Troubleshooting a System Not Booting Up

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around troubleshooting a computer system that is not booting up, specifically focusing on an error message related to the LILO boot loader. Participants explore potential causes, including BIOS issues and the implications of previous Linux installations, while considering various methods to diagnose and resolve the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant reports a boot error displaying "L9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999" and notes that the system does not detect IDE master and slave drives.
  • Another participant suggests that the issue might be a malfunctioning BIOS.
  • A different participant proposes testing the hard drives in another PC to determine if the motherboard is the problem.
  • Some participants discuss the possibility that the error is related to LILO, indicating that a previous Linux installation may be affecting the boot process.
  • One participant describes their experience with LILO and expresses concern about the risks of repairing the Master Boot Record (MBR), fearing data loss.
  • Another participant offers commands for repairing the MBR using either a DOS disk or a Windows XP CD.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying opinions on the cause of the boot issue, with some suggesting BIOS problems while others focus on the implications of the LILO boot loader. There is no consensus on the exact cause or solution, and multiple competing views remain present in the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the risks associated with repairing the MBR and the potential for data loss, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the troubleshooting process. There are also references to previous experiences with Linux installations that may influence the current issue.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals experiencing similar boot issues with their computers, particularly those who have previously installed Linux and are encountering problems with the LILO boot loader.

heman
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My system is not booting up and in very first stage ,,it is givng the error...
L9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

and it doesn't g any further...
and also it doesn't detect the IDE master and slave...
what possibly can be wong with it??
 
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Sounds like a cooked BIOS. :(
 
can you suggest something?
 
heman said:
can you suggest something?

Oh, sorry, didn't get the meaning of the PM you sent me earlier.

I'm afraid a BIOS malfunction means the motherboard has to be changed for the computer to work. To make sure this is the problem, try switching your hard drives to a spare PC or a friend's PC. If they work fine, then it's the motherboard. If the primary boot drive is the culprit, it won't work on your spare PC either.

Good luck.
 
heman said:
My system is not booting up and in very first stage ,,it is givng the error...
L9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

and it doesn't g any further...
and also it doesn't detect the IDE master and slave...
what possibly can be wong with it??

Does it still show the screen with the computer/motherboard company (for example on a Dell it says "Dell" with a little loading bar)? If you are getting this, then BIOS may be okay.

The L999999999 error sounds like a LILO error, so I'm assuming you have attempted to install a Linux distro using LILO. http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...ror_Codes+error+L99&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2" may help, but if you are unable to do this, I would Google around for error L99.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
GluonZ said:
Does it still show the screen with the computer/motherboard company (for example on a Dell it says "Dell" with a little loading bar)? If you are getting this, then BIOS may be okay.

The L999999999 error sounds like a LILO error, so I'm assuming you have attempted to install a Linux distro using LILO. http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...ror_Codes+error+L99&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2" may help, but if you are unable to do this, I would Google around for error L99.

Good catch. I didn't expect the poster to have Linux installed on the computer. But come to think of it, it does sound more like a LILO err code.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
yeah i have previously tried to install Linux but the internet connections didn't work..the problem was actually the suitable kernel,,,

i was expecting everything to be of windows type since i removed the partition for Linux...

Now where to give the commands actually in this case...this is exactly Lilo error.
 
As you can see by the title, I am having a problem with the LILO boot loader, but I need to ask my own question because all the ones I've found on google and the internet are for linux.

I tried to install linux on my computer in August. I had slackware 10, and everything was working fine but I was having some trouble configuring the libraries and everyday was a headache with linux so I uninstalled it around feb. 7th. Unfortunately, LILO does not get removed with the installion and trying to uninstall it without linux installed was a "risk", so I just kept it (seeing as I didn't mind). Since feb. 7th, all the way up to this morning (may 6th) LILO has booted fine, Windows XP has booted fine and life was peachy, until this morning. I woke up, turned on the PC to check any mail before work and... BOOM, there it was.

Where LILO is supposed to load, it says L 99 99 99 99 and has about 200 99s, then it just stops and I can only press CTRL + ALT + DELETE to restart, where it just happens again.

So, I've gone online but all the problems seem to be upon install or uninstall of linux, what was done months ago. This problem doesn't seem to happen just out of the blue. I didn't touch the mbr, or any out of the ordinary programs, used any windows maintenance programs, or touched the computer's vital files yesterday. In fact, I spent my day online yesterday doing the normal things I do everyday.

Now, I have seen that the way to fix it is to repair the MBR, but there is a risk to this that could end up in deleting my whole hard drive. Does anyone know what happened, why, and how to fix it?l
 

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