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I am running Slackware as my primary operating system and Arch as my secondary (backup) operating system on my main computer (ericsbane05). I also have installations of MS Windows XP, CentOS, and Debian on a separate hard drive.
Originally, these drives were in ericsbane03 and 04 with one exception. I only had two SATA drives and one EIDE drive then. The EIDE drive was removed when building this new system and replaced with the drive /dev/sdc that you see above on the SATA1 channel (/dev/sr1 is a DVD R/W, by the way).
Arch Linux's GRUB controls /dev/sda's MBR and is the main bootloader for all operating systems on this system. Here's what my menu.lst looks like:
Code:
<snip># IMPORTANT --> Arch GRUB sees /dev/sda as hd0, but /dev/sdb as hd2 (should be hd1).
#
# (1) Slackware64-13.37
title Slackware Primary
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
#
# (2) Arch64
title Arch Linux Secondary
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda5 ro
initrd /boot/kernel26.img
# (3) MS Windows XP/SP3
title MS WIN XP Pro
root (hd2,0)
map (hd0) (hd2)
map (hd2) (hd0)
chainloader +1
# (4) CentOS64 5.6
title CentOS Tester01
root (hd2,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-238.9.1.el5 root=/dev/sdb6 ro
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18-238.9.1.el5.img<snip>
You can see that Arch's GRUB thinks that /dev/sdb is (hd2), when in fact, it should be (hd1). This was like this originally because of the hybrid EIDE/SATA setup that I had on previous systems. Now that I'm running pure SATA, I'd like to get this fixed. Here's what I've done so far:
1) I manually edited /boot/grub/device.map to look like this:
It was originally incorrect, but this didn't fix the issue. GRUB was still seeing the drives incorrectly.
I then deleted all files from the /boot/grub directory and used pacman to uninstall GRUB completely. I then reinstalled GRUB and created a new menu.lst with the correct /dev to (hd) conversions. It looks like this now:
Code:
<snip>
# (1) Slackware64-13.37
title Slackware Primary
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
#
# (2) Arch64
title Arch Linux Secondary
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda5 ro
initrd /boot/kernel26.img
# (3) MS Windows XP/SP3
title MS WIN XP Pro
root (hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1
# (4) CentOS64 5.6
title CentOS Tester01
root (hd1,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-238.9.1.el5 root=/dev/sdb6 ro
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.18-238.9.1.el5.img<snip>
The entries for Windows and CentOS reflect the new (and correct) device.map in /boot/grub. After all this, I reinstalled GRUB to the MBR like this:
Code:
# grub-install /dev/sda
Unfortunately, GRUB is still seeing /dev/sdb as (hd2). I can get all my operating systems to boot just fine by using the wrong (hd) strings in menu.lst, but I'd really like to get GRUB to work the way it's supposed to. I'm sure there is something simple here that I'm missing. Any help would be appreciated.
It sounds like you are saying
/dev/sda is hd0
/dev/sdb is hd2
/dev/sdc is hd1
is that what you are saying?
maybe it is a udev problem
look in /etc/udev/rules.d or where your udev rules are
it sounds like udev might have permanently mapped specific drives to specific sd[x] drives
correct me if I'm wrong but back in the day dos use to see the disks as follows
1st disk on bus1 was C
1st disk on bus2 was D
2nd disk on bus1 was E
2nd disk on bus2 was F
I'm pretty sure that the bios was the actual cause of the order.
and I'm thinking sata might be giving the disks in that order. It could be that grub is correct and your OS is mixing up the dive letters
(/dev/sd[x])
You may also want to look at your bios to see if you can change how it presents the order of the disks.
It could also be that linux has a different ordering of disks that grub maybe grub sees the disks the way that old dos does
Nah, Jeff... I'm not saying that. That is what GRUB sees the drives as. The correct map is sda = hd0, sdb = hd1, sdc = hd2. I know this because I can boot with a recovery CD (RIP, SuperGRUBDisk, etc.) using the proper identifications for the partitions and I can boot anything on any drive with it. It's only Arch's GRUB that seems to be confused. That being said, though... udev, that might not be a bad idea to check that. Thanks for that tip!
I'll be back...
Last edited by vtel57; 04-18-2011 at 05:17 PM.
Reason: Corrected misspelling.
grub doesn't often get confused. Grub users get confused. Sometimes "users" include distro devs.
The init scripts determine what populates /dev, so udev is a good start. Remember grub-install runs after the init scripts, so you are seeing the "Arch" view of things, not necessarily the BIOS view of things.
From the boot menu, look at the geometry of each disk - should get you the real ("correct" to use your terminology) view of things.
syg00... you are absolutely correct on your assessment that I'm getting the "Arch view of things". I was trying to explain that earlier today to someone on another forum. It's when GRUB is installed/initialized within the distribution that it takes on whatever characteristics or flaws. I'm sure this is an Arch issue because for many years Debian was my secondary OS/bootloader on all my systems, and it never had this issue with pure SATA or hybrid setups.
I didn't see anything that jumped out at me when looking through Arch's udev rules or config. I'll keep checking in there, though. Anymore hints to lead me in the right direction would not go unappreciated.
Thanks,
~Eric
P.S. Here's a copy of my fdisk -l with notations. It might also be helpful:
Code:
Disk /dev/sdb: 250.0 GB, 250000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30394 cylinders, total 488281250 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0009e140
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 16384 51216383 25600000 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT <-- MS Windows XP C partition
/dev/sdb2 51232768 102432767 25600000 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb3 102453181 488270159 192908489+ 5 Extended <-- swap
/dev/sdb5 102453183 106550639 2048728+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/sdb6 106565823 137289599 15361888+ 83 Linux <-- CentOS /
/dev/sdb7 137304783 188501039 25598128+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb8 188516223 219239999 15361888+ 83 Linux <-- Debian /
/dev/sdb9 219255183 270451439 25598128+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb10 270466623 301190399 15361888+ 83 Linux <-- tester /
/dev/sdb11 301205583 352401839 25598128+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb12 352417023 383140799 15361888+ 83 Linux <-- tester /
/dev/sdb13 383155983 434352239 25598128+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb14 434367423 488270159 26951368+ 83 Linux <-- storage
Disk /dev/sdc: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0002cd1d
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 16065 102414374 51199155 83 Linux <-- Slackware backups
/dev/sdc2 102430440 204828749 51199155 83 Linux <-- Arch backups
/dev/sdc3 204844815 488392064 141773625 5 Extended
/dev/sdc5 204860880 307259189 51199155 b W95 FAT32 <-- MS Windows backups
/dev/sdc6 307275318 409673564 51199123+ 83 Linux <-- tester backups
/dev/sdc7 409689693 488392064 39351186 b W95 FAT32 <-- common storage
Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250058268160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488395055 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x24812481
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 16065 51215219 25599577+ 83 Linux <-- Slackware primary operating system /
/dev/sda2 51247350 153645659 51199155 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 153661725 488392064 167365170 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 153661788 204860879 25599546 83 Linux <-- Arch secondary operating system /
/dev/sda6 204877008 307275254 51199123+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 307307448 311403959 2048256 82 Linux swap <-- swap
/dev/sda8 311420088 488392064 88485988+ 83 Linux <-- archives
Just a matter of legwork - you'll have to work through it.
Interestingly I've had similar where Ubuntu couldn't manage (E)IDE and SATA mixed. But Arch could. I kept all Debian based distros off that machine, and use Arch to boot it. Now has F14 on it as well - no problems with any of it; or Vista for that matter.
Haven't seen any issues on SATA only. Did you check the geometries - from the grub boot menu, not from grub command ?.
I had previously checked GRUB geometry using the grub command from within Arch. All was well:
Code:
grub> geometry (hd0)
drive 0x80: C/H/S = 30401/255/63, The number of sectors = 488395055, /dev/sda
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 5, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 6, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x82
Partition num: 7, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
grub> geometry (hd1)
drive 0x81: C/H/S = 30394/255/63, The number of sectors = 488281250, /dev/sdb
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x82
Partition num: 5, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 6, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 7, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 8, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 9, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 10, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 11, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 12, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 13, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
grub> geometry (hd2)
drive 0x82: C/H/S = 30401/255/63, The number of sectors = 488397168, /dev/sdc
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xb
Partition num: 5, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 6, Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xb
Now here is what geometry looked like from the grub command at bootup (menu):
Code:
grub> geometry (hd0)
drive 0x80: C/H/S = 30401/255/63, The number of sectors = 488395055, /dev/sda
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 5, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 6, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x82
Partition num: 7, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
grub> geometry (hd1)
drive 0x82: C/H/S = 30401/255/63, The number of sectors = 488397168, /dev/sdb
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xb
Partition num: 5, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 6, Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xb
grub> geometry (hd2)
drive 0x81: C/H/S = 30394/255/63, The number of sectors = 488281250, /dev/sdc
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x82
Partition num: 5, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 6, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 7, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 8, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 9, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 10, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 11, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 12, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 13, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
See the diff? GRUB geometry from the menu command line has /dev/sdb and /dev/sdc swapped. Now that I know for sure that this is a mapping issue, I just need to know what to do to fix it.
Not sure if my post will be relevant. If not just ignore me. I did not have a problem with grub device mapping because I use grub4dos in mbr to boot into whatever distros grub is using in root folder of installed distro. grub4dos just points to wherever grub pbs is loaded in /
I did have a problem with conflicting device mapping though in /etc/fstab between 2 different kernels I have installed in the same Distro AntiX 11 testing. The 2.6.32 kernel would show in /etc/fstab all /dev as /dev/hdx. My 2.6.38 liqourix kernel would show in /etc/fstab all /dev as /dev/sdx. Same for fdisk -l depending on what kernel I was in.
I only noticed this as I have multiple distros and wanted their partitions to automount in thunar file manager and rox file manager at boot and folders in /mnt were hd1,hd6,etc...
So in 2.6.38 kernel. Of course the boot messages (I run no splash screen) would be warning /dev/hdx does not exist. And of course in Thunar. /mnt/hd1 folder would be empty. It was confusing the heck out of me.
I got around all this by going with UUID instead of /dev/hd or /dev/sd. My /etc/fstab as my example.
Like I said. May not be relevant to your situation. But I thought I'd throw it out there.
It fixed my automount problems and read and write access to those partitions. I use UUID in the kernel lines in AntiX /boot/grub/menu.lst also.
Of course, you did NOT waste my time. The information you provided might not help me with my issue, but it may help others. And about the diff in the fstab naming of devices after the 2.6.32.x kernel, yes... I was definitely aware of that, although I don't think it's an issue with my troubles.
That all being said, though... I could probably resolve (or more accurately, work around) this annoying trival issue I'm dealing with my just using UUID. I've been avoiding it. Us older folks don't like change too much. The /dev/sdx identifiers were always fine for me. Why'd things have to change? Progress. That's why.
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