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[SOLVED] Can't boot fresh install of Stretch on ancient IBM

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RogerRoger
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[SOLVED] Can't boot fresh install of Stretch on ancient IBM

#1 Post by RogerRoger »

So, I have this old IBM NetVista PC with 256MB of RAM and a 320GB hard disk drive.
I am trying to install Debian with the netinstall ISO image burned to a CD.
I'm looking to set up a CLI-based machine, with moderate hopes of possibly getting a light window manager running down the road.
The net installer works flawlessly, and sets up a fresh vanilla Debian on my hard drive, but when I try to boot into it, GRUB fails to load a boot screen, and I am met with this error:

error: attempt to read or write outside 'hd0'.
Entering rescue mode
grub rescue>

I used the guided auto partitioning tool during installation; Debian is the only OS on this machine.
Can anyone help me?
Last edited by RogerRoger on 2018-07-13 23:13, edited 1 time in total.

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Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: Can't boot fresh install of Stretch on ancient IBM NetVi

#2 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

RogerRoger wrote:

Code: Select all

error: attempt to read or write outside 'hd0'.
I entered this into a search engine and this was the second link:

https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/20 ... 00253.html

Does that help?

See also http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=47078
deadbang

pcalvert
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Re: Can't boot fresh install of Stretch on ancient IBM NetVi

#3 Post by pcalvert »

I've dealt with this kind of problem before; for years I used Debian on a laptop that was made in 1998.

I believe that both (either) of these options are likely to solve your problem:

1. Switch to LILO.
2. Reinstall Debian, using a small (e.g., 300 MB) dedicated boot partition. Be sure to use a suitably-sized swap partition as well.


Phil
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RogerRoger
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Re: Can't boot fresh install of Stretch on ancient IBM NetVi

#4 Post by RogerRoger »

I followed Phil's advice (creating a separate /boot partition and installing LILO), and the system is now up and running. I have installed htop, and confirmed that the system idles right around 20MB of RAM.
Thank you for the help! :D

arzgi
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Re: Can't boot fresh install of Stretch on ancient IBM NetVi

#5 Post by arzgi »

That's great!

Can you please mark the thread as solved. Edit the header of your first post of the thread, and add [SOLVED] to front of it.

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