Lilo L 99 99 99..... error

Matt Houston · Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 2

Hello

Fairly new to Linux. The first time I tried install Slackware in a dual boot with Win XP it went surprisingly smoothly and worked first time.

The next time I tried to install, at the point where it asks to install Lilo, I specify the MBR, and it skips straight to the next part of the installation process leaving me with the feeling Lilo wasn't really installed properly. I've tried both automatic and manual configuration. Then when I reboot, instead of the lilo menu I get this L 99 99 99 error which I see is quite common but i can't seem to get round.

Why was it working right the first time and now the last three times is giving me grief? I am kind of weary to try again because I havn't been able to boot my windows partition each time and can't get the fixmbr command to work so have had to re-install, losing a lot of my girlfiends data who is not impressed with me.

I am using two ide drives, 20 gig for linux and 160 (well really 130) for windows. Any ideas, I really want to get this working but it's tunrning into more hassle than it's worth.

Nille · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 1029 Location: Sweden

This is the lilo errorcode:
99 invalid second stage index sector (LILO)
In the option
boot = /dev/hda1
Remove the number like 1 in my example.
boot = /dev/hda
Then type lilo -v and reeboot and it works.
If u need help with how to edit lilo then ask again.

From lilo.
When the first
stage loader gets control, it types the letter "L"; when it is ready to transfer control to the second stage loader
it types the letter "I". If any error occurs, like a disk read error, it will put out a hexadecimal error code, and
then it will re-try the operation. All hex error codes are BIOS return values, except for the lilo-generated 40, 99
and 9A. A partial list of error codes follows:

00 no error
01 invalid disk command
02 address mark not found
03 disk write-protected
04 sector not found
06 floppy disk removed
08 DMA overrun
0A bad sector flag
0B bad track flag
20 controller failure
40 seek failure (BIOS)
40 cylinder>1023 (LILO)
99 invalid second stage index sector (LILO)
9A no second stage loader signature (LILO)

naverone · Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 1

I understand what you said to do on this problem, but I don't know hwo to edit lilo. Please help Sad

slack · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 9:50 pm Post subject:

vi /etc/lilo (some find pico a little easier)

make sure you type lilo in the command prompt after you make your changes.
_________________
"If you need help with your Linux box, find a Slackware user. A Slackware user is more likely to fix the problem than a user familiar with any other distribution." - Distrowatch.com

aequitas · Joined: 03 Aug 2005 Posts: 39

its actually /etc/lilo.conf

and if your new, do this:

to edit the conf file

slack · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 3:56 pm Post subject:

woops i forgot the conf...good call.
_________________
"If you need help with your Linux box, find a Slackware user. A Slackware user is more likely to fix the problem than a user familiar with any other distribution." - Distrowatch.com

Matt Houston · Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 2

major problems, please see my post on another forum.

http://pcpitstop.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=102485

./leone · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 3

Hi all,

sorry for bumping an old thread, but i was wandering through the web looking for a solution to a very similar problem i am having.

i read the answers and i have to say i have some difficulties to follow you since this error message occurs at the boot level not allowing me to load anything at all (neither a graphical nor a command line version of an os).
Besides, I can not even start linux from a live cd.

To explain a bit deeper what i did, i was basically installing slackware 10.2 replacing a previous mandriva system.
After creating partitions and choosing packages, the process blocked at 94%.
installation aborted and reboot. Then the darkness came... Sad

any suggestion?

thanx in advance,
marco

Nille · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 1029 Location: Sweden

Try boot from the install cd.

./leone · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 3

already tried, even with a win 2k and a win xp installation discs (you see how desperate i am? Wink

). No difference and same error message.

marco

Nille · Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 1029 Location: Sweden

Well is boot form cd set before hdd in the bios.
If not the you need to change the boot order in your bios to be able to boot from cd.

./leone · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 3

well, yes.

of course the boot sequence is set so that cdroms are searched first.
then c and floppy first. i will try to put floppy before c and boot using one of those.

marco