Very Computer

I recently recompiled a kernel and after running LILO my computer can
no longer find the hard disk. I am running Mandrake 7.2. When I do an
install/upgrade it can find my hard drive again. What do I need to do
to avoid problems like this in the future? I have a 20GB Western
Digital drive on an older Dell P90 with an updated BIOS that allow
the drive to be seen. It is set up as LBA I believe.

I was able to boot from the floppy bootdisk. I looked at my lilo.conf
and it looks like it should work. It got to the lilo screen a few
times and allowed me to choose to boot to linux. When I rebooted again
with no changes it wouldn't find the hard disk again.

Please help me. I have been working on this for several days.

As an alternative, how can I make a boot floppy that has my "append"
parameters? I have to ne2000 cards that need to get loaded on boot.

I recently recompiled a kernel and after running LILO my computer can
no longer find the hard disk. I am running Mandrake 7.2. When I do an
install/upgrade it can find my hard drive again. What do I need to do
to avoid problems like this in the future? I have a 20GB Western
Digital drive on an older Dell P90 with an updated BIOS that allow
the drive to be seen. It is set up as LBA I believe.

I was able to boot from the boot floppy and then it found my hard disk
and continued botting normally. I edited lilo.conf several times and
everything looks correct as far as I can tell. I can't figure out why
I can boot from the floppy and then have the hard disk seen, but not
boot directly from the hard disk. It actually worked a couple of times
(booted from hard disk), but then the computer wouldn't boot frm the
hard disk after that.

Please help me. I've been working on this one for days.

More precise data is needed to debug the problem. What exactly does
your lilo.conf look like? (post it). What exactly are the messages you
get when you try to boot from the hard drive? Without exact information,
diagnosis is impossible.

--
-Duane
-DNAware SoftLabs

It can find it just fine .. when you choose to compile a driver for the
controller into it.

Peter

Boot with a boot disk and at the lilo prompt enter "linux
root=/dev/hdaX" where X is the correct root partition. Then run
"mkinitrd" and make sure that the /etc/lilo.conf has an "initrd" line in
it and re-run "lilo -v". If you don't get any errors then you can
reboot.

--
Confucius say: He who play in root, eventually kill tree.
Registered with the Linux Counter.  http://counter.li.org
ID # 123538
Completed more W/U's than 99.078% of seti users. +/- 0.01%

I meant to say that the computer won't boot from the hard disk. It
will boot from the floppy and then the boot continues from the hard
disk and everything runs fine after that. The computer has booted from
the hard disk when I first installed linux. LILO came up just fine.
I'm not sure if I changed something in lilo.conf or what.

I tried manually entering the CHS info from dmesg into "user" in the
BIOS setup. When I did that I at least got to "LI" and beeped
continuously.

What can I do to fix this? Also, is there a way to start from a floppy
and have the "ether=5,0x280,eth0 ether=4,0x300,eth1" parameters
entered automatically?

On Wed, 21 Feb 2001 22:36:18 GMT, "Peter T. Breuer"

That's what I said too.

Quote:> will boot from the floppy and then the boot continues from the hard

Well one would guess your floppy has the right kernel in it, and your
hard disk does not.  No, the boot does not "continue".  You boot from
the floppy, full stop. When the floppy kernel comes up, it mounts the
root filesystem on the disk.

Quote:> disk and everything runs fine after that. The computer has booted from
> the hard disk when I first installed linux. LILO came up just fine.
> I'm not sure if I changed something in lilo.conf or what.

You did, but who cares? First convince us that your newly compiled
kernel has support for your ide controller and boot file system BUILT
IN. Then you can worry about boot sequences.

Well, on second thoughts .. scratch that. First convince me that you
have a boot loader on your hard disk! What makes you think you do?

You aren't telling me basic things like "I placed my boot kernel on the
floppy and it booted fine". Get your data straight and people will be
able to form deductions properly and start to help you.

Quote:> BIOS setup. When I did that I at least got to "LI" and beeped
> continuously.

That's a "geometry error", or possibly just "no kernel" at the point
where you tried to jump to. Either you changed the disk geometry or you
replaced the kernel.

Quote:> What can I do to fix this? Also, is there a way to start from a floppy

Anything.

Quote:> and have the "ether=5,0x280,eth0 ether=4,0x300,eth1" parameters
> entered automatically?

Sure. Put them in your lilo.conf on the floppy and run lilo on the
floppy. But why would you build ethernet drivers into the kernel? They
should be modules. After all, they're not vital for booting your
system, are they? As you can see, it is hard work to supply parameters
to kernel built-ins, and you can't reset the drivers except by
rebooting. So don't.

Peter

Thanks for your help.

On Thu, 22 Feb 2001 05:16:18 GMT, "Peter T. Breuer"

I made the floppy after recompiling the kernel. The original
installation version was 2.2.17. The new kernel is 2.2.18. I made the
floppy using mkbootdosk after compiling the kernel. When I boot from
the floppy it says "2.2.18", not 2.2.17.

Quote:>> disk and everything runs fine after that. The computer has booted from
>> the hard disk when I first installed linux. LILO came up just fine.
>> I'm not sure if I changed something in lilo.conf or what.

>You did, but who cares? First convince us that your newly compiled
>kernel has support for your ide controller and boot file system BUILT
>IN. Then you can worry about boot sequences.

I ran the Mandrake installation program and chose "Upgrade". It
allowed me to "Install Boot Loader" after doing that and finishing the
"Upgrade" the computer booted correctly with the new LILO. Then it
wouldn't boot again without the floppy.

Quote:>Well, on second thoughts .. scratch that. First convince me that you
>have a boot loader on your hard disk! What makes you think you do?

I assume from the previous comment that there was a boot loader and it
allowed me to boot one time.

Quote:>You aren't telling me basic things like "I placed my boot kernel on the
>floppy and it booted fine". Get your data straight and people will be
>able to form deductions properly and start to help you.

>> BIOS setup. When I did that I at least got to "LI" and beeped
>> continuously.

>That's a "geometry error", or possibly just "no kernel" at the point
>where you tried to jump to. Either you changed the disk geometry or you
>replaced the kernel.

I tried manually inputting the CHS info instead of selecting "AUTO" in
the BIOS setup.

Quote:>> What can I do to fix this? Also, is there a way to start from a floppy

>Anything.

>> and have the "ether=5,0x280,eth0 ether=4,0x300,eth1" parameters
>> entered automatically?

For some reason I was never able to get two NE2000 cards to run from
just the modules. I tried every configuration in the ethernet,
network, ipmasq, etc. HOWTO's. I used the NE2000 support compiles into
the kernel and it worked. I have had this same problem on three other
computers and have resorted to the kernel support. It worked so I had
no reason to keep hacking away at the module problem. Everyone told me
they should have been able to load as modules, but after two weeks of
trying everything I had to move on to what worked, I was just
repeating that in this case.

Quote:>Sure. Put them in your lilo.conf on the floppy and run lilo on the
>floppy. But why would you build ethernet drivers into the kernel? They
>should be modules. After all, they're not vital for booting your
>system, are they? As you can see, it is hard work to supply parameters
>to kernel built-ins, and you can't reset the drivers except by
>rebooting. So don't.

How do I run lilo on the floppy? I know I have seen that somwhere, but
I'm frazzled and can't remember where.

Once again, I appreciate your help. I am trying to describe the
problem as best I can. I am getting on the net with a windows computer
while I get this linux box working, so it is a bit harder to copy off
the various info that linux produces.

OK .. that's definitive, and good detail. The only problem is that I
really don't know anything about your "mkbootdisk" command. It could do
anything. I suspect that it makes a boot disk that depends on an
initial ram disk (initrd) for part of the boot process, thus allowing
you to boot a kernel that has not enough drivers  in, then load the
drivers from the ram disk image, then go on to access and mount your
hard disk controller and partitions.

In all probability you don't want to do that. You want to build a
straightforward kernel with the hard disk drivers and fs drivers built
into it (but not the ethernet drivers).

Quote:>>You did, but who cares? First convince us that your newly compiled
>>kernel has support for your ide controller and boot file system BUILT
>>IN. Then you can worry about boot sequences.

> I ran the Mandrake installation program and chose "Upgrade". It

I have no idea what that means or does.

Quote:> allowed me to "Install Boot Loader" after doing that and finishing the
> "Upgrade" the computer booted correctly with the new LILO. Then it
> wouldn't boot again without the floppy.

I somewhat suspect that you have grub, not lilo.

Quote:>>Well, on second thoughts .. scratch that. First convince me that you
>>have a boot loader on your hard disk! What makes you think you do?

> I assume from the previous comment that there was a boot loader and it
> allowed me to boot one time.

I mean "what happens when you boot from the hard disk".? If the letetrs
LILO show - even partially - then you have a boot loader. Or are you
using grub instead?

Quote:>>That's a "geometry error", or possibly just "no kernel" at the point
>>where you tried to jump to. Either you changed the disk geometry or you
>>replaced the kernel.

> I tried manually inputting the CHS info instead of selecting "AUTO" in
> the BIOS setup.

The bios is not really implicated at this stage, but if it is, then
just selecting lba mode in the bios shoudl help. What you need to do is
select the same mode that the kernel is told.  What are the bios c/h/s
figures?

But it sounds like you just moved/replaced the kernel.

Quote:>>Anything.

>>> and have the "ether=5,0x280,eth0 ether=4,0x300,eth1" parameters
>>> entered automatically?

> For some reason I was never able to get two NE2000 cards to run from
> just the modules. I tried every configuration in the ethernet,
> network, ipmasq, etc. HOWTO's. I used the NE2000 support compiles into
> the kernel and it worked. I have had this same problem on three other
> computers and have resorted to the kernel support. It worked so I had
> no reason to keep hacking away at the module problem. Everyone told me
> they should have been able to load as modules, but after two weeks of
> trying everything I had to move on to what worked, I was just
> repeating that in this case.

There is no difference between running as a module and running as a
built-in, except that a built-in can do some probes that a module
cannot.  One problem is that you look to be running the ne driver not
ne2k-pci since your params refer to isa irqs and io ports. I presume that
is correct. An ne2000 isa card is problematic in itself, but should
work fine .. I am using an ne2000 pcmcia card as I write this.

Quote:> How do I run lilo on the floppy? I know I have seen that somwhere, but
> I'm frazzled and can't remember where.

If your floppy has a lilo.conf in its /etc dir, just mount /floppy,
edit /floppy/etc/lilo.conf, and /sbin/lilo -r /floppy.

Peter

`fdisk -l /dev/hd[a-d]`

I suspect the recompilation of your kernel placed it beyond cyl. 1024

Eric

I don't thinks, but if that is the case, how do I fix that?

Quote:> I don't thinks, but if that is the case, how do I fix that?

Why not?
Have you checked this?

Eric

Quote:> I don't thinks, but if that is the case, how do I fix that?

Maybe you're right.
I read your story only half.

I actually do fail to see how the recompilation of the kernel,
would have *any* effect on the visibility of your HDD to the BIOS.

Is it properly connected? Is it jumpered correct (Master/Slave/(Single))?

You didn't install some weird program in the MBR so the BIOS
can see the disc? You only updated the BIOS, right?

Eric

I solved the problem!

It was never getting to LILO. This was an older Dell P90 that couldn't
recognize larger drives. I downloaded a BIOS upgrade that "appeared"
to let the IDE controller recognizr the 20GB Western Digital drive. I
was able to fully install linux and warm reboot, but whenn I powered
down the computer and restarted it wouldn't find the hard drive. I
could boot from a floppy.

I finally solved the problem by installing a Promise DriveMAX card
(BIOS on a card) and the drive was fully recognized and linux booted
up via LILO just fine.

I happened to see the DriveMAX on the shelf next to the other IDE
controller cards I was contemplating buying to try another solution.
It was a pure flike that I stumbled on that as the solution.
Abosultely no one else had any recommendations anything like using the
DriveMAX. A Dell tech friend of mine was even telling me to download a
debug script from Dell to erase the MBR on the drive and try again.

On Thu, 22 Feb 2001 06:46:25 GMT, "Peter T. Breuer"