Unable to use Linux FDISK to migrate entire Linux system

I am having this same problem. I have a dell D600 and am trying to
put RH7.3 on it. Install goes off without a hitch, including setting
the /boot (hda1 which is 128MB) file system type to linux (83). After
going through the install CDs it reboots only to find "Missing io.sys"
at the prompt.

When I boot from the RH7.3 disk "linux rescue", then check using
fdisk; the boot partition is set back to FAT! I even tried what I
though would overwrite the MBR dd if=/dev/null of=/dev/hda count=1
size=512 got back 0bytes in 0byes out. Then reload the entire RH7.3

Dell (who's support did NOT bawk at my wanting to use linux BTW) had
me "reset the hard drive" using a dos floppy and debug. They say
there is some kind of magic partinon in the front of the hard drive
(60GB, IDE, 9.5MM, 4.2K, FUJITSU, V40).


Here is the script that I typed in by hand at the a:>
debug
-F 200 L1000 0
-A CS:100
xxxx:0100 MOV AX,301
xxxx:0103 MOV BX,200
xxxx:0106 MOV CX,1
xxxx:0109 MOV DX,80
xxxx:010C INT 13
xxxx:010E INT 20
xxxx:0110 (Leave this line blank and press the <Enter> key)
-G

This caused the next install of RH7.3 to ask if I wanted to initialize
the disk. I said "y". Again the install went off with no problem.
Again on reboot the #@!&ing thing set the partion type to FAT and is
looking for 'io.sys'!

So why? I did not have this problem with my current Latitiued C610.


Thanks much in advance,


Bryan

Bryan <bryan@compgen.com> wrote:
> I am having this same problem. I have a dell D600 and am trying to
> put RH7.3 on it. Install goes off without a hitch, including setting
> the /boot (hda1 which is 128MB) file system type to linux (83). After
> going through the install CDs it reboots only to find "Missing io.sys"
> at the prompt.

> When I boot from the RH7.3 disk "linux rescue", then check using
> fdisk; the boot partition is set back to FAT! I even tried what I
[....]
> This caused the next install of RH7.3 to ask if I wanted to initialize
> the disk. I said "y". Again the install went off with no problem.
> Again on reboot the #@!&ing thing set the partion type to FAT and is
> looking for 'io.sys'!

what do you do to look at the partition table, what os/command?

just an observation, fdisk will take all the param's to change the
table but it does not automatically write it out when you exit
fdisk (iirc). if you write it before exiting, exit, then look at
it again before the install (it s/b 83) i will be surprised if it
gets changed again.

wrt to io.sys, dos is trying to boot and cannot find it, but
you should already know that.

--Loren

lcoe <lcoe@c1932201-a.attbi.com> wrote in message news:<t9iNa.36627$fG.19744@sccrnsc01>...
> Bryan <bryan@compgen.com> wrote:
> > I am having this same problem. I have a dell D600 and am trying to
> > put RH7.3 on it. Install goes off without a hitch, including setting
> > the /boot (hda1 which is 128MB) file system type to linux (83). After
> > going through the install CDs it reboots only to find "Missing io.sys"
> > at the prompt.
>
> > When I boot from the RH7.3 disk "linux rescue", then check using
> > fdisk; the boot partition is set back to FAT! I even tried what I
> [....]
> > This caused the next install of RH7.3 to ask if I wanted to initialize
> > the disk. I said "y". Again the install went off with no problem.
> > Again on reboot the #@!&ing thing set the partion type to FAT and is
> > looking for 'io.sys'!
>
> what do you do to look at the partition table, what os/command?
>
> just an observation, fdisk will take all the param's to change the
> table but it does not automatically write it out when you exit
> fdisk (iirc). if you write it before exiting, exit, then look at
> it again before the install (it s/b 83) i will be surprised if it
> gets changed again.
>
> wrt to io.sys, dos is trying to boot and cannot find it, but
> you should already know that.
>
> --Loren

There are several things that can cause this. First and primary is
something like ontrack or other disk manager softwares that are
installed in the mbr that relay your disk configuration exactly as it
should be seen to your bios.

The problem is that you can install completely, and never hit the mbr
for the disk because ontrack has it guarded.

First backup everything on your win partion, when you have that done,
then uninstall ontrack, etc. Then with a dos disk fdisk /mbr the
disk. This should clear every thing. Now you can safely install
linux on the machine.

If you want to keep windows then you'll need to reinstall it first,
and then install linux, and copy all your data back onto the windows
partition.