Re: installation problems

From: Lenard (Lenard_at_127.0.0.1)
Date: 08/04/05 

Date: Thu, 04 Aug 2005 04:11:18 GMT

Allan Adler wrote:

<snip>

> I inserted the resulting floppy in the floppy drive of the disabled PC
> and started it. I selected rescue mode and eventually wound up in
> single user mode. I executed but could only run it on /dev/hda. That
> made it possible to mount the old partitions, but of these only the
> DOS partition survived with its files intact. It's not bootable,
> though. The boot floppy had no knowledge of the CD ROM drive.

OK, so you have a good DOS partition and the Linux partitions are
trashed. Without knowing the condition of the MBR you might not want to
attempt to make the DOS partition bootable running DOS/Windows. You can
download a DOS boot floppy from;

http://www.bootdisk.com/

and check and see if you want to keep and maybe move some files.

Thinking about it a bit, you may also want to get one of the Linux boot
floppy images also, many people like using;

http://www.toms.net/rb/

to check out the Linux partitions and see if the CD drive is seen.

<snip>

> Question 1: What do I need to put on the floppy to get it to detect
> the CD ROM drive, just in case it is a software problem and not a
> flaky drive?

Nothing.... try using this boot floppy instead to boot the system and
then install RHL7 from the CD's (have the first installation RHL7 CD in
the drive);

http://linux.simple.be/tools/sbm

> Question 2: Since the disabled PC will nominally boot from a SCSI
> drive, and since flash drives seem to be listed in /proc as scsi
> devices, is there some way to put what I need on a "boot" flash drive
> and boot from it? Having a few hundred MB to work with seems better
> than trying to operate from a boot floppy with 1.4 MB.

Mostly likely not.... If the BIOS does not support booting from a USB
device then no. It sounds like the BIOS does not have this support. 

-- 
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
 safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."     -- B. Franklin, 1759

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