Re: BDI

Alan (comments mixed in)

From: Alan Marconett KM6VV <KM6VV@...>

>Well, I finally got an AMD K6-2/400 machine up and checked out with
>Windoz98 (I had sometime previously built a machine for my wife with the
>6Gb drive).

Otta work!

>The drive is partitioned as C,D,E &F, each partition is 2Gb, except the
>last, which got 32MB. Seemed like a good idea at the time; I think the
>other intended target machine didn't like anything bigger then 2Gb.

>As Windoz98 is in the 'C' partition, I thought I'd try to bring BDI up
>on the 'E' drive partition. I selected custom (?) and gave 'E' the root
>'/'.

My suspicion here is that what is happening is that the BDI/RH install is
making a partitionless install rather than a real install into Linux Native
partitions. Start over and when you get to the partitioning stuff, delete
the partitions labeled E and F. (more than enough) Now add two partitions
one 2 gig linux native that you mount at (/) from the old E. The second
partition use linux swap and the 32 meg from F.

>The first problem (?) I had was in the video board/monitor choices. I
>had put in an old Trident 9000 512 kb controller, and a Toshiba 17"
>monitor I had. Monitor not on the list, but I determined H & V sync
>rates, and put in the numbers (OK?) I tried the "test", but other then
>a few flashes and clicks of the monitor, I didn't see any "graphics
>screen" (Am I supposed to see something?), and the 512K selection was
>deleted upon the return to the text setup screens. I continued.

This should all be adjustable after the install. If you can read the
install instructions, it will be able to connect to your monitor as a
terminal.

>The setups suggests about 15-20 min of time to copy all the "packages",
>that starts but never finishes (I tried different builds, I think the
>developer finished, but hung on the post stuff).

Again, this may well be a partitionless (dos) install problem.

<s>1) Did BDI (RedHat) not like the AMD K6?

Linux likes K6 a lot!

>2) Did I blow it on the 'E' partition? (it would be nice to do dual
>boot), but I couldn't see a way to switch the boot to the "extended"
>partition. (Something about ASKING for instructions on doing a
>dual-boot in the printed note that came with the CD).

I's sure make MS Win boot disk. And I'd answer yes to the Linux boot
disk near the end of the linux install. LILO, the multi-OS boot controller
will overwrite the Master Boot Record of the 98 install. There are some
limits to where LILO can be on the hard drive but I'm not sure what they
are or whether they will apply to your situation.

>3) SHOULD I have seen something on the video test? (800x600 VGA)

As others have pointed out, there should be a test screen there. But this
isn't a critical part of the install. Video and driver can be set up after.

>4) I can and will blow away the Windoz98, if necessary (easier), but as
>the drive is 6Gb, I thought I'd keep it.

You should be able to keep MS-98. Linux doesn't care if there is a
competitor laying around. In fact it makes provision for multi boot
systems and for reading the files in a dos partition. MS windows does care
but if it is installed first can't really do anything about it because 98
has no provision for recognizing Linux partitions.

5) IDE drive and CD, but couldn't boot from BDI CD (machine seems to
boot from Windoz98 2nd Ed CD). Not a problem, I made a boot floppy per
instructions on CD.

Check your BIOS and be certain that CDROM is first boot. If possible
eliminate any other boot choices.

We might do well to continue this off list?

HTH

Ray