Slackware 13 booting problem

[kachukumma]

hi, I just joined. I am new to linux or unix universe, all my life I have wasted to windows and now I started reading about linux and freeBSD and few days ago I downloaded complete Slackware Linux 13 (complete CD's set and also full DVD). I have finished installation also. I have a Dell Optiplex 320 with 2 160GB SATA HDDs. one is for windows xp pro and other is for slackware.....last night I finished installationn of slackware and I tried to boot it but nothing all was bootlable was XP pro.....would you plz help me to figure out what should I do?

[yancek]

If your Slackware installation was successful and you can now only boot xp, the question is where did you put the Slackware bootloader? If you installed it to the master boot record of the drive Slackware is on, then setting that drive to first boot priority in the BIOS should enable you to boot it. This is the default. If you chose to install to the root partition of Slackware, things get a little more difficult. Since you are able to boot xp, I would expect that drive is set to first boot priority and Slackware bootloader is somewhere on the other drive.

Which drive is set first in BIOS boot priority?
Where did you install Slackware bootloader?

[whych]

Welcome to linux and the forum!
Without offending anyone, Slackware is not the easiest distro for a new user to learn on (although it was my first distro), but if you are wanting to learn linux, it is the best to use because everything is customisable to your taste and nothing is 'pushed' to you.
As yancek says, if the install worked, try one of tghe other live distros and use it to install grub/lilo and find your installed slackware.

[prudhivisekhar]

You should install grub in the windows partition.

[previso]

Slackware is for maniacs. Get a nice GUI, easy distro. Knoppix is best for newbies. Start with a Live CD.
After kicking it around, Fedora or Suse (although the debians just love Ubuntu)
Yeah, your GRUB is not in the MBR.

[prudhivisekhar]

Yiu can easily install slackware linux also by simply following the steps u get while installing the slackware linux

[battleship]

Slackware is for maniacs. Get a nice GUI, easy distro. Knoppix is best for newbies. Start with a Live CD.
After kicking it around, Fedora or Suse (although the debians just love Ubuntu)
Yeah, your GRUB is not in the MBR.

First off slackware doesn't use grub it uses lilo .

Did you make a boot stick for Slackware? If so insert it into a USB slot and reboot that will get you into linux for now. If you didn't what I would do rather than spend a lot of time trying to re-configure lilo to boot from the MBR.
'Im going to assume you are a noob judging by the nature of your question."

Your next best options for someone who is unsure of what to do in this case would be.

1. Re-install Slack this time make a bootstick, Pay attention to where you install lilo. If in MBR you are going to have to add Windows to Lilo.conf file. (This would probably be the easiest for now till you get used to working in linux .)

2. Edit windows boot loader to also boot linux.

3. Use the dvd or Cd #1 to "rescue boot".

Good luck. I just started using Slack a few months ago myself and I have tried many other distros before but Slack is my favoritest. It will just take some learning. Just Be patient and read all you can on linux.

[battleship]

I have a Dell Optiplex 320 with 2 160GB SATA HDDs. one is for windows xp pro and other is for slackware.

Sorry just caught this part. My bad. If windows is on your master drive install lilo to the MBR of the windows drive ton over write the Windows boot loader. Then you can go about finding out about working with linux. Starting with editing your lilo.conf toget both Slack & Windows bootable. Let the games begin.

[Shimmey]

I've read all the posts before.
What I want to say is that if you are a newbie, you'd better choose the virtual machine first. Because it can't damage your XP any way.
And if you have any problem, you can use the Windows to find the answers.
I am a noob, too. My virtual machine is VirtualBox.
Good luck!

[devils casper]

Boot up from LiveCD of any Linux distro, open Terminal and execute this

sudo fdisk -l