grub configuration using yast does not work
 

Hello,

I recently installed SUSE 9.3 (non PRO) and had to see that it did not start on its own. There is no other OS installed. The only partitions are the SWAP and linux partition.

Using the start DVD and choosing "INSTALL -> BOOT INSTALLED SYSTEM"
linux came alive.

So I decided to change grub configuration with YAST. But afterwards the saving process aborted at 50%. I had to kill it.

This saving problem appeared always no matter which feature I changed. Even trying to use LILO, YAST denied to do so.

thanks for reading [ and answering ;) ]


P.S.: I read many bootloader threads but I think none fits with my problem. But if you know one, please show it to me.

Can you do a md5sum on the DVD? Looks like it might be damaged -- that possibly also being the reason for YAST's erratic behaviour.

Did you try to write GRUB anew? If not, try that.

You can change the menu.lst of GRUB in any editor you like.

And also, do you have exotic hardware? Usually SuSE is quite good at installing completely...

thanks for answering

Could you explain what "md5sum" means, please?

I would really like to renew grub but how is this done? Are there any special things to do because it is related with the MBR?

My hardware is quite usual: AMD 2000+, ASUS A7V8X, GeForce Ti 4200, Seagate harddisk 19 GB

md5sum creates a unique hash value for a file or device (your DVD in this case). You can check its data-integrity with that, but you have to know the correct md5sum value to compare to what you get from your DVD. For a complete SuSE it will be time consuming though.

When you start the DVD and select "install manually" your old installation will be detected and you'll be offered several repair options. One of them should be sonmething like "install a new boot loader"...

Can't see anything frightening :D for old SuSE in your hardware...

Okay, I'll try the repair option.

But I won't be able to do this before friday. So my report if it works or not can't be there earlier.

Thank you very much.

Bye

Hello,

I started the installation again and chose the repair option. You were right. YaST2 contained mistakes, grub too. The configuration was saved now. But in the end it turned out to be the same problem.

So I checked my DVD using the SUSE Media Check in YaST. It revealed no errors.

Is it possible that my hard disk has an defect yust at the MBR?

Waiting hopefully for your answers.

Bye

Well, now that is funny (well, not really). In the light of your next statement:

That's a nice contradiction: The repair funcionality finds errors on your hard disk, the media check finds none on your DVD, yet you copied the data from your DVD to your hard disk ... well.

Lets reason this through. Assuming that there are no errors on your DVD but a failed installation on your hard disk could mean either of these:

• Data-transfer from DVD to disk is faulty -- but in a intermittent way, since you could determine data integrity on the DVD okay (at least for the sake of argument) while they are corrupted when you try to work with them. Possible, but not probable in my eyes.
• The other possibility I can see would be instable memory (RAM), since most of the program-packages come in a compressed form and have to be decompressed before installation. Something could have gone wrong there, and the most suspect component would be your RAM. I'd suggest you google for a program to check your RAM-integrity under load (maybe even YAST offers something like that in its hardware module).

Anything is possible and then some more :D.

But it is improbable from the symptoms you describe. The MBR contains the first stage (in your case of GRUB) for boot loading from hard disk. Should that be corrupt, you couldn't start your 'puter from the hard disk at all. Also, while some code of GRUB is written to the MBR (and was re-written when you repaired it), there is lots more in /boot ...

Hello,

thanks for thinking about it but this sounds not convincing to me. Before I started my testing in Linux my PC worked fine with Windows XP. So the RAM should be okay.

But there is another weak link in the chain:
To keep my data secure I pugged a new (old) hard disk in my PC took the old one out. So I really think all this has something to do with the old hard disk. To check whether I'm right or not I will buy a new hard disk (there is never enough space ;)) and repeat the installation again.

I'll report tomorrow if I'm right.

Bye

Oops.

"That's a nice contradiction: The repair funcionality finds errors on your hard disk, the media check finds none on your DVD, yet you copied the data from your DVD to your hard disk ... well."

Suspicious. Maybe it's cheaper when you just pull out the cable and put it securely back in for the hd you're just using now ... after all, you plugged it in in place of your other one -- could just be a weak connection.

Hello,

yesterday I bought a new hard disk. I ran home, plugged it in, installed SuSE and ... it works without any problems :D !!!

Thanks for answering and reading.

Bye

Glad for you. Try low level formatting of the other disk, that will find bad sectors. Most firms offer tools for that on their web sites...