help with grub-install.
 

I finally found out after about my 7th triple boot install that my hard drive was going out so I have replaced it. Now, I am having difficulty installing grub.

First some generic info. I am triple booting Windows 2000, XP pro and Slackware 10.2. I downloaded grub from here:
...http://slackware.it/en/pb/browse.php?q=10.2/extra/grub

I created my grub floppy and it works flawlessly. Here is what works when booting from the floppy:
...root (hd0,7)
...kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda8 ro
...boot

Okay, so now when I type:
...install-grub /dev/hda
I get the following:
...rm: cannot remove '/boot/grub/stage1': Is a directory

From a search here I turned this up:
Edit etc/fstab
...from "/dev/hda1 /c vfat defaults 1 0"
and changed it to:
..."/dev/hda1 /c vfat iocharset=utf8,umask=000 0 0"

I then checked in Konqueror under permissions and owner, group, and others has been changed to 'Can view and modify contents', but I still get the same error:
..rm: cannot remove '/boot/grub/stage1': Is a directory

So what have I done incorrectly?

Thanks,

Another Linux Newbie!

Check this how to for ideas
http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=975

TWO Windows installs and only one Linux!!!! tragic...;)

Here is the ultimate multi-boot guru's grand achievement: http://www.justlinux.com/forum/showt...hreadid=143973

If he can boot 100, then any of us can surely boot 2 or 3

Okay, I used a FC4 rescue cd and booted up. Then chroot'ed and ran grub, but when I get to this:
... setup (hd0)
I get this for output:
... Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... no
... Checking if "/grub/stage1" exists... no

...Error 15: File not found

Looks like I really hosed something up!
Any other suggestions?

grub from prompt

# setup (hd0)

grub-install /dev/hd0
and I get this:
.../dev/hd0: Not found or not a block device.

:(

try typing grub at the prompt. You should then be at something like grub#
then type
setup (hd0)

Right let me have a go

Since you can boot up the Linux then if grub-install fails you can try it in a Grub shell. Just invoke one when you have the root privilege
To setup Grub you must have in /boot/grub these two files

stage1
stage2

The line root (hd0,7) tells Grub go into hda8 to search for it and set itself up in (hd0) which is the whole disk. To Grub that means MBR.

Nothing to it.

If it doesn't work do these

(1) Check stage1 and stage2
(2) To boot it manually (ultimate solution)

The "just booting tips" has all the tricks summarised, inluding the one mentioned above. It is in my signature.
-------------------------------------------------------

The technique used to boot 2 systems is the same for booting a 100 systems. It is actually easy than you guys think, especially if you understand the "chainloading" part. In a nutshell you try to boot every system the way a WIndow is booted.

Okay, thanks for all the rapid responses.

typed: "grub"
then "setup (hd0)"
...Error 12: Invalid device requested

What in the hell does this mean? Now I am completely confused so lets see if I have anything right.

1. When in GRUB the first line I type should identify the partition to boot, which since I've installed Slack to hd0,7. Outside of GRUB this should be hda8 right?
..."root (hd0,7)"
output->"Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type is 0x83"
2. The second line defines the kernel.
..."kernel /boot/vmliuz root=/dev/hda8 ro"
output->"[Linux-bzImage,setup=ox1400,size=0x131676]"
3. The third line is just boot.
..."Boot"

At least this is what I think is right from the searching I have done!?!

Anyone care to shoot my pc for me, I don't know what else to try!

Okay, maybe that is the problem I have two FOLDERS in /boot/grub called stage1 and stage2.
Now in folder "stage1" I have a file called stage1 that is 512 b, and in the folder "stage2" I have a file called stage2 this is 101.6 kb.

Is this the problem?

Type grub

1)Set the GRUB's root device to the partition containing the boot directory like this:

grub> root (hd0,0)

Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83

For example Windows 2000 in hd0,0 ; Windows XP in hd0,1, slackware /boot partition in hd0,2 So in this case the command should be: > root (hd0,2)

If you are not sure which partition actually holds this directory, use the command 'find' like this:

grub> find /boot/grub/stage1

This will search for the file name '/boot/grub/stage1' and show the devices which contain the file.
Once you've set the root device correctly, run the command 'setup'.

2) Then, run the command setup

grub> setup (hd0)

Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists....... no
Checking if "/grub/stage1" exists....... yes
Checking if "/grub/stage2" exists....... yes
Checking if "/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists....... yes
Running "embed /grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"....... 15 sectors are embedded
succeded
Running "install /grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0) 1+15 p (hd0,2)/grub/stage2 /grub/grub.conf....... succeded
Done

This command will install GRUB boot loader on the Master Boot Record (MBR) of the first drive.

3) Type quit

grub> quit

GRUB is now in the MBR.

4) Finally, you may have to edit your /boot/grub/grub.conf, for example with nano:

> nano /boot/grub/grub.conf

(/etc/grub.conf or /boot/grub/grub.conf or /boot/grub/menu.lst, they are the same file) This file has the boot partitions of the disk/s.

Just follow the format and add whatever you need for the other OS'es

Grub needs them in /boot/grub.

The copying should have been just the file and the the whole directory in each case.

Wow, I've almost pulled all my hair out!

saikee, I have copied stage1 and stage2 to: /boot/grub.

bosewicht, when I type: grub> "find /boot/grub/stage1" I notice it is searching my floppy drive, how can that be right! Oh yeah, and I still get the error file not found because it's searching my floppy. How can "find /boot/grub/stage1" be looking on my floppy shouldn't be looking in say the obvious place like: /boot/grub.

Sincerely,

Confused.

This is because you were booting from the floppy.

If you invoke the Grub shell after booting into SLackware you will find the search being conducted inside the hard disk.

Have you restored the boot loader yet or not?

Hold on I have rebooted and under Konqueror I don't see the files: stage1 or stage2, but when I try to copy them over from the /boot/stage1 and 2 folders it says they are already there.

Show hidden files is checked so what gives?