UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I'm trying to install Fedora 9 on a Dell OptiPlex GX300 machine. The instalation runs properly, but when the computer restarts after the instalation, it simply won't boot, like there's no OS installed.
I tried diffrent Linux distributions, but nothing works.

This are the partitions, maybe it's usefull:
/boot ext2 100mb

Physical volume: System
- swap swap 1gb
- /srv ext3 4gb
- /usr ext3 4gb
- /var ext3 1gb
- /home ext3 4gb
- / ext3 5gb

I realy hope somebody could help me

Did you install the default bootloader?
Is your booloader installed on the first disk?
Is the first disk set to be the first disk in BIOS?
What kind of disk? (IDE, SATA)?
Any errors?

thanks for the help

The bootloader is located at /dev/System/root
everything is installed on the first disk (IDE) (there's only one disk)

the only error that's shown is a system error:
"Strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility"

The computer has a 2nd CPU, but i tried it also with that CPU disabled, so I don't think it has something to do with it.

(I tried Fedora 9 and Ubuntu 8.04 ; nothing worked)

When i boot from the openSUSE LiveCD, everything goes fine.

Live CDs will work because they do not use the hard drive. Is it a bad disk? Do you have a spare you can use to test?

Perhaps you can post a copy of your lilo.conf file (assuming you use lilo)?#

LILO (boot loader - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

lilo.conf even if he can't install *any* distribution?

The original poster did not say he could not install *any* distribution. Read carefully.....

The original poster said, and I quote:

So, if the installation was OK, he will see the option to configure the bootloader.

If you can't see or configure the bootloader, how can you troubleshoot a booting problem?