[GLLUG] Debian Install woes

[Dpk]

On Wed, Apr 17, 2002 at 10:45:45PM -0400, 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.

        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". I
   also tried to create a boot disk, which also failed. (I tried a few
   disks, that were not write protected..etc.)  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. Any ideas as to what is the culprit, and
   how to fix this?
   
I have seen this problem as well.  My solution is to use the boot
floopy.  At the prompt type:

rescue root=/dev/hd...

Specify your / partition for root.  This will allow your system to
boot and finish the base installation, which should include upgrading
lilo.  My problems arose because I was using reiserfs, and upgrading
to testing/woody version of lilo was the only way to fix it.

Hope this helps.
Dennis