Problem starting up Linux9 (multiboot with WinXP using PartitionMagic8)

[Rick Stevens]

sleepless1104 wrote:
> Hi!  I'm trying to multiboot WinXP and Redhat Linux9 into my Toshiba 
> laptop that has 40GB of HDD.  I only have a single HDD so I partitioned 
> it using PartitionMagic8 (PM) and using BootMagic (BM) included in PM as 
> my bootloader.
>  
> My WinXP installion/recovery CDs are a ghost copy and it is NTFS by 
> default.  I have WinXP installed first and then PM.  To install BM, I 
> created 100MB FAT on my existing C: drive and called this drive E: (D: 
> is my DVD/CD-ROM).  I was able to successfully install BM and run it 
> upon starting my machine (makes me select between WinXP and MS-DOS 
> before booting).  I further partitioned my C: drive to have a data drive 
> F: which has 32 GB of HD space.
>  
> The next thing that I did is to create 3 partitions on F: (for 
> "/boot","/", and swap).  I had to to this first otherwise Disk Druid 
> will use up all my remaining space.  I used PM for this (normal 
> partitioning and not through "install a new OS") and they are all FAT32 
> (will just format it through Linux installation). 
>  
> When creating "/boot" partition, I receive a message that it will be not 
> bootable by DOS or
> WinNT but I created it within the 1024 cylinder.  My "/" and swap spaces 
> are and the end part of my disk -- F: drive between them and "/boot."  
> My "/boot" partition is about 200MB, root is 8GB, and swap space 1024MB.
>  
> Upon installation of Linux, I made a mistake of not creating a 
> BootLoader then afterwards not making a boot diskette (the later is 
> quite impossible as I have no disk drive).  Also before getting to the 
> Disk Druid Screen I received the message that goes something like  "It 
> cannot align the partition because another application make a 
> partitioning not recorded in the Partition Table, etc.."  However, it 
> says that it is fixable so I ignored this message continued the 
> installation process.  I have selected Manual Partitioning so that I can 
> select the partitions where to install which, formatted them all using 
> ext2.  And yes,
> unfortunately I did not install a boot loader.  Afterwards, I just 
> selected to install everything and accepted all the default values 
> (except for security -- selected medium but I allowed all incoming 
> messages -- anyway, I will not be connected to a network YET but will 
> be... I just wanted to try the installing and then customize it later).
>  
> Installation went successful.  It completed and asked me to reboot. I 
> did reboot but using WinXP.  I needed to add Linux in BootMagic.  I 
> added it and booted my system using Linux.  Unfortunately, it just 
> displays "Preparing to Load Linux..." but it does not boot at all.
>  
> I thought it was because of the bootloader so I placed my Linux CD again 
> and tried to "upgrade".  I now selected the "Intall BootLoader"  and 
> selected LILO.  Afterwards, I chose it to be installed in the Linux 
> Partition (in "\boot") and not in the MBR (according to BM Manual).  I 
> did not select any packages to be updated though.  It did installed the 
> bootloader (I think... because I saw status messages that it is loading, 
> etc) but I got an error message regarding the kernel (can't remember 
> exactly).  I tried to reboot using Linux but it still won't work (not 
> booting).
>  
> If anyone could help me, please advice on me what to do.

You didn't install a boot loader at all for Linux.  You need to use the
CD and boot in "rescue" mode.  Let the system mount your Linux stuff
under "/mnt/sysimage".

Determine which boot loader you want to use.  I recommend grub, but you
can use lilo if you want.  You'll need to create the appropriate config
file and make sure you specify that the loader is to go into the "/boot"
partition--NOT the MBR of the hard disk.

> I am planning to doing a fresh install of Linux (just override the new 
> one but now with the BootLoader) but using the same procedure:  
> partition my HDD through PM and not add a new OS option, install Linux, 
> add Linux in BM.

That's fine, but you MUST install the boot loader.  If you want BM
(bloody AWFUL acronym, that) to be the boot loader, you MUST make sure
you install either lilo or grub in the /boot partition.  Do NOT install
it into the MBR of the drive or you'll clobber BM.

In your scenario, BM will pass control to lilo or grub, which will then
boot Linux.  BM can't boot Linux by itself.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-         If this is the first day of the rest of my life...         -
-                        I'm in BIG trouble!                         -
----------------------------------------------------------------------