Sorry for the lengthy message but thought it better to submit full details to make the problem clear and hence ..
It is related to multiboot system. I had win 98, win2K multiboot system (P4 HD 40 GB, GeForce 3 -64 MB AGP) using Boot Magic's Boot Manager. The Partition Magic and Boot Magic were installed on w2K partition. There was no unallocated space on HD. I wanted to add Linux to this system.
Using PM, Linux native(2.5MB) and swap partitions(250MB) were created. Using Bootable Linux 7.1CD, the Linux was installed with Lilo was installed at MBR.During installation using diskdruid for mounting Linux native, I received a warning - "you have put the partition containing kernel above the 1024 cyl. it appears that this BIOS dose not support booting above this limit, proceeding will make this system unable to boot into linux". I went ahead and it did boot. On reboot, Lilo gave me two options to boot either Linux or Dos (which is w98). I do not know why it could not see w2K partition also? both want to go to MBR? Can't Lilo's default configuration co-exist with w2K?
The w98 was working fine but in Linux, it failed to start the x server or x window (not sure of the terminology).It boots with text prompt "localhost login:". The strange thing here, the screen keeps flashing after every 5 seconds for long time not allowing to enter any data at the prompt. After 2 min. the flashing stops and screen shows "INIT:Id "X" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes". After 5 min. the flashing restarts. I have ASUS V8200Series Geforce-3, v21.81 AGP and I had selected Nvidia while installing the Linux.The Monitor Gateway EV700 was selected correctly by Linux. Further, at the prompt [abc@localhost abc]: startx yielded fatal IO error 104 and screen full of text which I can not understand except that a log file is created /var/log/xfree860 .log . I ran xfree86 configuration to best of my knowledge but could not suceed to start x window.
As a trial I re-installed Linux, this time accepting the default probed default generic VGA compatible graphic and installing LILO to its own partition. That left the system un-bootable as expected. Using w98 boot disk ran FDISK /mbr and it could boot w98 and w98 is working fine. Using Linux boot disk I can get to linux prompt but the flashing screen problem continues.
Question;
From here, how to restore w2K's MBR and thereafter restore boot magic to take over multibooting w98, w2000, and Linux. I do not like to start from fresh, as I have done it previously successfully. The w2K boot disks are available.
Alternatively, how to get LILO to MBR and re configure it to see the three OSs without needing to reinstall w2K.
How to solve the flashing screen problem in Linux, and to start the xwindow GUI?
sorry again for the lengthy message and thanks for the help in advance.
Anant Hardikar
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