Salix Forums

I have tried to install from a Salix XCFE live, Salix KDE and Fluxbox install CD's and all have failed in some way. The Live Cd wouldn't even run and both install CDs (I made multiple attempte with both) either just froze during installation (Default kernel) or completed the install using the huge.s kernel. My problem comes in the form of Lilo. I tried the default settings and the advanced settings where I choose what is booted. in both instances everything went fine until the very end when I get an error message saying Lilo can't determine what video driver/resolution? to use. I have tried to save the error message and I was informed it's in etc/fstab file somewhere in my install but I can't find it. I can boot using a antiX live cd and look around somewhat but that's as far as I can get. I can also boot using a Boot repair disc that uses Grub.

I am installing on an old 2000ish Pentium 3 800mhz, 128mb ram, 20Gb hdd Sager.
It is Partitioned as follows: (rough sizes)

/dev/sda1 4Gb Windowz 2000
/dev/sda2 ext4 6Gb / (Salix)
/dev/sda3 extended 10Gb
/dev/sda4 ext4 5Gb /usr
/dev/sda5 ext4 4Gb /home
/dev/sda6 1Gb Swap

I also can choose the correct vesa driver and resolution if given the list. I don't remember right off but it is around 1280x1024x65.

I believe antiX is also Slackware based too. Is there info in the live CD I can use to get my Salix running?

I think if given instructions on what to get and post accompanied by the correct command line I can transfer the results to a working computerto post. Also, I have a working Install on a newer laptop if that makes any difference,

Thank you all

When you say the live cd wouldn't even run - what happens exactly? Does it look anything like this?

http://www.salixos.org/forum/viewtopic. ... 8&start=23

However, with 128mb RAM, you're likely to have trouble even with more lightweight Salix editions. The lightest is Ratpoison (see the Startup Guide).

travalon wrote:I have tried to install from a Salix XCFE live, Salix KDE and Fluxbox install CD's and all have failed in some way.

In what way they failed? Does booting SalixLive x32 Xfce works? If that CD boots, then where exactly you found a problem?

For installing, the standard installation CDs should require less resources than installing from the Live editions, but anyway 128MB might be a little bit "too low" for comfortable usage (yet, still possible depending on the exact choices for your installation).

My problem comes in the form of Lilo. I tried the default settings and the advanced settings where I choose what is booted. in both instances everything went fine until the very end when I get an error message saying Lilo can't determine what video driver/resolution? to use. I have tried to save the error message and I was informed it's in etc/fstab file somewhere in my install but I can't find it. I can boot using a antiX live cd and look around somewhat but that's as far as I can get. I can also boot using a Boot repair disc that uses Grub.

LILO is just the default bootloader. You could install / use whichever bootloader (if you are comfortable with grub, go with that. Search the forum).

In addition, the LIVE CDs include LILOSetup, a GUI tool.

I am installing on an old 2000ish Pentium 3 800mhz, 128mb ram, 20Gb hdd Sager.
It is Partitioned as follows: (rough sizes)

/dev/sda1 4Gb Windowz 2000
/dev/sda2 ext4 6Gb / (Salix)
/dev/sda3 extended 10Gb
/dev/sda4 ext4 5Gb /usr
/dev/sda5 ext4 4Gb /home
/dev/sda6 1Gb Swap

During Salix installation, have you added the respective mount points?

I also can choose the correct vesa driver and resolution if given the list. I don't remember right off but it is around 1280x1024x65.

I believe antiX is also Slackware based too. Is there info in the live CD I can use to get my Salix running?

I think if given instructions on what to get and post accompanied by the correct command line I can transfer the results to a working computerto post. Also, I have a working Install on a newer laptop if that makes any difference,

Thank you all

I'm not sure what you are asking here. Do you mean the "vga=nnn" boot code for your resolution?

Ok after reading the responses I realize I haven't adequately lain out my situation.

1. the 32bit live XCFE just freezes while trying to load everything it needs to boot. I'm not sure where as I gave up on it a while back.
2. both 32bit standard install discs KDE & Fluxbox will install up to the installation of Lilo then I get the error. I am choosing the full install. One time I did succeed with a basic install of fluxbox. I have it sitting on a screen as I write this and will post it as soon as I get it written down.
3. Yes I have added the respective mount points and they closely mirror another sucessful installationof Salix.
4. I believe it is the 'vga=nnn' boot code I was refering to. It is a 3 digit code such as 755. I figure if antiX will run then it must have the proper video adapter.

LILO is just the default bootloader. You could install / use whichever bootloader (if you are comfortable with grub, go with that. Search the forum).

I have been trying to figure out how to manually install Lilo or Grub but haven't gotten far as of yet. and I can't use the Lilosetup Gui as the live CDs don't want to run.
I suppose I could try through the command line but someone would probably have to hold my hand.

@ mimosa - Nope that's not my error. I did read through your entire thread hoping for a solution. I tried different DVD drives, I switched hard drives and redownloaded and checked the MD5 then burned. All ideas from your thread. I have started compiling logs (though IDK if they are the useful ones) to post.

I just got the error message again:

Warning: unable to determine video adapter in use in the present system.
Fatal: bmp-colors:value out of range [0,15]
Sorry,but the attempt to install Lilo has returned an error, so Lilo has not been correctly installed. You'll have to use a boot disk to start your machine instead. It should still be possible to get Lilo working by editing the etc/lilo.conf and reinstalling lilo manually. See the lilo man page and documentation in usr/doc/lilo/ for more help. The error message may be seen above.

Then I am prompted to make a boot stick. I did and it didn't work as my machine can't boot from usb.
I just remembered when beginning to install Lilo, I am prompted as to where I would like to install. I have chosen the "possibly unsafe" MBR option as well as in the / partition of Salix. I was going for a dual boot but may have messed up my Win2k.(no big loss)

Thx

Gosh I didn't mean for you to wade through that discussion! Still,I'm glad if some of it was useful.

Regarding lilo, you can try

#liloconfig

which is quite easy to use and doesn't require X. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it failed in the same way. There is also sg2conf for grub (you'd need to install it, and grub2). If FLuxbox is working, you can install lilosetup, the Live GUI (don't think this is included in non-live Salix).

You may want to use a live cd of some lightweight distro as a rescue disk - the Salix cd itself would do, if you get as far as the boot menu (select runlevel three).

But 128 MB is very low. You say a Basic install of Fluxbox *is* working - how's that going? What about Lilo and the video issue, in that case?

Please, you're throwing wildly stuff together here which makes it impossible to understand what's going on. Please open a single thread for each issue and provide more and especially more accurate information!
How are you triggering the error messages? Where exactly do they appear? How are you installing?
If you describe different attempts please make clear to what attempt/method the respective information belongs. Lots of unsorted information is completely useless. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack.

@travelon.

Shador is stating an adequate suggestion. Try concentrating on one DE (I would discard KDE for 128MB RAM, but that's just me ) and using the standard CD. The Live CDs might help you find out if the system would at least work, but the standard CDs should require less resources for your install.

Besides the amount of RAM, you are having 2 main problems: the boot loader, and the graphic card (the resolution is just an additional issue with relatively easy solution - "vga=788" boot code for example).

The boot loader issue could be solved, generally speaking, with some other CD (antix for example) if you can't do it with Salix. But the graphic card...

You would need to provide hardware info for your graphic card.

Personal opinion (and mainly a guess): I would suggest reconsidering the installation of Salix in that specific system. Probably possible, but would need some extra knowledge and the result may not be as responsive as you would like. I don't mean this to discourage you. If you still want to install it, people here will try to help you.

Anyway, shador's suggestion is still valid.

You have faulty hardware. The most usual culprit is RAM. Test it with memtest. But it could also be CPU overheating, hard drive crashing or motherboard just failing.

gapan wrote:You have faulty hardware. The most usual culprit is RAM. Test it with memtest. But it could also be CPU overheating, hard drive crashing or motherboard just failing.

If the hardware is not working, then no other distro would boot either. It could be some overheating, or some "driver" issue, or that there are not enough resources for Salix (which is not specifically designed for "old hardware" in mind), but if the hardware was really bad, then Antix could not boot up travalon's computer either.

Just to mention a couple of Slackware-based distros that might work (at least for an alternative test) are Slacko or Absolute, among others.

What's the best wat to find a needle in a haystack?

BURN the haystack.

Due to the utterly confusing wording I used in my post, and my uncanny ability to confuse it even more, I have decided to just start from scratch using a Salix Fluxbox install disc. I will keep close notes just in case.

Thank you all who have tried to (and I am sure would have succeeded) assist me. But the truth be told you have better things to do than help me fix what could be more easily reinstalled.

I really like Salix and am not willing to give up on it yet if I have problems I'll be back.

Thx again.