Quote:>I am trying to install red-hat linux in a dual boot setup on a
>486-DX2/66 with a 3.2gig HDD. 1.2gig of this is as=yet unpartitioned,
>and so would be suitable for linux. Being an older computer, it requires
>the Quantum Dynamic Boot Loader to run before the OS, as the BIOS does
>not
>support LBA. How can I do this? I need to be able to choose between
>linux and windows at startup, however I have heard that you can install
>lilo onto a floppy, but this is not my preferred option.
DON'T! Don't use any clever booting software. Just be aware that if you
use DOS/Win3.x then you are restricted to the first 500Mb. But seeing as
you've already got stuff installed, then this might not be feasible :-(
Quote:>Just to clarify a few things:
>- I cannot get a bios update, as the bios has been totally de-branded,
>and the company it was purchased from does not supply upgrades.
>- Replacing the motherboard is not a possibility, as it has the FDD,IDE,
>Graphics, and Ports controllers as part of the board, and the case only
>supports this board anyway.
>- Replacing the whole PC is not a possibility for now, anyway.
Put linux in the mbr. Create a 1Mb or so partition for all your linux
boot files (basically the /boot directory most installs create). Create
a partition within the first 1024 cylinders for Windows (I'd be inclined
to give it everything left up to cylinder 1023).
Linux is not affected by the 1024 cylinder problem, it's just that if
you ignore it you may suddenly find that the BIOS can't find your linux
start-up code. The same is true for Windows 95.
So, your linux and Win95 startup partition must be below the 1024 limit.
As must any partitions that will be accessed from DOS/Win3.xx. That's
all you need to worry about. But as somebody who has tried to fix the
mess left by special boot software (which was installed with an LBA
capable motherboard :-( it can be an ABSOLUTE B****Y NIGHTMARE if
anything (like a virus) goes wrong.
Incidentally, it might be an idea to have hda1 for dos, and then make
your linux boot partition an extended fat, eg hda5. That way you can put
loadlin and everything there, so it's accessible for a normal linux
boot, and also for a loadlin linux boot from dos.
But if you can't completely revamp your drive, you may well find that
the linux install recognises your extended disk manager. Just MAKE SURE
you take a backup of the boot sector - if you ever get a bootsector
virus you will probably have a nightmare recovering :-(
--
Anthony W. Youngman - wol at thewolery dot demon dot co dot uk
Trousers with a single hole in their waistband are topologically equivalent
to a doughnut. These sugarcoated trousers have yet to catch on at fast-food
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