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Linux - Laptop and Netbook Having a problem installing or configuring Linux on your laptop? Need help running Linux on your netbook? This forum is for you. This forum is for any topics relating to Linux and either traditional laptops or netbooks (such as the Asus EEE PC, Everex CloudBook or MSI Wind).

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Old 01-27-2006, 01:06 PM   #1
tonycampos
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GRUB error message


Hi:

I recently began using linux. I downloaded SUSE and installed it in my pc, it works great. I got excited and decided to run it on my travelmate C100 (Acer). It did install but I could not automatically boot in, I had to use disc 1 every time and after booting I noticed performance was not as good as in mu pc. I decided to reinstall windows, got the recovery cd, installed and then I wasn't abel to boot. I keep getting this message "GRUB Hard Disk Error". that's all it does... any advice?

Tony
 
Old 01-27-2006, 05:22 PM   #2
tonycampos
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I reinstall Suse and I realized that both, linux and windows are there... now the problem is that booting is only possible if I have the linux installation cd 1. So, for some reason it only boots from the cd. That is really annoying since my travelmate has an external cd rom that has to be pluged in the outlet in order to work. Is there a way to fix this problem? I would like to keep windows and linux but without having to use the cd rom to boot.
Thanks again
 
Old 01-27-2006, 06:54 PM   #3
saikee
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Next time you boot to Suse, log in as root or type "su" at terminal to get admin privilege, and type

Code:
grub-install /dev/hda
To restore Grub into the MBR. If you use a Sata change hda to sda.


If any of the two doesn't boot you edit /boot/grub/menu.lst to Grub do it.
 
Old 01-28-2006, 12:37 PM   #4
tonycampos
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I am sorry. This is all new for me. When do I do that? Before loading the desktop? in Yast Control Center? Can you guide me step by step on this?

Thanks very much for your support

Tony
 
Old 01-28-2006, 05:29 PM   #5
saikee
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In Suse click console or terminal mode to obatin a command prompt

Standard Suse disallows you to log in as the root user (adminstrator) but you need the privilege to use the system-related commands. So you can type
Code:
su
and supply the root passworod to become the "super user". You can then issue the command
Code:
grub-install /dev/hda
to restore Grub into the Master Boot Record (MBR)

I think you can ask Yast to carry out the task too in the desktop but it pays to learn a few basic commands to survive in Linux.
 
Old 01-29-2006, 05:50 PM   #6
tonycampos
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Hi again:

I tried the first command (grub-install /dev/hda) and after entering I was confirmed that the operation was successful. I disconected the cd rom and reboot but got the same error message "Grub error...". I put back the cd rom, inserted cd 1 and it boot ok, as usual. I went and tried the other command (/boot/grub/menu.lst. after entering the command I get this line "Permission denied"

I am using the root account so I don't know why is says permission denied. I am still booting using cd 1. Am I doing something wrong?

Tony
 
Old 01-29-2006, 06:01 PM   #7
saikee
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Linux users don't have to disconnect the CD rom to run Linux. I think you are messing up the connection unnecessarily. Why not leave the CDrom connected and just remove the CD?


/boot/grub/menu.lst is a file called menu.lst stored in directory /boot/grub. What command did you use on this file?
 
Old 01-29-2006, 06:10 PM   #8
tonycampos
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My cd rom is external and plugs into a outlet and then into my tablet using a usb cable. My concern is that if I have to use it and I don't have a way to plug the cd rom it's not going to work. I did remove the cd but that did not work either. About the /bootgrub/menu.lst command... I went to terminal, typed "su", entered the password and then /boot/grub/menu.lst... It told me access denied. I did nothing after that

Thanks
 
Old 01-29-2006, 06:33 PM   #9
saikee
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/boot/grub/menu.lst is not a command. It is a text file. You alter its content to make Grub do various thing. The editor commonly available in Linux shell is "vi". To edit /boot/grub/menu.lst you type
Code:
vi /boot/grub/menu.lst
You need read instructions to use vi

I assume you are working on a laptop, right? Usually you can set the BIOS to boot the hard disk so that if there is no CD in the CD rom the Bios will boot the hard disk. Can't you PC Bios do such a simple task? You did say it runs Windows too.
 
Old 01-29-2006, 11:32 PM   #10
tonycampos
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I changed the Bios to boot Hard Drive and got the same error message "GRUB hard disk error" I have been getting this message since the first time I installed Suse. I can only boot if I have CD 1.

This is my first attempt to work with Linux. My PC took it with no problem but my laptop keeps requiring to boot from the CD

Do you think that having both OS could be the cause of this problem? in my PC I only have linux, but my laptop has both linux and windows. I think what happens is that the laptop tries to boot windows first and for some reason it does not recognize it.

thanks again for your help

TC
 
Old 01-30-2006, 02:34 AM   #11
saikee
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I know many laptops BIOS are bad for Linux but technically there is no problem to have multiple systems in a PC. My signature has a link to Grub booting over 100 systems.

You can make a Grub floppy and burn it into a CD to boot your laptop manually. The information is in my signature on the above link.
 
Old 01-30-2006, 02:41 AM   #12
djuhl30
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Go to the grub webstite and dowload there documentation on grub. They have a specific area for the error you have.

Dave
 
Old 01-30-2006, 12:21 PM   #13
tonycampos
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I have looked for information but to tell you the truth I am totally lost. I think it will take a while for me to learn some more and be able to fix my problem. I just hate booting from a cd instead of just automatically booting from the HD, especially since my cd room is external and I have to take it with me everywhere.

Thanks for all your help

TC
 
Old 01-30-2006, 03:28 PM   #14
seelenbild28
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grub

hi,

another, more or less easy, way to fix installation errors - and this seems your grub error to be - is, to put in the cd1 of the suse10.0, to boot with that cd and then choose the point "installation". After some few setting - language etc. - you will be asked if you would like to install, update of fix an existing installation. take the point "fix/repair existing installation". then yast will check the base-packages, partitions etc and also the bootmanager. if it is corrupt, grub will be installed once more. I had this problem also once. Try this procedure, for me it helped also.

good luck.
 
Old 02-02-2006, 10:13 PM   #15
tonycampos
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Well, I tried everything and nothing worked. I finally got into DOS and typed fdisk/mbr and the windows boot was fixed. Now I can boot windows and even though I know Suse is there (I now it by the used size in my HD) I don't know how to access it. Any advice? Is it possible to access suse from withing xp... just wondering

Thanks

TC
 
  


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