Linux

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Error 0x20 in LILO

0 helpful
7 replies

by christian von schultz

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

I recently installed Linux on my 486. I did it by hand, as the installation program requiers too much memory. But I forgot to install LILO.

Now I try to use a boot floppy from my other computer. But when I try to boot this happens:

LILO boot:Loading linux
Error 0x20
boot:

I checked the LILO User's guide, and it says: 0x20 "Controller error". This shouldn't happen.

What do I do now?

7 replies

by ddiall

I didn't understand... With this boot floppy you can enter the OS on the 486 or not? If yes, have installed LiLo on the hard disk? Have rerun /sbin/lilo?

by christian von schultz

I can't enter the system. When I installed the system I forgot LILO. So there is no LILO on the hard disk. There is no kernel either. I did not use the installation program, I installed it all by hand. And I forgot LILO and the kernel.

Now I try to enter the system with a floppy, but I can't get in. So, how do I get into the system to install the kernel and LILO?

by ddiall

If your distro comes with a rescue disk (or option like in RedHat) - use it and try to remedy the problem.

If not, put an unprotected floppy in the drive of another working linux system with a compatible kernel and do the following:

# dd if=/boot/vmlinuz-X.Y.Z of=/dev/fd0
# rdev /dev/fd0 /dev/hda1

This will create a boot floopy with a working kernel (hopefully!) with the partition /dev/hda1 as the root filesystem.

Now try booting on the 486 with this floppy... It will load the kernel from the floppy, try to mount /dev/hda1 on / (root fs) and continue the boot process from the hard disk.

If it works, that's great!! Don't forget to fix your kernel+lilo issue for the future.

If it leads to nothing, I'm sorry but you might better try reinstalling everything from scratch, because I don't think I'll be able to help you anymore remotely...

by christian von schultz

It leads to this:
Loading.........................................................................
................................................................................
..............................
0200
AX:0212
BX:B800
CX:5101
DX:0000.
0200
AX:0212
BX:B800
CX:5101
DX:0000.
0200
AX:0212
BX:B800
CX:5101
DX:0000.

I can't stop it. I get a new load of 0200-DX0000 all the time.

And reinstalling it would be difficult. It do not have enough memory to run the installation program, so the installation must be done by hand. That is impossible if I can't get in.

Rescue disks are loaded into memory, and I don't have enough memory. I must do everything from the harddisk.

by ddiall

Hello again, so how much memory do you have anyway? Can't you add some temporary SIMMs to boot with boot+root floppy or reinstall linux with the proper tool? Maybe you didn't just forget the kernel and LiLo...

Use your distribution's rescue disk,create a custom rescue disk (Bootdisk HOWTO) or download one from 'http://www.toms.net/rb/home.html'.

Good luck!!

PS: I think you don't need to reject every answer of mine, you can post a comment to my answer.

This discussion is closed to new replies.