LinuxQuestions.org - GRUB Error

- Linux - Software (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/)

- - GRUB Error (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/grub-error-567056/)

I have intalled Linux on a PC that was already running Windows. The following day when i boot it, it displays GRUB eroor. when i run "fdisk -l" i get the following:

Disk /dev/hda: 20.4 GB, 20491075584 bytes
16 heads, 63 sectors/track, 39704 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 1008 * 512 = 516096 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 29085 14658808+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/hda2 29086 39191 5092605 83 Linux
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/hda3 39191 39701 257040 5 Extended
Partition 3 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/hda5 39191 39701 257008+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

What must i do? Dont want to loose my data. Please help

As far as I know, the fdisk -l output like 'Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.' is not necessarily serious. But I'm not sure if I understand your problems, so:
- can you boot both OS (W$ and linux), or just one of them?
- how do you get the output from fdisk, from your installed linux or do you boot from a live-cd?
- what exactly is the error message you get from grub when you try to boot?

And if you're really very worried about loosing your data, boot from a live-cd like knoppix, mount your ntfs windows partition and make a copy of your data, just in case something really goes wrong when you try to fix your disk partition table.
Gt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuLoh

Thanks for replying - I boot from live-cd of linux and run fdisk -l. I can not boot to linux or Windows that are installed. When i boot-up, it says "Loading GRUB, pleate waite" after few seconds, it display "Error 18" and just stops. I am really worried about this because i want to work. Any safe way to fix this??

From the GRUB manual:

Quote:

18 : Selected cylinder exceeds maximum supported by BIOS
This error is returned when a read is attempted at a linear block address beyond the end of the BIOS translated area. This generally happens if your disk is larger than the BIOS can handle (512MB for (E)IDE disks on older machines or larger than 8GB in general).

Was your system once working?
This error is to be expected in some older machines--a BIOS update may be in order. What is the hardware?

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

From the GRUB manual:
Was your system once working?
This error is to be expected in some older machines--a BIOS update may be in order. What is the hardware?

I am running pentium 3 with 20GB HD and 700MHz processor. The system was running well before ( Windows). Even after i have intalled linux(edubuntu) i was able to dual boot for the first day, then switch it off during knock-off time - to my suprise, when i switched on the following day , it displayed that error. I am worried because i didnt work for the whole of today.