Dual Boot: Linux and Win ME, Please help

Hello,
I am very new to Linux world. I have fought with my PC for 3 days to install Red Hat Linux. My default OS is Windows Me. So I made two partitions like C:\ and D:\.

C:\ consists of Windows Me and D:\ consists of Red Hat Linux 7.0
My D:\ consists of only 2 files, they are
REDHAT.IMG (1.82 GB)
RH-SWAP.IMG (127 MB)

The installation is complete. But during the installation, Linux has asked me to place a new formatted floppy into the floppy drive for making it a bootable floppy. I have followed the instructions.

Now when I start my PC, the default OS Windows Me comes, I am not given options like

Microsoft Windows Me
Red Hat Linux 7.0

So that I can choose one OS to boot.

If I need to start working with Linux, I need to place the bootable floppy created during the installation time and restart my PC. This is not my option, as I cannot place the floppy every time I start working with Linux.

MY REQUIREMENT

When I start my PC, I wanted to see both the options like

Windows Me
Redhat Linux
Time : 30 sec

So, that I can choose the required OS to boot.

Please help me.

Thanks
Uma
Java Developer
http://www.javagalaxy.com

you need to set up a boot manager - etiher Grub or LILO. My personal preference is LILO - it's used more commonly and there are lots of docs and infos out there...

But first you need to boot into linux, and login as the root user

then edit your /etc/lilo.conf file to point to your windows and linux partitions. you will then have to run lilo

bla@bla> /sbin/lilo -v -v

add as many -v 's as you want (up to 5) to increase verbosity of the output. This process will rewrite your boot table, so the options are visible at boot time.

your lilo.conf should look a bit like this:

prompt
timeout=50
default=linux
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
message=/boot/message
lba32

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.7-10
label=linux
read-only
root=/dev/hda1

and you will need a second image here for your windows partitions... do a google, or search these forums for one, cos I can't remember how it's started.

christo

There may be a tool in the RedHat control centre to do this for you withut having to directly edit the files. They're certainly worth using for now, just in case you muck something up. But its also worth looking at the files as well, just out of interest, as that way you'll start learning a lot more about the OS

Dear Chris,
When I boot with the bootable floppy, I get this screen e.g

login:
and I type login: root
Password: second
I then get some root@]$
I again type "login"
that takes me to "login: login:"
I then enter with my id: say "login: login: uma1
Password: second

uma@uma]$

Where can I edit the said lilo.conf file? At the prompt itself?

Will edition the file show me the options like
Windows Me
Red hat Linux 7.0
?
What should the file contain? Please help me. I am much confused.
Thanks
Uma

hey - you're doing fine.. you have given the username 'root' and the password 'second' and then in true UNIX fashion, it just gives you a prompt.

root@]$

and this is where you can type in your commands.

a good command to start with is man, which gives you manual pages, so

root@]$ man man

will give you the manual page for the man command...


now you need to use a text editor to butcher your lilo.conf, but this is where the world of Linux opens up in it's full colors and where you, the user, really start to suffer from that 'kid in a candy shop' syndrome.. there are just so many choices. First question - it sounds like you're not running X yet, I mean are you getting a graphical display? if not, then you should try

root@]$ startx

and you might get an X-session.

From here you will be able to use the tools that redhat provides for configuration. This is what telex4 was talking about... so let's see what happens here first, and then we can choose a text editor, or an appropriate tool to set up your boot config.

mmkay?

Christo

Hi,
I am able to view the GUI using the command startx. Please see this link

http://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...2990#post122990

I posted the same question there, and I got different answer. Please help me what are the changes, that I need to make so that I can get an option to choose the OS that I need at start up.

Thanks
Uma

Hi uma, I can see the answers you have been given are a little confused, so I'll try to clarify them.

When you partitioned your hard drive, you created two partitions, which windows called C:\ and D:\. You then told the RedHat installer to put RedHat onto the second partition (which windows called D:\). Now Linux isn't actually on "D:\", RedHat has probably deleted that partition, and made two or more partitions in that empty space, as Linux usually requires at least two partitions. The people on the other forum are trying to help you make sure your partitions OK... you can check this if you like by using fdisk. Once logged in as root (so you see root@]$), issue the following command (type it and press enter):
fdisk -l /dev/hda
And it will list the partitions on your hard drive. You should then see something similar to:
hda1 - FAT32
hda2 - / (Ext 2/3)
hda3 - /boot (Ext 2/3)
hda4 - Swap (Type Swap)
So long as you have the FAT32 (windows) partition, and a few linux ones, it's all good

What myself and Chris have been saying is that we think your system is installed ok (i.e. the partitions are fine), but that you need to make a program called LILO (or GRUB, they both do the same thing) force your computer to give you that menu (windows/linux) when you turn the computer on, so you don't need the floppy disk.

To do this, you need to get into Linux using your floppy disk, then either edit the configuration file for LILO directly, or use a RedHat tool to do it for you. You're doing great so far, you've logged in, and even managd to start X, and get the nice GUI environment.

Now what you need to do is open the LILO configuration file (called lilo.conf, found in the directory called /etc, so the full path of the file is /etc/lilo.conf) and check that it has entires for both windows and linux (you may need to add a few lines in), and then run LILO to write the changes to your hard drive (to a special section called the Master Boot Record). Doing this will then bring up that menu automatically, without the need for a floppy bootdisk.

Now to do this, it's probably easiest if you write out your lilo.conf file here, and we can help you make sure it's just right, then you can run LILO to make the changes. Or if you like, do it all yourself So here's what you want to do:


1) login as before, so you get to:
root@]$

2) open the lilo.conf file in a text editor by typing:
vi /etc/lilo.conf

3) Either copy down its contents to post here, or edit it directly so that it looks similar to this:

prompt
timeout=50
default=linux
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
message=/boot/message
lba32

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.7-10
label=linux
read-only
root=/dev/hda1

other=/dev/hda1 #(where1=the windows partition)
label=windows




I hope that's of some help Might I suggest (shameless plug) that you have a look at a site I work on called www.newtolinux.org.uk, which has a series of tutorials designed for people just like you, migrating from windows, easing you into the world of GNU/Linux with all of its differences, its terminology, and so on

Hi,
Thanks for your reply. Your website is good. Has lot of useful info. I will try what you have told me and get back.

Thanks
Uma

Hello,
Thanks for your reply. I thought of removing the linux from my PC and did the same for a new install.

I now have Win Me in my C:\ . Please tell me what should I need to do to make my Linux work as a dual boot.

I have followe these steps, in the beginning

1. Place the CD labelled Linux 1 in the CD-ROM and restart the PC.

2. I get some options, I pressed Enter

3. A few steps later, I get the GUI installer

4. Asking for time,monitor,processor,etc...

5. Making the partitions, with Automatic, Dual Druid and fdisk.

6. I selected Dual Druid, I get the following structure,

PARTITIONS

Mount Point Device Requested Actual Type
<not set> hda1 28000M 28000M Win95 FAT 32

ADD EDIT DELETE RESET MAKE RAID DEVICE (BUTTONS)


DRIVE SUMMARY

DRIVE GEOM TOTAL FREE USED USED %
hda blah 28000M 0M 28000M 100 %

I have a problem with this step.

7. I got errors from here on words, but proceded to the installation.

Please tell me what do I need to do after this point. Shall I click the add button and create Linux Native and Swap partitions?

If so what about the Win95 Fat 32 partition, Shall I leave it as it is?

Will "hda" allow me to do the partitioning, as it is occupying all of the space in the hard disk?

Please help,

LATEST WORK

1. I used the Win Me bootable floppy along with "fips.exe" to partition my hard disk.
A:>fips

2. I was able to split my c: ( 28 GB ) into C:\ 10 GB for Win Me and 18 GB for D:\ (Red hat Linux)

3. I removed the floppy and restarted the PC with my bootable Linux first CD

4. I proceded with the instructions and moved to the partition step

5. I selected Manual partition using Disk Druid

6. I have seen these changes in the Disk Druid window

PARTITIONS

Mount Point Device Requested Actual Type
<not set> hda1 10033M 10033M Win95 FAT 32
<not set> hda2 18589M 18589M Win 95 FAT 32

ADD EDIT DELETE RESET MAKE RAID DEVICE (BUTTONS)


DRIVE SUMMARY

DRIVE GEOM TOTAL FREE USED USED %
hda 3877/240/63 28000M 0M 28000M 100 %

7. I deleted the hda2 partition, so that I have got hda to 60 % (Approx.) used.

8. I now made the following changes to the partition

PARTITIONS

Mount Point Device Requested Actual Type
<not set> hda1 10033M 10033M Win95 FAT 32
/boot hda2 16M 22M Linux Native
<swap> hda5 125M 125M Linux Swap
/ hda6 1M 18442M Linux Native

ADD EDIT DELETE RESET MAKE RAID DEVICE (BUTTONS)


DRIVE SUMMARY

DRIVE GEOM TOTAL FREE USED USED %
hda 3877/240/63 28623M 0M 28623M 100 %

9. I clicked the next button which was enabled after the changes and proceded to the installation.

10. Completed the installation successfully.

11. Rebotted the PC to see if there are any changes that I was expecting, OH NO, The Win Me boots again. I cant see the options for Linux, even the bootable floppy drive does not solve my problem? Where have I gone wrong? Please help me.

12. When I move to the Win Me to see the directory structure, I dont find D:\ I see only C:\ with 10 GB. So the Linux is installed, but where is it and How do I get it working as of my needs.

Thanks for any great help.
Uma

OK you seem to have got RedHat installed, with some very nice work with fips and disk druid if I might add To answer your last question first, you can't see your linux partitions because windows doesn't have the drivers to be able to see them, so as far as windows is concerned, that other 18mb is random data. You can't then see "D:\" because it doesn't recognise those partitions, so ignores them, whereas last time you looked, you had a FAT32 (windows) partition there, which it could see, and labelled "D:\".

Now, going back to ourr old friend LILO, it seems that LILO hasn't installed itself onto your master boot record (there was probably an option somewhere you missed). No problem, what you need to do is put in a boot floppy/cd that gives you a LILO menu (even one without the right option for linux), and then instead of typing "linux", type:

root=/dev/hda6

Which will then boot up the computer taking /dev/hda6 as the root directory (your root directory). You can then check your /etc/lilo.conf and run LILO to install it onto your master boot record.