Blank screen on first start after install?

[SlowCoder]

I've run into this a couple of times after installation of Linux on a new system.

I'm guessing this has to do with a failure to write a new boot loader on the system? I've seen it on both Redhat and Slackware installs, and on different systems.

A zeroing of the hard drive (wipe) seems to clear it up, but then I have to go through the Linux reinstall.

Is there a faster way to fix it?

Thanks.

[lordnothing]

if you boot from a liveCD/rescue disk, you should be able to manually install a boot loader on the mbr... for grub, do the following:

$ grub
grub> root (hd0,0)   #replace (hd0,0) with your boot partition
grub> setup (hd0)    #installs GRUB on the MBR

i don't know 'bout lilo, though.. i haven't used it in quite a while.

[SlowCoder]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I am using LILO. I did check the /etc/lilo.conf (or /mnt/hda1 using the live CD) file, but it already points to hda1. And it won't allow me to rewrite the MBR using a live CD.

Soooo ... I'm moving ahead with the wipe, since I need to get the system running.

Any other advice would definately help for future installs.