Redhat 9 will install, but not boot

Hi, I've been trying for some time to install linux onto my system, and have been having trouble because of my raid 0 set. So far, I've managed to install Redhat 9 as a dual boot with XP. I am still able to boot XP, but I cannot boot redhat. During boot, quite a few error messages pertaining to hde (the first of the two drives in the raid) are displayed, all of the form

hde: read_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hde: read_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=261939831, sector=6
ide2: reset phy, status=0x00000113, siimage_reset
ide2: reset: success

A similar error is displayed for LBAsect=261939825, sector=0
LBAsect=261939827, sector=2
LBAsect=261939829, sector=4

And then after several minutes:

end_request: I/O error, dev 21:03 (hde), sector=6
mkrootdev: label / not found
Mounting root filesystem
mount: error 2 mounting ext3
pivotroot: pivot_root(/sysroot,/sysroot/initrd) failed: 2
umount /initrd/proc failed: 2
Freeing unused kernel memory: 128k freed
Kernel panic: No init found Try passing init= option to kernel

I think I know the source of the issue, but I simply don't understand the instructions for the fix. The instructions given in the installation guide are:

3. INSTALL SOFTWARE

* RedHat
. Insert Bootable CDROM
. At boot prompt type 'linux dd'
* RedHat 9.0 requires to disable the Open Source Driver by typing
linux dd hde=noprobe hdg=noprobe
. Insert Floppy Containing the Driver and follow the installation instructions.
. To UPGRADE or to just add 'DATA' sata disk drives see Full Install instructions.
. Run cleanup scripts at some point. See examples inside floppy
(mount /dev/fd0 your_directory; ls; cat cleanup-xxxx)
Cleanup gets rid of temporary driver with "Unresolved symbols"
'sh cleanup-8.0' as an example
RedHat 9.0 requires changes to the boot loaders (LILO and GRUB)
Run 'sh redhat_9.0_update_loaders'

I think the problem I'm having is at the end, where "RedHat 9.0 requires chages to the boot loaders". The instructions, however, don't tell me anything about how to run 'sh redhat_9.0_update_loaders. I also believe that it should be 'sh redhat_9.0_update_boot_loaders', as there is corresponding filename on the driver disk.

I've loaded some sort of console in Knoppix by pressing ctrl+alt+F1, and can access my floppy drive....I think.... In the instructions they talk about mounting your floppy when running the cleanup scripts, but I don't understand what they are doing or why. Using the command they propose in the directions produces an error like

sh: command not found

or something to that effect. Depending on whether or not I start the command with 'sh', I may get sh: command not found, or bash: command not found. I would expect this result, as there isn't a correspoding file. There is, as I said, a similarly named file, redhat_9.0_update_boot_loaders.sh, on the driver disk, but my attempts to use it have all resulted in similar errors.

I also realize that posting the contents of my grub.conf would probably be most helpful, but I can't seem to get root access when using knoppix. I've found several different ways to get around it, but they all ask me for the root password. The only methods I haven't tried involve console commands...but I'm not sure how to use console commands, or even if I'm using them in the right place. Perhaps as a point of clarification....what exactly is the difference between a shell and a console...or is it just a shell console?

I'm certain that I'm doing something wrong because I'm new to Linux, so if anyone has any pointers on how to use the scripts mentioned in the installation instructions, it'd be appreciated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrright

what exactly is the difference between a shell and a console

---

As I see it, a console is the screen which displays standard output, hopefully with a keyboard or something for standard input. A shell is a program that interfaces between you and the kernel. Linux has several different types of shell: C, korn, bash, Bourne. A shell is needed to run a command that you would understand. You can open a subshell within a shell.

I'm inclined to agree with you on the filenames 'sh redhat_9.0_update_loaders' and 'sh redhat_9.0_update_boot_loaders', but I'm as confused as you re: the sh part. I think sh might refer to Bourne shell which is almost completely compatible with bash ("Bourne Again SHell"). If you can't launch it, maybe it hasn't been installed or maybe the binary isn't in your path. If you are trying to run sh from within Knoppix, it might be that Knoppix doesn't support sh in the live CD. You'll need to get root permissions somehow, but maybe if you can find the sh binary in your Redhat, maybe you can run that.

I hope that helps at least a little.