Linux Version 1.8 Boot Disk

[TimmyNZ]

Hi,
I am trying to find a boot disk for version 1.8 of Linux, it appears that the boot sector of the HDD has failed, (The machine is asking for a boot disk now when it is powered up).
Anyones help with this will be very much appreciated!!!!

 

[TimmyNZ]

I realise that I will probably need to do this via a image file. I have used a program called CopyQM to do this before.
All I need to do is to boot the computer once to get a critical group of files off the hdd before it is replaced.

 

[bmouring]

Ok, are you refering to something with a version 1.8 kernel? That's really, really old. I think it's more likely that 1.8 is the version of the particular distro. Not the same thing.

Anyway, if all you need to do is get some files off of the disk, I'd say use a liveCD if it has a cd rom drive. If you are relegate to a flobby, look for a busybox-based floppy. With these and either a spare disk or network connection (or in the case of the linex livecds, a USB drive or blank cd/dvd) and save what you need.

Alternately, if you can remember what the machine used as a bootloaded (lilo? grub?) you can download or make a boot disk to try to boot it. You'd also have to know a bit about the disk layout.

 

[MU_Engineer]

If the boot sector is merely overwritten or bunked up and not wholly badblocked out, try reinstalling LILO or GRUB to the MBR. The system will also say that the hard drive is not bootable if this is the case. You should be able to use GRUB or LILO from any Linux CD, provided that the version is at least similar to the one originally on the computer.

 

[TimmyNZ]

Hi, firstly thanks for you help so far!
Yes the machine is very old, 95-98ish. Unfortunately there is no CDROM, (I don't think they were invented then, the mainboard doesn't even support HDA, I've had a nightmare finding a replacement HDD).
It can connect to a zip disk though. I have the original Zip Disks from initial installation, will it be possible to make a boot disk from this, (sorry, I am a complete noob to linux!)?

 

[linux_0]

Hi, firstly thanks for you help so far!
Yes the machine is very old, 95-98ish. Unfortunately there is no CDROM, (I don't think they were invented then, the mainboard doesn't even support HDA, I've had a nightmare finding a replacement HDD).
It can connect to a zip disk though. I have the original Zip Disks from initial installation, will it be possible to make a boot disk from this, (sorry, I am a complete noob to linux!)?

CDROMs have been around since the early 1990's -- maybe late 1980's.

Anyway... you should be able to boot it with a Linux rescue floppy but a live CD would work so much better!

You can try these rescue disks:

http://freshmeat.net/search/?q=linux+rescue+floppy&section=projects&Go.x=0&Go.y=0


You can use dd on a Linux, BSD or Unix box to make the floppy

For example:

[code:1:441d1ac8dd]
dd if=linux_rescue_floppy.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=512
[/code:1:441d1ac8dd]

Or you can use rawwrite.exe under DOS or Windoze

http://freshmeat.net/search/?q=rawwrite&section=projects&Go.x=0&Go.y=0

Good luck :-D


PS You could try to make a bootable ZIP disk but I dunno how easy that will be.

 

[TimmyNZ]

Hi Linux 0, thanks for the instructions and links, hopefully I'll be able to sort the problem using a floppy, or a temporarily attached CDROM.
Thanks again,

Tim Matthews

 

[linux_0]

Hi Linux 0, thanks for the instructions and links, hopefully I'll be able to sort the problem using a floppy, or a temporarily attached CDROM.
Thanks again,

Tim Matthews

If your machine has USB and supports booting from USB you could use a USB stick, USB CDROM or USB HDD.

:-D

 

[bmouring]

If it's from ~95-98, I doubt it will be able to boot from USB sadly, but it's definately worth a shot. The worst that could happen is that it won't boot from it.

 

[linux_0]

If it's from ~95-98, I doubt it will be able to boot from USB sadly, but it's definately worth a shot. The worst that could happen is that it won't boot from it.

Maybe with a BIOS update if you get extremely lucky.....

:-D

 

[TimmyNZ]

Hi, I've managed to get it to boot from a FDD and have backed up the data I need.
Thanks to all that have helped! And thanks to Tom's for their forum and all the helpful People who inhabit it!

Cheers,

Tim Matthews

 

[bmouring]

Awesome. Unlike the hardare section that seems to be a constant AMD/Intel or GeForce/ATI flamefest, we actually try to help people out here
/steps from soapbox
Anywho, whoever didn't backup that data or even create a boot disk owes you a beer (even if it was yourself )

 

[TimmyNZ]

Thanks, unfortunatly your right about the backups, it is always our fault, not the customers, that they don't do the backup. Even though everytime our machine software, (the pc runs a cnc machine), starts up it asks to do a backup!

 

[linux_0]

Thanks, unfortunatly your right about the backups, it is always our fault, not the customers, that they don't do the backup. Even though everytime our machine software, (the pc runs a cnc machine), starts up it asks to do a backup!

You can never have enough backups.

You should have triple++ redundant backups on different media at geographically dispersed locations.

 

[TimmyNZ]

It would make my life a lot eaiser if they managed to do a backup at least annually!

 

[linux_0]

It would make my life a lot eaiser if they managed to do a backup at least annually!

Most people, companies and organizations do not have proper backups :-(

That includes many geeks that know or ought to know better, myself included.

 

[TimmyNZ]

That includes many geeks that know or ought to know better, myself included.

Too true, I should also practice what I preach!!!!

 

[linux_0]

That includes many geeks that know or ought to know better, myself included.

Too true, I should also practice what I preach!!!!



I normally rsync my data to my other main machine however I haven't done so recently because I am trying to conserve energy and we are in the middle of a heatwave.

You guys are lucky it's winter down there :-D