Re: [TCLUG:10510] Mandrake Update and Boot Problem

[Chris Kesler <chris@pconline.com>]

On 26 Nov 1999, Philip Forst wrote:

> Hello.  I am running a DHCP, Apache, and DNS server on a computer with a
> Pentium 100 MHz processor, 32 MB RAM, and 6.4 GB Quantum IDE hard drive. 
The
> computer is using Linux-Mandrake 6.0 with KDE and Linux kernel 2.2.9-19mdk.  I
> have two problems with the server that I hope some of you may be able to help
> me with:
> 
> (1) Booting
> 
> When booting the computer, the place where "LILO:" normally comes up instead
> says "Drive not ready.  Please insert boot disk in Drive A;  Press any key
> when ready"
> 
> If I insert a boot disk, everything works fine.  This did not happen until I
> recently  wiped the hard drive and reinstalled Linux-Mandrake.  Would a
> corrupt mbr do this or ?
> 

This message is coming from your BIOS.  Yes, it's boot sector-related.  If
you chose to install LILO to the superblock of the boot partition, rather
than to the master boot record, then you can fix this by toggling the boot
partition active in fdisk.  Otherwise, e-mail us your /etc/lilo.conf file
so we can have a look.


> (2) Updating
> 
> It's time for me to update the packages on the server.  For example am still
> running dhcpd beta 1 patch level 6.  Sad I know.  Anyway I launch "Updates on
> the desktop and selected rpmfind.net as my resource for updating.  All of the
> downloads go fine.  The problem is when it starts installing.  An error box
> pops up and says "Package <insert package name here> is for a different
> architecture."  It lists nearly every package that I selected to update. 
> Apache 1.3.6-28mdk.i586.rpm was one the update packages that was downloaded. 
> The KDE Control Panel defines the machine as an "i486."  I thought that all
> Pentiums are of the i586 architecture.  I am not a system administrator  as a
> primary job responsibility.  Suggestions -- how do I update?  Is the KDE
> Control Panel incorrectly identifying the architecture or do I need an
> architecture lesson?
> 

I've never seen this before.  I hate to ask, but how positive are you that
this machine is a Pentium?  What does 'uname -m' tell you?  If it's a
Pentium, you should be able to do 'rpm -Uvh <packagename>' at the command
line to install the packages you need. 

In any case, you can use the i386 rpms.  They'll work on systems with 386
processors and up. 


Chris