From: Werner Almesberger (almesber@bernina.ethz.ch)
Date: 02/28/93


From: almesber@bernina.ethz.ch (Werner Almesberger)
Subject: Re: LILO
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1993 18:00:56 GMT

In article <1993Feb25.084506.3943@dct.ac.uk> mcsdc1sjt@dct.ac.uk (Gonzo) writes:
>In article <C2oA82.CKz@ecf.toronto.edu>, ngcheuk@ecf.toronto.edu (NG CHEUK WAI DAVID) writes:
>> from LILO.7 that came with the SLS distribution, I got this:
>> MINIX-fs:unable to read superblock
>> EXT-fs:unable to read superblock
>> MSDOS bread failed
>> isofs_read_super:bread failed, dev 0x343 iso_blknum 16
>> kernel panic:unable to mount root

Standard LILO problem #1: you have to set the root device. This can either
be done in the kernel's top-level Makefile (ROOT_DEV), in the kernel image
with rdev, in the LILO configuration (/etc/lilo/config) or on LILO's
command line (boot: linux root=XXX where XXX is the device number, e.g.
301 for /dev/hda1, 802 for /dev/sda2, etc.).

Using QuickInst (LILO 0.8 or later) helps in this case, because it puts a
safe default value into /etc/lilo/config.

>> Nevertheless, it compiled and I followed the instructions in the
>> readme file of LILO.8. When I reboot, I got this:
>> LI

Standard LILO problem ... hmm ... #3: This means that only the first stage
boot loader is loaded. Typical causes for this:

  - using disktab although it's not needed - try renaming /etc/lilo/disktab
    if it exists. If you need disktab: be sure that it contains correct
    values.
  - booting a partition that does not contain an up to date LILO boot
    sector, e.g. if you install LILO first on /dev/hda1, later decide
    to install it on /dev/hda2 and forget to make /dev/hda2 active,
    you might get this behaviour.
  - moving/changing files in /etc/lilo without running /etc/lilo/install.
    Just re-run /etc/lilo/install.
  - bad /etc/lilo/install. /etc/lilo/install typically shouldn't do much
    more than invoking /etc/lilo/lilo with the -C option, e.g.
      $ROOT/etc/lilo/lilo -C /etc/lilo/config $*
    If your /etc/lilo/install differs radically, try replacing it with
    install.new that comes with the LILO distribution (>= 0.7).
    Note: if using LILO < 0.7, the configuration has to be converted
          to new-style first: /etc/lilo/install -D >/etc/lilo/config

- Werner

-- 
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  / Werner Almesberger, ETH Zuerich, CH           almesber@bernina.ethz.ch /
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