grub can find grub.conf, how do i make it permanent?

lankydenny · 06-13-2006, 05:12 PM

allow me to explain... running dual boot XP and linux on two drives (XP primary, FC5 secondary). when the computer boots up, i get the grub command shell. i can successfully boot both FC5 and winXP using command line commands, but don't want to do that every time i turn on the computer. so, the reason it isn't going into a graphical menu is that grub can't find grub.conf (because grub is on MBR, WinXP drive and grub.conf is on secondary drive). this can be remedied with command:

grub>configfile(hd1,0)/grub/grub.conf

and the grub menu appears.

but how do i make that permanent, so that i can always get the menu first? thanks

lankydenny · 06-13-2006, 05:27 PM

perhaps if i move grub to the windows drive? but how?

bigrigdriver · 06-13-2006, 05:47 PM

Grub doesn't care which disk holds the MBR, and which disk holds the rest of grub. It's all in the grub config file. On some distros, is called grub.cong; on others it menu.lst. Both files are found in /boot/grub. With FC, I beleive the correct file is /boot/grub/grub.conf. Regardless of the file name, the format is the same.

So, let's see your grub.conf.

PS. Boot FC, then from the console, type 'grub' (sans quotes), then enter 'find /boot/grub/stage1' to see where grub finds the rest of itself. Then edit grub.conf to show that location. It should take care of your lack of a grub menu on startup.

lankydenny · 06-13-2006, 06:01 PM

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd1,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd1,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
#hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp.img
title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

couldn't find the stage1 file you mentioned... thanks for help by the way. any other ideas?

lankydenny · 06-13-2006, 06:03 PM

wait, tried just:

grub>find /grub/stage1

and got

(hd1,0)

so it's on the FC5 drive

WhatsHisName · 06-13-2006, 06:23 PM

Reboot and at the grub prompt, type:

Code:

grub> root (hd1,0)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> reboot

It should then boot normally.

WhatsHisName · 06-13-2006, 06:32 PM

Oops, forgot to leave the Grub Manual reference: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...-GRUB-natively

lankydenny · 06-13-2006, 06:35 PM

if i weren't too busy dancing at the frayed feet of this gordian knot, i would grace this forum with a tinny MIDI choir singing praise WhatsHisName in the highest.
THANK YOU BOTH
grub booted PERFECTLY
now i just have to do that to 6 more computers... hehe.

WhatsHisName · 06-13-2006, 06:47 PM

So that grub never leaves you out in the cold, be sure to make a grub boot floppy (or a grub boot USB flash drive): http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...UB-boot-floppy

That way, you can always get grub configured in the MBR when the installer (meaning Anaconda, not you) screws it up.