[GLLUG] Debian Install woes

[Matt Graham]

On Wednesday 17 April 2002 21:45, Don Chorman wrote:
> I tried to install debian last night, and I could not install LILO.
> During the install, everything appeared to go O.K., until I made it
> to the point of installing a boot loader. I installed on hd9 /swap,
> and hd8 /ext2, of a 40GB drive. According to the documentation, the
> boot loader has to be installed in the first 512mb (not sure on exact
> size), of the drive.

That documentation is exceedingly out of date--like 1997 out of date.  
What it should say is, "Modern versions of LILO can boot any kernel 
image that the BIOS can see.  Modern BIOSes can see at least the first 
32G of a disk.  The parts that the BIOS needs to be able to read are 
the boot sector, the loading map (typically /boot/map), and the kernel 
image (often /boot/vmlinuz).  Generally, you make a small /boot 
partition somewhere on the first 32G of the disk."

>      Since I have Win98 installed on the first 20 GB,  I can kind of
> comprehend that this would limit me as to where I can install LILO.
> However, I tried to install to the MBR, and this "failed". 

How did you do this?  What version of LILO are you trying to use?  Old 
versions of LILO get all squirrely on IDE disks larger than 32G.  

> If I could, I would prefer to
> boot Debian from a floppy, unless of course I can choose which OS to
> load, from within LILO. I am not sure if LILO can choose what OS to
> boot. 

Well, it wouldn't be a very good boot loader if it couldn't choose from 
a variety of OSes to boot, now would it?  LILO can boot almost any x86 
OS, including Lose9x.  There's a HOWTO on this specific topic, check
  http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/mini/Multiboot-with-LILO.html
Another place to look is http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search 
, use keywords "lilo install" and groups comp.os.linux.setup and 
comp.os.linux.misc , you'll find dozens of messages from people with 
similar problems.

-- 
   This life is a test. It is only a test. Had this been an actual life,
   you would have received further instructions as to what to do and
   where to go.
There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see