Many thanks to all for trying to help me. I added the answers to all your
questions below. I might have to mention yet that I used Linux fdisk to
create the e: partion on my second hard drive as System Win95 FAT32.
On Thu, 11 May 2000, pfheiss wrote about, Phatlinux Problem:
> Hi,
> I got myself Phatlinux and run into a serious problem. I have sent SOS
> messages to Phatlinux with no response. Therefore I am trying this route.
>
> I tried to install Phatlinux on my second hard disk on which I run my DOS
> programs which is drive D:. For Phatlinux I created a drive E: with 1.4
> GB. I started to install according to instructions into drive e: when may
> be half way the installation aborted claiming drive E: invalid media type.
> Then disaster struck I could not access my drive d: any longer claiming
> the same invalid media type reading drive d:. When I went into W98 on
> drive c: it claimed drive d: is not formatted.
> My question now, how can I recover my for me valuable programs and files
> on DOS drive d:? Is there a program for such purpose?
This sounds like a partition table problem, BUT firstly i or i think i may
say we, (concerning other well informed sources here on this list), would
need to know more about this disto,
1) What sort of filesystem is used. UMSDOS or a normal linux ext2
filesystem.??
-- MSDOS
2) Did you actually see that programs were being copied onto the H/D ??
or did it fail on the first program (or package) it tried to install.
-- There was only one line saying that it is unpacking and the cdrom and
hard drive were rumbling back and forth which is usually an indication
that some copying is being done.
3) What does Linux fdisk say about the partition table, if you cant use
linux fdisk use DOS fdisk to see what it says, linux fdisk is much more
informative that its DOS partner.
-- Linux fdisk p say /dev/dhh1 Start End Blocks ID System
1 1024 516064 b Win95 FAT32
v says 3092606 unallocated sectors
4) Were there ANY other messages you noticed on your screen no matter HOW
trivial they might seem to you.?? Please be spesific if at all possable.
-- The only message after the installation stopped was: invalid media
typer eading drive e:, abort, fail, retry. The same message I get now
when I want to address drive d:
--
Regards Richard
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://people.zeelandnet.nl/pa3gcu/
From: Ray Olszewski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Richard asked the right preliminary questions. Having checked a bit, I have
a slightly more specific question.
Phatlinux is distributed as a large (~190 mB) .zip file, from which I infer
it is loadlin-based. It is also sold on CD. (BTW, the Phatlinux site,
www.phatlinux.com, says its support address helps only people who bought and
registered the CD. Are you using a registered CD, Peter?)
--Yes, I bought it from Phatlinux and when I addressed them at their
support I included as requested my order number. I am quite happy with
my RedHat and wanted this Phatlinux for my not-so-computer-literate
friends. Therefore, I had to try it first. Tough luck.
So ... what do you mean, Peter, by "half way the installation"? Do you mean
un-zip'ing the file to \phat\ ? Or were you folloing the README instructions
for what to do after it's unzipped?
-- I was following the README instruction for installion under DOS from
the cdrom. The installation started and by the time it stalled judging
from my other Linux installations it might have been half way through.
If the first, that's happening under DOS or Windows, not Linux ... we won't
be much help on that.
If the second, you'll need to be a lot more specific about what you were
doing. What "did the README tell you to do, and what happened just before
the "invalid media type" message appeared?
-- It says quote: If you are installing from DOS or Win3x to install you
run the following from the CD:
unzip phatv32.zip -d e:\phat unquote
It then started to transfer the files and just stopped with that
message from DOS
Of course, some Phatlinux user may read your inquiry here and be able to
help without all this additional information. I don't think any of the list
"regulars" use Phat, though.
Ray Olszewski
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I am guessing, but Phatlinux sounds like an imitation of zipslack such
that the install is actually done by msdose or windose, as indeed an
error message referring to drive E: indicates.
That is, it is an msdose/windose problem, and not a linux problem at
all. Or perhaps your hard drive has failed, but I wouldn't give up on
it just because win9x doesn't like it.
Zipslack needs a 32 bit version of pkzip. http://www.pkware.com
If Phatlinux was thoughtful enough to include a rescue floppy, you can
run up a linux rescue system and try dosfsck on your d: drive. You will
probably have to call it /dev/hdb1 if that's what it is. (first
partition on the slave drive of the first IDE channel. msdose drive
letters have no necessary connection with physical reality.)
Linux don't know from a: B: C:, ...
-- There was no rescue floppy.
Or take a look at ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/system/recovery
Maybe something there can help you.
Media type is in byte 0x15 (starting from 0) in the msdose partition
boot record, IIRC, and it is 0xf8 for a hd. maybe you could repair it
with msdose debug.exe if that is indeed what is wrong. or bpe or vi or
...
Lawson
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-newbie" in
the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Please read the FAQ at http://www.linux-learn.org/faqs
