Even if you don’t want to boot Linux from a floppy diskette, you should create and keep on hand a Linux boot floppy. If something goes wrong with your system, preventing you from booting in the normal way, you may be able to boot your system by using the floppy. Then, you can diagnose and repair the problem and get back to business as usual.
The Red Hat install program gives you the option of creating a boot diskette when you install Linux. You should exercise this option each time you install Linux, so that you have a fresh boot floppy containing software consistent with that stored on your hard drive.
However, you can easily create a boot
diskette after the installation is complete. To do so, insert a blank
floppy diskette into your system’s floppy drive. Log on as
root
and issue the following command:
/sbin/mkbootdisk version
For version
, supply the version number of your
kernel. If you don’t recall the version, simply access an
unused virtual console. There you’ll see the default Red Hat
login prompt, which includes the version number of the kernel, for
example, 2.4.2.
The mkbootdisk
command
creates a boot floppy that uses the same kernel running when the
command is issued. It also configures the boot floppy to load any
necessary SCSI modules, so that your SCSI drives will be accessible
after booting from the floppy.
Another way to create a boot disk is from the GUI. In GNOME, use Main Menu → Programs → System → Create a boot disk, or in KDE, use Main Menu → System → Create a boot disk after inserting a blank floppy disk in the drive.
Insert the boot floppy into your system’s floppy drive. If your system is turned off, power up your system. If your system is turned on, first shut down the active operating system in the proper manner, then restart the system. Linux should then boot from the floppy.
To use your boot floppy, your
system’s CMOS must be configured to allow booting from the
floppy drive. If your system boots from its hard drive even when the
boot floppy is present, you must change your system’s CMOS
configuration. The relevant option is generally named Boot Sequence,
Boot Order, or something similar. The value you want is generally
labeled A:
, C:
, or
something similar. Consult your system’s documentation for
further information.