)
- K6 360 (win98, laptop)
- 486 DX2 66 (linux)
at work:
- P3 930 (win2k *web server*)
- P3 800 (win2k *backup server*)
- P3 800 (win2k *workstation*
- P3 800 (winme *workstation*)
for a total of: 4456 Mhz (1600 are part time since they are workstation and owners don't know about genome on their computer)

I wich they made the Mac version of genome, i could add like 10-15 GHz...