Error booting after upgrading Kernel

scratched · 03-24-2006, 05:18 PM

I'm new to linux and I just installed ubuntu 5.10 on an external hard drive. I got it to run without a hitch, then I upgraded to the latest kernel and tried restarting. I got to the GRUB screen, selected ubuntu, and then I got this error:

Code:

 root (hd1,1)
Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10-386 root=/dev/sda2 ro quiet splash

Error 17: Cannont Mount Selected partition.

I have ubuntu installed on the second partition of my USB hard drive so the root is in (hd1,1) (at least I think it is. like I said I'm new to linux so this is somewhat foreign to me), and I reinstalled GRUB since it looked like other people have had that problem, but as far as I can tell, I re-installed grub properly and it didn't fix it. I can boot to windows, and I can boot with a knoppix or ubunutu live CD. The old kernel is still listed in GRUB and I've tried selecting that but I get the same error.

Does anyone know what this problem is and how I can fix it? I'm a newbie when it comes to linux so I really have no idea what the problem is.

b0nd · 03-24-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

root (hd1,1)
Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10-386 root=/dev/sda2 ro quiet splash

Error 17: Cannont Mount Selected partition.

what "partition type 0x7" is doing there ???
Its for HPFS/NTFS.

plz. post the o/p of
#cat /etc/grub.conf
and
#fdisk -l

regards

scratched · 03-24-2006, 09:33 PM

I'm sorry if this is a newbish question, but how do you get "cat /etc/grub.conf"? I tried typing in the exact line as you wrote and it gave me the output "cat: /etc/grub.conf: No such file or directory". I'm assuming you mean menu.lst:

Code:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.           
default		0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout		10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root		(hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader	+1
#
# title		Linux
# root		(hd0,1)
# kernel	/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specifiv kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/sda2 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd1,1)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## nonaltoption boot targets option
## This option controls options to pass to only the
## primary kernel menu item.
## You can have ONLY one nonaltoptions line
# nonaltoptions=quiet splash

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-10-386 
root		(hd1,1)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10-386 root=/dev/sda2 ro quiet splash
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-10-386
savedefault
boot

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-10-386 (recovery mode)
root		(hd1,1)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10-386 root=/dev/sda2 ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-10-386
boot

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-9-386 
root		(hd1,1)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9-386 root=/dev/sda2 ro quiet splash
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-9-386
savedefault
boot

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-9-386 (recovery mode)
root		(hd1,1)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9-386 root=/dev/sda2 ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-9-386
boot

# title		Ubuntu, memtest86+
# root		(hd1,1)
# kernel		/boot/memtest86+.bin  
# boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title		Other operating systems:
root

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda2
title		Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root		(hd1,1)
savedefault
map		(hd1,1) (hd0)
chainloader	+1

Here is the output of fdisk -l:

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 200.0 GB, 200049647616 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24321 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1       10423    83722716    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2   *       10424       24139   110173770   83  Linux
/dev/sda3           24140       24321     1461915    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5           24140       24321     1461883+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

syg00 · 03-24-2006, 10:12 PM

Mmmmm - that shows both ubuntu and windows booting from (hd1,1).
Don't sound right to me. Let's see the entire output from "fdisk -l", and the device.map

scratched · 03-24-2006, 10:18 PM

when I did fdisk -l before I forgot to mount the hard drive. Here is fdisk with the hard drive listed:

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 200.0 GB, 200049647616 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24321 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1       10423    83722716    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2   *       10424       24139   110173770   83  Linux
/dev/sda3           24140       24321     1461915    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5           24140       24321     1461883+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1               1           6       48163+   6  FAT16
/dev/hda2   *           7        9188    73754415    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda3            9189        9729     4345582+  db  CP/M / CTOS / ...

Here is the contents of device.map:

Code:

(hd0)	/dev/hda
(hd1)	/dev/sda

b0nd · 03-24-2006, 10:50 PM

Quote:

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda2
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd1,1)
savedefault
map (hd1,1) (hd0)

here change the "root (hd1,1)" to "root (hd0.1)

i'm assuming that your windows is in the 80 Gb hard drive in the second partition ( as your fdisk -l telling) and its the primary master (hda telling this)

Edit: i'm not sure about the last line "savedefault map (hd1,1) (hd0). Anyone knowing plz. tell me.

regards

syg00 · 03-25-2006, 03:03 AM

Windows boots successfully - I wouldn't go changing that.
Seems the BIOS is presenting the S-ATA disk as hd0 - not common, but not "illegal". Despite what the device.map says.

I'd change the Ubuntu stanza to use root(hd0,1). If you don't feel like updating the menu.lst immediately, you can do a "one time" change at the boot menu. Highlight the Ubuntu option, and hit "e" - then follow the prompts to update the line just for that boot. When it works, update menu.lst.

b0nd · 03-25-2006, 03:35 AM

hi sygOO,

Quote:

Seems the BIOS is presenting the S-ATA disk as hd0

How ???

scratched · 03-25-2006, 06:26 AM

I don't have any SATA disks. This is on a laptop so the primary hard drive is connected in whatever way is standard on a laptop (I'm assuming it's some sort of IDE interface). I'm going to try syg00's idea and then I'll see how it goes from there.

scratched · 03-25-2006, 06:41 AM

I changed the ubuntu boot to hd(0,1) using the method syg00 explained and that worked.

Thank's so so much for all of your help!

Does anyone know why this might have gotten screwed up?

syg00 · 03-25-2006, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scratched

I don't have any SATA disks.

My bad - whenever I see /dev/sd? I think S-ATA rather than USB (which I rarely use).

Quote:

Does anyone know why this might have gotten screwed up?

Not I.
Have seen similar threads in the recent past. Just go with the evidence - and be prepared to for it to change again sometime in the future.