Re: Booting to a command line?

mha_at_math.mit.edu
Date: 12/31/04 

Date: 31 Dec 2004 17:01:30 GMT

My problems with the above suggestions is, if you're not a strong
techie, you risk making your system unbootable. In fact, a techie
faces the same risk but already knows Plan B options. So here are my
suggestions.

1) Find a bootable Linux CD. The kind that lives on the CD so you can
   put it into your CD drive, boot up, and you've a system you can
   work from to go into the files on your HD and (try to) fix them.

2) Better in my opinion, is a tomsrtbt on a floppy, because that
   starts a very basic Linux you can use as your base for searching
   out a booting problem. (You'll want to know how to use vi.)

In either case, you may want to go into your BIOS setup and arrange an
appropriate boot order. If your machine uses a USB floppy, the
problem is a bit larger and maybe the live CD is the best way to go.
But -- in any case, set up your Plan B; then test it out; *then* try
the above suggestions.

Cheers -- Martha Adams