This is my fiirst time configuring grub and I really hate it. I am at the grub configuration part of the Gentoo install and I am supposed to run grub, then type at the command prompt root (hd0,0) which designates my MBR of course. After doing that I receive no errors but the statement "Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7" After that I am supposed to type setup (hd0). Then I get "Error 17: Cannot mount selected partition" WTF? Is is because I'm dual booting and have XP on hd0 and Gentoo on hd1?

Can you post:

1. Your current grub config file?
2. Your partition setup?

If you do, it'll help a lot. Thanx!

root (hd0,0) is supposed to tell grub where it can find its loader programs stage1 and stage2. In this case, the error message is telling you it's the wrong partition. The stage1 and stage2 programs are located in the /boot/grub folder. Which partition has the /boot/grub folder? Do you have a separate /boot partition? BTW, (hd0,0) means hda1.

The setup (hd0) tells where to install grub. In this case, it's being put in the mbr of /dev/hda.

I don't know if this will help but make sure you're running as root when you're installing GRUB. If you aren't, you'll get errors about not being able to write to devices, etc.

hello,
try grub-install --root-directory=/boot/grub /dev/hda

I have 2 hard disks. 1st one is WinXP and 2nd is reserved for Gentoo. Linux partitions are 1 partition is /boot, 2nd is swap, 3rd is /. I really am getting frustrated w/ Grub. I would think that I need to run Grub, then run the command setup (hd0,0) so I can install Grub on the MBR of hd0. I do so and get "Error 12: invalid device requested" This:grub-install --root-directory=/boot/grub /dev/hda did not work. All I need is to install a fscking bootloader and I'd be enjoying freedom from RPM hell.

Tried running root (hd0) Got "Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7" Then tried running "setup (hd0)" Got "Error 17: Cannot mount selected partition" Did I mention I hate Grub?

GRUB is so much better than LILO. Here we go:

Here's an example:

grub>root (hd0,0)
grub>setup (hd0)
grub>quit

I believe thats it. Then, just set up your menu config. They go something like this:

#default OS
default 0
#timeout before booting default
timeout 30

#make sure you put the xpm in there
splashimage=(hd1,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title=Gentoo Linux
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/hdb3

title=Windows XP
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

This config is from the Gentoo Linux documentation. I just customized it for your setup.

Running "setup (hd0)" produced Error 17:Cannot mount selected partition. I really want this to work and I appreciate all fo the help I'm getting

Give us the EXACT commands you are typing in. That'll help.

#grub
grub> root (hd0,0)
Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
grub>setup (hd0)
Error 17: Cannot mount selected partition

What did you format your partitions with. I'm assuming you used NTFS for your XP, but what did you use in Linux?

The partitions are EXT3, leftover from a Redhat 7.3 install

if gentoo is on the 2nd drive here is what you should type:

grub> root (hd1,0)
grup> setup (hd0)
grub> quit

root (hd1,0) means "my boot partition is the first one on my second drive"
setup (hd0) means "install the boot record on the MBR of the first drive"

try that and see if it works

default 0
timeout 30
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title=My example Gentoo Linux
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/hda3

# Below needed only for people who dual-boot
title=Windows NT Workstation
root (hd0,5)
chainloader +1

I'm guessing I need to modify this to show where the location of the splahimage is which would be (hd1,0) right? My XP partition would be (hd0,1) right?