From: jwhub@cs.kun.nl (Jan-Willem Hubbers) Subject: Re: Linux Boot Problem Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1993 17:14:43 GMT
In <1l5ohkINNhcl@gap.caltech.edu> silly@ugcs.caltech.edu (Brad Threatt) writes:
><EXG106@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>>From: <EXG106@psuvm.psu.edu>
>>I bought a 212 MB IDE Hard Drive straight from the manufacturer. It has never
>>had ANYTHING on it. I decided to install Linux on it. Here is the problem:
>>Whenever I try to boot from it, I get a MISSING OPERATING SYSTEM error.
>I posted a similar message to this group, and have gotten mail from people with
>the same problem. Basically, these are the things that I have done, to no
>avail:
>1) Reformatted the hard disk with MS/DOS 5.0 "format /s" [to install the
> system files on the disk] (twice)
>2) Reinstalled MS/DOS 5.0 using the installation disk.
>3) Checked the boot sector with MS/DOS's "fdisk /mbr"
>4) Checked that the DOS partition (the first one) had the bootable flag set.
>5) Removed all partitions and created the DOS partition with DOS's fdisk.
>As this is a recurring problem, it would be nice if we had more suggestions
>of how to deal with it.
I had the same problem last night. I decided it was time to give my linux
setup a little more room, so I repartitioned the drive completely.
I removed all partitions, and used linux's fdisk to create a bootable dos
partition, and an extended partition containing a stackered dos partition
and 3 linux partitions (/, /usr, /tmp).
Then format c: /s /u and (try to) reboot: Missing Operating system.
I checked c:\: it did contain command.com, and the 2 system files.
I then tried to use DOS's fdisk to remove all partions: no dice. It
complained that a logical partition still existed in the extended, but
when I wanted to remove the logical partition from the extended, it said
there was no such thing. I just love MS-DOS. It can be _SO_ CONSISTENT.
[[check out 'dir *' and 'del *'...]]
So it left me with no choice but a low level format by means of the
AMI-bios setup harddisk utility...
That being done (took more time than I needed to eat my meal...)
format c: /s /u, and yes, it booted fine.
Then I used DOS's fdisk to create a partition table:
active bootable DOS,
extended partition for the rest, containing
small dos partition, to be stackered,
a lot of free room for linux.
That being done, I was still able to boot DOS, and went for Linux.
Linux's fdisk reported that my last cylinder was not allocated, but I
decided not to do anything about that (yet..., maybe some other time :-) ).
I created the 3 linux partitions as logical partitions in the free room of
the extended DOS partition, and installed SLS: no problems.
Everything is running fine now.
I hope this is of any use...
Good luck,
Jan-Willem