linux on toshiba troubles

**skroo** · February 1, 2003, 14:13

All booting options work perfectly, I can boot from the cd-rom, from the usb floppy everything.

Grrrrr...

The issue is that I'm trying to run a dual boot system without using LILO or ____ (the other one escapes me for the moment) for switching between them.

You're probably thinking of grub.

I want to modify the boot.ini for windows 2k to see it (if you are unfamiliar with this I refer you to littlewhitedog.com for the article). To do this you install the LILO onto the linux partition (hda2 in my case). After the OS is installed of course the boot disk needs to be inserted to get to the OS when you reboot right?

Okay... My question, though, is *why* would you want to do this?

Here are the ways I've tried to rectify this problem, I've tried accessing the partition through the cd (if you didn't know it has the rescue option on there to access the partitions) and I've tried loading the linux floppy drives first. Both these ways prove futile because the cd will not find that there is an OS on the hd (yes I'm installing it right) and slackware will not find the floppy STILL. Any other suggestions?

Before I go any further with this, is it possible to boot from USB floppy on that machine? Does the BIOS allow it?

Oh and Octal I never said ALL toshibas suck just mine because of the above frustrations.

Well, yeah, it's frustrating. And if you'd take the time to clearly explain the problem you're having, someone might be able to actually help you with it.

The even more frustrating part is that when I tried palying Unreal Tourney 2003 they say you need latest detonator drivers and the latest toshiba has is 15's and I think there on to the 41's now (there are tons of ways of getting these drivers on the toshiba forums just so all you toshiba owners know, but they don't seen to work with mine which is why MY laptop frustrates me).

If all you want to do with it is play Unreal, I'd really advise you to just stick with Windows. It'll be a lot easier to deal with in the long run.

**Cyb3RSoldi3R** · February 1, 2003, 14:30

You're probably thinking of grub

Yeah that's what I was thinking of.

Okay... My question, though, is *why* would you want to do this?

I'm trying to mess with the MBR as little as possible. Not to mention allows for certain other advantages and last time I was playing (my first mistake) I destroyed my windows partition.

Before I go any further with this, is it possible to boot from USB floppy on that machine? Does the BIOS allow it?

Yeah as far as I know. That could also be a factor, thanks for the thought of it. The bios allows to boot from "USB" if I try just floppy then it won't find it (strange because the old BIOS would find it as a floppy drive and wouldn't worry that it was on usb). I am up to date on the BIOS too and it does boot a Win98 boot disk and any other boot disk that I put into it.

Well, yeah, it's frustrating. And if you'd take the time to clearly explain the problem you're having, someone might be able to actually help you with it.

I never intended to get help for it I'm the kind of person who likes to figure it out on their own and understand the process for better teaching other people.

If all you want to do with it is play Unreal, I'd really advise you to just stick with Windows. It'll be a lot easier to deal with in the long run.

That was more of an illistrating example then anything. Do you honestly think that I would want Slackware for gaming?

**skroo** · February 1, 2003, 14:53

Originally posted by Cyb3RSoldi3R
I'm trying to mess with the MBR as little as possible. Not to mention allows for certain other advantages and last time I was playing (my first mistake) I destroyed my windows partition.

OK... I'm not entirely clear on what those 'other advantages' are, though. It's the easiest method of dual-booting Linux; anything else is going to be more painful than the benefits it brings.

The bios allows to boot from "USB" if I try just floppy then it won't find it (strange because the old BIOS would find it as a floppy drive and wouldn't worry that it was on usb).

Sounds like something changed in the BIOS between whatever the version is you're running now and the previous one. Since you don't have a physical floppy drive in the machine, it will never detect it and most likely needs to be explicitly told to boot from a USB device.

I am up to date on the BIOS too and it does boot a Win98 boot disk and any other boot disk that I put into it.

Then go to the /bootdisks directory in the root of the mirrors I posted earlier, find the floppy image you need, write it to a floppy, and boot from it. Should solve your problem.

I never intended to get help for it I'm the kind of person who likes to figure it out on their own and understand the process for better teaching other people.

A large part of learning things comes from asking questions. It also helps to ensure that what you later pass on to someone else is correct.

That was more of an illistrating example then anything. Do you honestly think that I would want Slackware for gaming?

I have no idea what you want it for. So far, all you've mentioned that you're doing with it is playing Unreal Tournament.

**Cyb3RSoldi3R** · February 1, 2003, 14:59

Then go to the /bootdisks directory in the root of the mirrors I posted earlier, find the floppy image you need, write it to a floppy, and boot from it. Should solve your problem.

Those only contain boot disks for installing.

A large part of learning things comes from asking questions.

Granted, but I was just explaining to you why the whole post is the way it is.

I have no idea what you want it for. So far, all you've mentioned that you're doing with it is playing Unreal Tournament.

Gotcha

**skroo** · February 1, 2003, 15:10

Originally posted by Cyb3RSoldi3R
Those only contain boot disks for installing.

They're not specific to installation. They will also allow you to boot an installed system from floppy.

**Cyb3RSoldi3R** · February 1, 2003, 15:17

They offer the same options that the install cd does though. I already tried it. still nada. If you want I can send you a pic of what error comes up.

**skroo** · February 1, 2003, 15:29

Post it here. There are other people who might be able to help with this.

**Cyb3RSoldi3R** · February 1, 2003, 16:59

Bah can't find my camera. It says it can not mount the drive to load the os though (sorry can't remember any other details then that). Anyone else have any ideas?

**Cyb3RSoldi3R** · February 2, 2003, 17:15

OK install "looked beautiful" but still wasn't able to make boot disk or install LILO to a floppy. I found my camera and took pictures though when I tried to mount the partition from the downloaded boot disk.

If you can't read the last lin it says "interupt handler not syncing.

**TwinVega** · February 2, 2003, 19:59

What's so good about not using LILO? And why even boot from a floppy?

**Cyb3RSoldi3R** · February 2, 2003, 20:43

Well in order to set the OS dual patition LILO is installed on the hda2 partition. I tryed to install onto a floppy but it doesn't find the floppy drive. I guess I could try the MBR but I'm a little sceptical, If i decide to I'll post befor I do so you'll know if it's my last porst or not. :)

**octalpus** · February 2, 2003, 21:10

Originally posted by Cyb3RSoldi3R
Well in order to set the OS dual patition LILO is installed on the hda2 partition. I tryed to install onto a floppy but it doesn't find the floppy drive. I guess I could try the MBR but I'm a little sceptical, If i decide to I'll post befor I do so you'll know if it's my last porst or not. :)

Why are you so wary of installing LILO to the MBR? I realise that in the past, LILO was a little buggy, and had problems with dual booting certain flavours of Windows from the MBR, but this is no longer the case. All of my machines that dual boot Windows have LILO installed to the MBR and have no problem... whether it be Win98, 2k, or ME.

**TwinVega** · February 2, 2003, 21:10

cfdisk perhaps...?

**skroo** · February 2, 2003, 22:33

Originally posted by octalpussy
Why are you so wary of installing LILO to the MBR? I realise that in the past, LILO was a little buggy, and had problems with dual booting certain flavours of Windows from the MBR, but this is no longer the case. All of my machines that dual boot Windows have LILO installed to the MBR and have no problem... whether it be Win98, 2k, or ME.

What OP said.

I only have one OS that has problems with lilo, and that's BeOS R5, which in its' final incarnation *way* predates the present version of lilo. This machine (the Toshiba) dual-boots Win2K Pro and Slackware just fine (Slack 8.1 by distro, 2.4.20 by kernel); for comparison, my old Hitachi VisionBook 7340 has no problems with Slack 7.1 on a 2.4.18 kernel and Win98.

Yeah, you can fuck things up with lilo if you're not paying attention... But it's usually nothing a boot from the install CD and a quick edit of /etc/lilo.conf can't fix. And it is a lot safer than trying to write the boot record to your Linux partition and use Windows' boot loader, which is notorious for not playing nicely with other OSes.

Bottom line... Don't try to screw with it, just do it the way it's meant to be done.

**Cyb3RSoldi3R** · February 2, 2003, 23:52

Bah, figures you guys say this after I just fuct with the MBR and just resurected it, ROFL... Anyways, skroo R U gonna be at the IVU meet, if so I could just bring it and let everyone experience my frustration.

linux on toshiba troubles

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