LinuxQuestions.org - [SOLVED] GRUB: Cannot find list of partitions && /usr/sbin/grub-setup: error

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GRUB: Cannot find list of partitions && /usr/sbin/grub-setup: error

I use four partitions on my machine: first and second for different Linux systems, third for data and fourth for swap. On the first partition I installed Mint. By default it used GRUB installed on /dev/sda. Then I installed Slackware on the second partition. I decided to put LILO on /dev/sda. In result I lost access to GRUB and Mint.

Now my goal is to install Mint’s GRUB on /dev/sda1 and then configure Slackware’s LILO to run Mint’s GRUB.

To achieve the first goal I run Mint DVD, open terminal and use the commands:

$ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/
$ sudo mount --bind /dev/ /mnt/dev/
$ sudo mount --bind /proc/ /mnt/proc/
$ sudo chroot /mnt/

Then I try to generate grub.cfg...

# update-grub2

Code:

Generating grub.cfg ...

Found Debian background: linuxmint.png

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic

Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin

Cannot find list of partitions!

done

The above command claims it cannot find the list of partitions. I tried to find any help about that topic but without success.

First question: does that message informs about some serious problem?

Second question: how can I pass the list of partitions on to GRUB?

Next I try to install GRUB on /dev/sda1...

# grub-install /dev/sda1

Code:

/usr/sbin/grub-setup: error: hd0,1 appears to contain a reiserfs filesystem which isn't known to reserve space for DOS-style boot.  Installing GRUB there could result in FILESYSTEM DESTRUCTION if valuable data is overwritten by grub-setup (--skip-fs-probe disables this check, use at your own risk).

For more comfortable reading I quote the above message here:

Quote:

/usr/sbin/grub-setup: error: hd0,1 appears to contain a reiserfs filesystem which isn't known to reserve space for DOS-style boot. Installing GRUB there could result in FILESYSTEM DESTRUCTION if valuable data is overwritten by grub-setup (--skip-fs-probe disables this check, use at your own risk).

I tried to find any information about that message but I found just the same message in grub-setup.c file...

Code:

#: util/i386/pc/grub-setup.c:258

#, c-format

msgid ""

"%s appears to contain a %s filesystem which isn't known to reserve space for "

"DOS-style boot.  Installing GRUB there could result in FILESYSTEM "

"DESTRUCTION if valuable data is overwritten by grub-setup (--skip-fs-probe "

"disables this check, use at your own risk)"

msgstr ""

I tried to use --skip-fs-probe option but grub-install doesn’t accept it...

# grub-install --skip-fs-probe /dev/sda1

Code:

Unrecognized option `--skip-fs-probe'

Usage: grub-install [OPTION] install_device

.

.

.

Third question: how can I force GRUB to install boot loader on /dev/sda1 instead of /dev/sda?

***

Here are my GRUB’s configuration files...

/etc/default/grub:

Code:

# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update

# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.



GRUB_DEFAULT=0

#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true

GRUB_TIMEOUT=10

GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="vga=791"



# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)

#GRUB_TERMINAL=console



# The resolution used on graphical terminal

# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE

# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'

GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768



# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux

#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true



# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries

#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_RECOVERY="true"



# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start

#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

/etc/grub.d/40_custom:

Code:

#!/bin/sh

exec tail -n +3 $0

# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the

# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change

# the 'exec tail' line above.



menuentry "Slackware Linux" {

set root=(hd0,2)

linux /boot/vmlinuz-generic-smp-2.6.33.4-smp root=/dev/sda2 ro vga=791

initrd /boot/initrd.gz

}

/boot/grub/grub.cfg:

Code:

#

# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE

#

# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates

# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub

#



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then

  load_env

fi

set default="0"

if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then

  set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}

  save_env saved_entry

  set prev_saved_entry=

  save_env prev_saved_entry

  set boot_once=true

fi



function savedefault {

  if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then

    saved_entry=${chosen}

    save_env saved_entry

  fi

}



function recordfail {

  set recordfail=1

  if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi

}

insmod reiserfs

set root='(hd0,1)'

search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08

if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then

  set gfxmode=1024x768

  insmod gfxterm

  insmod vbe

  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else

    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't

    # understand terminal_output

    terminal gfxterm

  fi

fi

insmod reiserfs

set root='(hd0,1)'

search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08

set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale

set lang=en

insmod gettext

if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then

  set timeout=-1

else

  set timeout=10

fi

### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

set menu_color_normal=white/black

set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray

### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###

insmod reiserfs

set root='(hd0,1)'

search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08

insmod png

if background_image /boot/grub/linuxmint.png ; then

  set color_normal=white/black

  set color_highlight=white/light-gray

else

  set menu_color_normal=white/black

  set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray

fi

### END /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

menuentry "Linux Mint 9, 2.6.32-21-generic (/dev/sda1)" --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

        recordfail

        insmod reiserfs

        set root='(hd0,1)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08

        linux  /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08 ro vga=791  

        initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic

}

menuentry "Linux Mint 9, 2.6.32-21-generic (/dev/sda1) -- recovery mode" --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

        recordfail

        insmod reiserfs

        set root='(hd0,1)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08

        echo    'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'

        linux  /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08 ro single vga=791

        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'

        initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic

}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###

### END /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {

        insmod reiserfs

        set root='(hd0,1)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08

        linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin

}

menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {

        insmod reiserfs

        set root='(hd0,1)'

        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 80831a79-bd79-400f-acb9-ecd256b50e08

        linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8

}

### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the

# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change

# the 'exec tail' line above.



menuentry "Slackware Linux" {

set root=(hd0,2)

linux /boot/vmlinuz-generic-smp-2.6.33.4-smp root=/dev/sda2 ro vga=791

initrd /boot/initrd.gz

}

### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom.old ###

# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the

# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change

# the 'exec tail' line above.

### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom.old ###

I asked my three questions in bold type above.

Every assistance will be appreciated.

Look at the tutorial link below, Section 4.G, Reinstall Grub. According to that you would just run: grub-install /dev/sda1 to install Grub 2 on the first partition.

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/g...mozTocId232162

I haven't used Lilo recently so I don't know how you would need to edit it to point to Mint partition.

I tried --skip-fs-probe option mentioned in the first post together with grub-setup command...

# grub-setup -v --skip-fs-probe -r '(hd0,1)' /dev/sda1

Code:

grub-setup: info: cannot open `/boot/grub/device.map'.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

.

.

.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: /dev/sda1 starts from 63.

grub-setup: info: opening the device hd0.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: DOS partition 0 starts from 63.

grub-setup: info: getting the size of /boot/grub/boot.img.

grub-setup: info: reading /boot/grub/boot.img.

grub-setup: info: getting the size of /boot/grub/boot.img.

grub-setup: info: getting the size of /boot/grub/core.img.

grub-setup: info: reading /boot/grub/core.img.

grub-setup: info: getting the size of /boot/grub/core.img.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: setting the root device to `hd0,1'.

grub-setup: info: dos partition is 0, bsd partition is -1.

grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.  This is a BAD idea..

grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is discouraged..

grub-setup: error: if you really want blocklists, use --force.

Because GRUB displayed an error message I tried to add --force option to the above command...

# grub-setup -v --skip-fs-probe --force -r '(hd0,1)' /dev/sda1

Code:

grub-setup: info: cannot open `/boot/grub/device.map'.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

.

.

.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: /dev/sda1 starts from 63.

grub-setup: info: opening the device hd0.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: DOS partition 0 starts from 63.

grub-setup: info: getting the size of /boot/grub/boot.img.

grub-setup: info: reading /boot/grub/boot.img.

grub-setup: info: getting the size of /boot/grub/boot.img.

grub-setup: info: getting the size of /boot/grub/core.img.

grub-setup: info: reading /boot/grub/core.img.

grub-setup: info: getting the size of /boot/grub/core.img.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: setting the root device to `hd0,1'.

grub-setup: info: dos partition is 0, bsd partition is -1.

grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.  This is a BAD idea..

grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is discouraged..

grub-setup: info: attempting to read the core image `/boot/grub/core.img' from GRUB.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the size of hd0 is 156301488.

grub-setup: info: the first sector is <5561791,0,512>.

grub-setup: info: saving <5561792,0,512> with the segment 0x820.

grub-setup: info: saving <5561793,0,512> with the segment 0x840.

grub-setup: info: saving <5561794,0,512> with the segment 0x860.

.

.

.

grub-setup: info: saving <5561840,0,512> with the segment 0xe20.

grub-setup: info: saving <5561841,0,512> with the segment 0xe40.

grub-setup: info: saving <5561842,0,502> with the segment 0xe60.

grub-setup: info: opening the core image `/boot/grub/core.img'.

grub-setup: info: writing 0x400 bytes.

In both above listings grub-setup displays the message: “GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists”. I found help about block lists...

Quote:

A block list is used for specifying a file that doesn’t appear in the filesystem, like a chainloader. The syntax is [offset]+length[,[offset]+length].... Here is an example:
0+100,200+1,300+300
This represents that GRUB should read blocks 0 through 99, block 200, and blocks 300 through 599. If you omit an offset, then GRUB assumes the offset is zero.

I’m sorry. I’m very good in computing but not enough good to guess all those GRUB’s offsets and lengths. Or maybe I can’t interpret properly some grub-setup messages...

Code:

grub-setup: info: /dev/sda1 starts from 63.

grub-setup: info: writing 0x400 bytes.

Using grub-install without or with --force option gives the same results as before...

# grub-install /dev/sda1

Code:

/usr/sbin/grub-setup: error: hd0,1 appears to contain a reiserfs filesystem which isn't known to reserve space for DOS-style boot.  Installing GRUB there could result in FILESYSTEM DESTRUCTION if valuable data is overwritten by grub-setup (--skip-fs-probe disables this check, use at your own risk).

# grub-install --force /dev/sda1

Code:

/usr/sbin/grub-setup: error: hd0,1 appears to contain a reiserfs filesystem which isn't known to reserve space for DOS-style boot.  Installing GRUB there could result in FILESYSTEM DESTRUCTION if valuable data is overwritten by grub-setup (--skip-fs-probe disables this check, use at your own risk).

***

@yancek

As I wrote in the first post I tried grub-install /dev/sda1 command to install boot loader on the first partition but it refused to do it displaying very rare message about reiserfs filesystem, DOS-style boot, FILESYSTEM DESTRUCTION and --skip-fs-probe option. I’m sorry but your advice to use that command isn’t helpful at all because I encountered the problems when I tried to use that command. As for LILO I didn’t ask about it because I don’t have the problem with LILO but with GRUB.

I rebooted machine and tried to boot Mint on /dev/sda1 using Mint DVD once again. It seems after last changes I lost the possibility to chroot to Mint installed on /dev/sda1...

$ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/
$ sudo mount –bind /dev/ /mnt/dev/
$ sudo mount –bind /proc/ /mnt/proc/
$ sudo chroot /mnt/

Code:

sudo: unable to execute /usr/sbin/chroot: Input/output error

I suspect in such a situation I can only reinstall Mint. I’m afraid the result will be the same. I’d like to have Mint using ReiserFS and bootloader on the first partition. Meanwhile my experience shows GRUB doesn’t understand ReiserFS and refuses to install bootloader on the first partition. It’s very disappointing state of affairs.

On the contrary - grub2 appears to understand the structure of reiser very well.

You were warned, you used --force, *you* screwed the filesystem. You shoot yourself in the foot, don't go blaming others.

Like lilo grub2 relies on a blocklist - it moans (as above) about being installed into a partition, but seems to operate o.k. once done. On sane filesystems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00 (Post 4141510)

You shoot yourself in the foot, don’t go blaming others.

I used --force option after exhausting the other possibilities. I stated above GRUB doesn’t understand ReiserFS well because with LILO I can install bootloader on the ReiserFS partition without any problems. Moreover LILO never forced me to use some magic blocklists. It denies your thesis that both LILO and GRUB rely on blocklists. Searching Internet I found mentioned above GRUB problem a few times – always in the context of ReiserFS. More helpful than patronizing me would be helping me in understand how could I install GRUB’s bootloader on ReiserFS partition. Anyway thank you for your attempt to be helpful.

w1k0,
You might find it easier to put Grub2 on the MBR, and chainload slackware by putting your slackware bootloader into your slackware partition (sda2?) superblock. I can't remember whether Lilo will go into the superblock, but Grub 1 certainly will.
Grub2 has some advantages, but you're not the only one to have troubles getting it to go anywhere except the MBR.
For a lot of info on booting, see here

Quote:

Originally Posted by impert (Post 4141553)

Grub2 has some advantages, but you're not the only one to have troubles getting it to go anywhere except the MBR.

It’s sad news. When I installed the former version of Mint I used the configuration you suggest here. So I used GRUB from MBR to run Mint from first partition or Slackware from the second one. It worked without any problems. Now I tried the reverse method: to use LILO from MBR to run one of the mentioned distributions. That doesn’t work because GRUB refuses to install bootloader on the beginning of the partition.

You stated that problem is common. So I’ll have to live with GRUB’s menu instead of LILO’s one. It isn’t very painful for me to use GRUB instead of LILO because I keep Mint on my spare machine and I use it rather seldom. In my opinion Mint is a great distribution for newcomers. So I test and configure the new version of Mint on my spare machine and then clone it on my girlfriend’s machine. That’s my whole story about Mint.

Thank you impert for your nice assistance. I’ll keep that thread opened for a few days in hope that someone knows the tricky method of installing GRUB’s bootloader at the beginning of the partition and then I’ll mark it as SOLVED.

Quote:

I’ll keep that thread opened for a few days in hope that someone knows the tricky method of installing GRUB’s bootloader at the beginning of the partition and then I’ll mark it as SOLVED.

Maybe it's just not possible with reiserfs.
I know that Saikee, who wrote the "Just booting tips" in that link I gave you, has suggested using the -f option, but it was almost certainly with ext3. There does have to be somewhere for it to go at the start of the partition.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w1k0 (Post 4141528)

Moreover LILO never forced me to use some magic blocklists. It denies your thesis that both LILO and GRUB rely on blocklists.

lilo always uses blocklists - it's why you have to continually rerun the lilo command after changes to the config.
The fact that you don't understand that is irrelevant.

For various reasons I haven't used reiser since before it was renamed to reiserfs. I can't help you as to whether what you want is even possible. Given Hans bloody-minded attitude, I doubt it.

Hi,
I did a bit of googling.
From this ancient thread:

Quote:

These are the instructions that come with Gentoo:

"If your boot partition (the one holding the kernel) is ReiserFS, be sure to mount it with the -o notail option so GRUB gets properly installed.

Make sure that notail ends up in your new /etc/fstab boot partition entry, too."

I think when you edit your grub boot loader under redhat, you actually have to mount the boot partition before you make changes (could be wrong)

I've got grub loading gentoo and suse 8.0 both using reiserfs for /boot and /

So presumably it can be done.

Hi yancek,

thank you for informative links.

Your first link is from January 2008:

Quote:

Basically, Ubuntu's copy of grub-install is not configured to write to anything other than ext3fs during setup, and attempts to install GRUB when the /boot/ folder is on a ReiserFS partition and GRUB is to be written to the bootsector were failing. This issue manifests itself in all releases since (and including) Hoary Hedgehog (5.04); including the most recent Ubuntu Feisty Fawn (7.04) and Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon (7.10) releases.
Unfortunately this has been a (little-) known issue ever since March of 2005, but no one has bothered to fix it since. Every once in a while someone "bumps" the bug and confirms that it's still present, but it hasn't yet been addressed or even assigned.

The first paragraph above seems to describe my situation. I use ReiserFS root partition with /boot directory on it and I tried to install GRUB to bootsector. The second paragraph reports that issue appears since 2005. If it’s true shame on Ubuntu team moreover other distributions cope with such configuration well.

Your second link is from June 2007:

Quote:

When one tries to install GRUB on a reiserfs partition instead of the MBR,
the installation fails with the following message:
"Executing 'grub-install (hd0,9)' failed.
This is a fatal error."
I have confirmed that this error does not occur when an ext3 partition
or the MBR is used for GRUB.

In my case the error message is different but it seems GRUB still doesn’t understand ReiserFS. So I have two options: to give up with ReiserFS and use EXT3 or to give up with partition bootsector and use MBR. I don’t like to change my habits but I’m now in a dead end.

Your third link is from June 2007:

Code:

sudo chroot /target grub-install --no-floppy --debug "(hd0,4)"

According to the original poster the above command works well. So maybe there is a chance to install GRUB on ReiserFS partition.

Thank you once again for your assistance, yancek.

Hi impert,

in your first link there is also question:

Quote:

How to ask Grub2 to replicate itself in the root partition of Linux (alternative to MBR and rendering the Linux "chainloadable")

and reply:

Code:

mkdir /mnt/sda9

mount /dev/sda9 /mnt/sda9

chroot /mnt/sda9 

grub-install --force /dev/sda9

exit

So it seems I wasn’t wrong using --force option but my bad luck was caused by file system which isn’t accepted by GRUB.

Hi impert,

your second link is also worth to follow:

Quote:

"If your boot partition (the one holding the kernel) is ReiserFS, be sure to mount it with the -o notail option so GRUB gets properly installed.

Make sure that notail ends up in your new /etc/fstab boot partition entry, too."

It concerns Gentoo and according to first yancek’s link the problem I described occurs in Ubuntu so the chances notail option will help in my situation are rather little.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00 (Post 4142030)

lilo always uses blocklists - it's why you have to continually rerun the lilo command after changes to the config.
The fact that you don't understand that is irrelevant.

The difference between LILO and GRUB from my point of view are LILO never forced me to manually pass to it blocklists numbers while GRUB faced me with that problem. So LILO’s blocklists usage is transparent from users point of view. That’s my whole point.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00 (Post 4142030)

For various reasons I haven't used reiser since before it was renamed to reiserfs. I can't help you as to whether what you want is even possible.

Assuming yancek’s and impert’s posts above it could be impossible indeed but it isn’t my fault but Ubuntu team’s fault.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00 (Post 4142030)

Given Hans bloody-minded attitude, I doubt it.

Who’s Hans in the above context?

Hans Reiser is reiser - or was. Unfortunately a search these days will probably only find reference to his incarceration, not his ideas.
His attitude was always .... abrasive.

Quote:

It concerns Gentoo and according to first yancek’s link the problem I described occurs in Ubuntu so the chances notail option will help in my situation are rather little.

He also mentions suse.
Personally, I'd give it a try: just edit the boot options as you are booting. I don't see what you've got to lose.

See also this thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00 (Post 4142153)

Hans Reiser is reiser - or was.

Thank you for clarification.

Quote:

Originally Posted by impert (Post 4142278)

Personally, I'd give it a try:

You're absolutely right. Now I can't chroot to the installed system so I have to install it anew. Then I'll try once again to force Mint to use bootloader on the first partition. When it fails I'll install Mint's bootloader in MBR.

Can you try booting your existing install from a Grub CD or a live CD with Grub (not syslinux) on it (pressing 'C' while it's booting), and edit the kernel line (hit 'E') to add that "notail" option? That might just save your existing OS.

I realize the links I posted were not currernt which is why I said the problem has been around for a while. I'm don't have any information on which Linux systems used the Grub/reiser combination but I used Suse Linux 9.2 exclusively for about 5 years and it was reiser and booted with Grub Legacy without problem. I don't remember the exact phrase I googled yesterday but, it was something like "boot reiser with grub". There were many more links than I posted, I just picked a few and as I recall almost all of them were Ubuntu or its derivatives.

I have no idea what the solution to this problem could be. Maybe it will work on your new install? Luck!

Quote:

Originally Posted by impert (Post 4142672)

I booted existing installation of Mint using Mint DVD but I didn't know about 'C' and 'E' switches. I already installed yesterday Mint anew and then I overwrote MBR with Slackware LILO. So I'll start struggling with Mint and GRUB anew.

Now I'm testing my new ThinkPad X60s which I bought yesterday. So for some time I'll be away from Mint. But soon I'll try your advices. Thank you for your constant assistance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek (Post 4142688)

I'm don't have any information on which Linux systems used the Grub/reiser combination but I used Suse Linux 9.2 exclusively for about 5 years and it was reiser and booted with Grub Legacy without problem.

The first difference is you use GRUB Legacy in SuSE and I use GRUB2 in Mint.

Do you keep /boot directory on root partition or on separate one?

Do you keep bootloader on the system partition or on MBR?

I keep /boot directory on root partition and I try to put bootloader on the same ReiserFS partition.

Quote:

Luck!

Thanks!

Yes, Suse Linux 9.2 used Grub Legacy and your Mint is Grub2, don't know if that could be the problem but Grub2 is still beta software, AFAIK.

The boot directory was in the root partition.

Quote:

Do you keep bootloader on the system partition or on MBR

Well...both. The main Grub files on the partition and the stage1 in the mbr.

I tried notail option but the result was the same as before. Mint's version of GRUB definitely dislikes ReiserFS. I decided to give up. I can live with GRUB's menu instead of LILO's one. Thank you guys for your assistance. I don't mark that thread as solved because it isn't solved at all.

I finally solved that problem. The solution is here.