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Grex > Micros > #199: FreeBSD, Linux, or other PC Unixes? |  |
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| 25 new of 257 responses total. |
jazz
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response 213 of 257:
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Jan 21 12:30 UTC 2000 |
It depends on how you install the system, really. It's Microsoft's
fault for considering "upgrade" and "new install" seperate functions and
putting profitability before utility, but it's entirely possible to reinstall
Windows and not touch the MBR.
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mcnally
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response 214 of 257:
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Jan 21 15:15 UTC 2000 |
I just keep around a floppy with an install program for my favorite
boot manager (os-bs, which I got in the habit of using back in my
FreeBSD days, for some reason I really don't like using LILO) and
re-apply it after any changes (particularly MS re-installs..)
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gull
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response 215 of 257:
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Jan 21 23:05 UTC 2000 |
LILO's not really a very good boot loader. I don't know why Linux doesn't
default to FreeBSD's scheme, which is to put the boot loader on the FreeBSD
partition, and use a little program called EasyBoot to pick whether the DOS
or Windows partition is active. The biggest advantage of this is that since
FreeBSD's boot loader doesn't have to squeeze into the MBR, it can do a lot
more. For example, it understands the filesystem, so you're allowed to boot
any kernel file, not just pre-selected ones.
Granted, you can install LILO on the Linux partition and get basically the
same scheme, but you don't gain any functionality by doing so.
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pfv
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response 216 of 257:
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Jan 22 02:47 UTC 2000 |
Sounds like a sensible scheme..
Certainly sounds more reasonable that that other scam - er,
scheme: the one with a bootstrap program *AND* an entire kernel
run from the dos partition.. (I can't recall the name right now).
Although, I certainly prefer even lilo over what win95 and win98
are stuck with..
In fact, we could live with lilo if we could write a real short
program to the dos-parition that was ALWAYS capable of resetting
lilo after M$ has - as usual - munged the MBR.
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gull
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response 217 of 257:
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Jan 22 04:08 UTC 2000 |
You're thinking of LOADLIN. I've never tried it, but apparently it's handy
in a few difficult situations.
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pfv
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response 218 of 257:
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Jan 22 14:13 UTC 2000 |
yah, loadlin..
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jazz
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response 219 of 257:
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Jan 23 03:02 UTC 2000 |
Loadlin works pretty well under unusual filesystems. I've run a very
small UMSDOS-FS (unix-over-MS-DOS) 120-meg Linux kernel on a system that was
far too small to repartition and install on, which booted into DOS and then
loaded linux from the command prompt.
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drew
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response 220 of 257:
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Jan 29 19:07 UTC 2000 |
A 120 meg kernel??? Yiao!
Loadlin works well enough, but it's a kludge. I think the last place I
ised it was on the Packard Bell, as for some reason LILO choked on that
machine.
For my part, I've reinstalled NT many times and not once has it touched
the MBR.
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mcnally
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response 221 of 257:
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Jan 29 22:14 UTC 2000 |
I'm sure that "kernel" was not what he meant..
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jazz
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response 222 of 257:
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Jan 30 16:37 UTC 2000 |
Kernel distribution, yep.
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prp
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response 223 of 257:
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Jan 31 21:46 UTC 2000 |
If you run a windows program to make windows the active partition, it
may well rewrite the MBR.
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mwg
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response 224 of 257:
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Feb 2 19:28 UTC 2000 |
Windows will re-write the MBR under any number of circumstances, some of
them so obscure as to be filed under "it just wanted to". Hence my advice
on keeping a boot disk on multi-boot Linux systems.
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darkskyz
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response 225 of 257:
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Feb 4 17:20 UTC 2000 |
no way is that a kernel. even with all features turned on, the linux kerlnel
prolly doesn't pass the 1M line.
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sno
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response 226 of 257:
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Feb 4 21:10 UTC 2000 |
I've seen kernels that were > 1.2 meg uncompressed. Compressed kernels
come in around 350K to 700K.
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scott
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response 227 of 257:
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Feb 4 23:19 UTC 2000 |
There may well be questions from me in the next few weeks. I'm going to try
installing Linux this very evening.
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darkskyz
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response 228 of 257:
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Feb 5 01:22 UTC 2000 |
We are Linux of Borg. Ressistance is an indication you missed the point.
welcome aboard ;)
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scott
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response 229 of 257:
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Feb 5 01:40 UTC 2000 |
...but first I'm gonna need a less antique CD-ROM drive. :(
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pfv
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response 230 of 257:
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Feb 5 02:43 UTC 2000 |
Oh, come on.. Why? Mine is an antiquiated 2x with a proprietary
driver card!
So far, of every Distro I splurged on from Linux-Central, et al:
Redhat is the ONLY one that recognizes my drive - AND INSTALLS..
(SuSE "saw" it, but couldn't work with it for some freaky reason).
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scott
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response 231 of 257:
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Feb 5 13:57 UTC 2000 |
I'm a lamer, and I'm trying to install Caldera.
I've got DOS drivers, and Win95 recognizes it. But I've been vacillating over
buying a CD-RW for months now anyway.
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scott
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response 232 of 257:
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Feb 5 14:04 UTC 2000 |
However, I'm currently poking around the Caldera website to see if they
already have an answer. Hmmm, they have the drive listed, with a source and
object module listed. Now I just need to find out how to use that as a boot
option on install...
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scott
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response 233 of 257:
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Feb 5 16:19 UTC 2000 |
Chicken and egg problem. I need to rebuild the install kernel with cdu31a
(driver for my old Sony CD), but there doesn't seem to be any DOS tools to
do it with.
Apparently Linux autoprobing of this drive was disabled a few kernel revisions
ago. Hmm.
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pfv
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response 234 of 257:
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Feb 5 17:05 UTC 2000 |
Aren't you running linux now?
If you are running *nix, and can't see the cdrom to get the files
to REBUILD *nix, I've had to resort to downloading it - treating
the web itself as a big, slow-ass-hell cdrom ;-)
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scott
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response 235 of 257:
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Feb 5 21:21 UTC 2000 |
But can I rebuild a kernel from Windows? I've got the cdu31a.c and .o files,
I just haven't found how to apply them to the install floppy.
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pfv
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response 236 of 257:
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Feb 6 00:08 UTC 2000 |
You aren't GOING to find a way.. The diskette is either a
compressed linux image, or a version of minix with some tools.
What you are saying is that you don't have it installed at all,
and for some obtuse reason the install won't "see" your cdrom.
Such cd's make lovely coasters.. I have about nine myself.
If, otoh, yer trying to RUN LINUX from a cd, you're flat outta'
luck.
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gull
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response 237 of 257:
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Feb 6 03:23 UTC 2000 |
No, it sounds like the problem is none of the installation boot disks
support his CD-ROM, and of course he can't make his own without a working
Linux installation.
The best course is to go buy an IDE CD-ROM. My last one cost me about $35.
If that's absolutely out of the question, your best bet will be copying the
CD-ROM files to a DOS partition, and using that to install from -- assuming
you have the space, and your distribution allows that (most do.)
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