Re: lilo hangs - 486 packard bell

[jeff covey pobox com (jeff covey)]

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>>>>> "Stephen" == Stephen Smoogen <smooge redhat com> writes:

    Stephen> Hi so I can better document this in our faq site could
    Stephen> you let me know what the fix was. Thansk

sure; i found this part of the readme in /usr/doc/lilo-0.19-1/:

LILO start message
- - - - - - - - - -

When LILO loads itself, it displays the word "LILO". Each letter is printed 
before or after performing some specific action. If LILO fails at some 
point, the letters printed so far can be used to identify the problem. This 
is described in more detail in the technical overview.

Note that some hex digits may be inserted after the first "L" if a 
transient disk problem occurs. Unless LILO stops at that point, generating 
an endless stream of error codes, such hex digits do not indicate a severe 
problem.

  (<nothing>)  No part of LILO has been loaded. LILO either isn't installed 
    or the partition on which its boot sector is located isn't active. 
   L <error> ...   The first stage boot loader has been loaded and started, 
    but it can't load the second stage boot loader. The two-digit error 
    codes indicate the type of problem. (See also section "Disk error 
    codes".) This condition usually indicates a media failure or a geometry 
    mismatch (e.g. bad disk parameters, see section "Disk geometry"). 
   LI   The first stage boot loader was able to load the second stage boot 
    loader, but has failed to execute it. This can either be caused by a 
    geometry mismatch or by moving /boot/boot.b without running the map 
    installer. 
   LIL   The second stage boot loader has been started, but it can't load 
    the descriptor table from the map file. This is typically caused by a 
    media failure or by a geometry mismatch. 
   LIL?   The second stage boot loader has been loaded at an incorrect 
    address. This is typically caused by a subtle geometry mismatch or by 
    moving /boot/boot.b without running the map installer. 
   LIL-   The descriptor table is corrupt. This can either be caused by a 
    geometry mismatch or by moving /boot/map without running the map 
    installer. 
   LILO   All parts of LILO have been successfully loaded. 


so i went to the section marked "disk geometry", and following its
advice and using the geometry info from the bios, added lines to my
/etc/lilo.conf specifying the geometry.  after that, all was well.

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