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Hello, I have recently installed Sabayon Linux at work on a esata disk, and I have problems at boot if the disk is switched off.
The original configuration of the machine was:
sda1: generic hard disk
sdb1/sdb2: windows 7 partitions
and sdb2 is the boot partition.
Now, I installed my Linux on sdc1, which is the esata disk, and during installation I put grub on sdb.
If sdc is switched off at boot, grub can't load and gets to recovery mode. I would rather expect the usual list to show up normally. I kind of understand what the problem is, but being no grub expert I'm asking for help here!
You will need to configure grub to partition on sdb, now when you switch off your sdc all that is left is the mbr of your sdb pointing the boot at sdc1 which is no longer there. One solution would be to make a small boot partition on sdb say of 20 meg. If you are using windows 7 I understand its bootloader can be used to boot a linux distro also.
If I don't know much about Grub, I know absolutely nothing about Windows' boot loader That said, I'm interested in the solution of making a 20 mib partition. Can you guide me a little please? Like, what file system should I use, how can I resize the ntfs partition? sdb is an SSD, if that matters.
Also, once I get the partition ready, how do I change the loader in the mbr to point to the new place?
I would suggest you reconsider.
If you proceed as you plan, that external will only be usable on that machine. If you install grub to the MBR of the external, it will be portable in that you can take it to another machine and boot it directly if the BIOS supports external booting.
Let's get some data data on your set-up - go here, do as it says and post the RESULTS.txt
Boot Info Script 0.60 from 17 May 2011
============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.
=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
in partition 1 for .
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc.
sda1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files:
sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files: /bootmgr /BOOTMGR /boot/bcd /BOOT/bcd /Boot/bcd
/boot/BCD /BOOT/BCD /Boot/BCD
sdb2: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files: /Windows/System32/winload.exe
sdc1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: This is .()
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /boot/grub/grub.conf /etc/fstab
/boot/grub/core.img
sdc2: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sdc3: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files:
============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================
Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System
/dev/sda1 2,048 1,953,521,663 1,953,519,616 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
Drive: sdb _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sdb: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15566 cylinders, total 250069680 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sdb2 206,848 250,066,943 249,860,096 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
Drive: sdc _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sdc: 251.0 GB, 251000193024 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30515 cylinders, total 490234752 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 2,048 52,430,847 52,428,800 83 Linux
/dev/sdc2 52,430,848 77,596,671 25,165,824 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc3 77,596,672 490,233,855 412,637,184 83 Linux
"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________
Device UUID TYPE LABEL
/dev/sda1 86CEC90FCEC8F887 ntfs WD 1 TB
/dev/sdb1 4CE0728CE0727BD0 ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sdb2 1E2A81782A814E29 ntfs
/dev/sdc1 a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62 ext4
/dev/sdc2 6b8a485f-2416-4303-96df-210a14092745 swap
/dev/sdc3 0e98187b-f194-4c1f-a5dd-e9f2c111f7d6 ext4
================================ Mount points: =================================
Device Mount_Point Type Options
/dev/sdc1 / ext4 (rw,commit=0)
/dev/sdc3 /home ext4 (rw,commit=0)
=========================== sdc1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_fonts ###
### END /etc/grub.d/00_fonts ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="${saved_entry}"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd2,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=1024x768
load_video
# vga= is deprecated, grub2 handles this just fine
# making grub2 res == linux fb res
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd2,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if sleep --interruptible 0 ; then
set timeout=5
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_distro_theme ###
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd2,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62
insmod png
if background_image /boot/grub/default-splash.png ; then
set color_normal=white/black
set color_highlight=magenta/black
else
set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_distro_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Sabayon GNU/Linux, with Linux x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon' --class sabayon --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
load_video
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd2,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62
echo 'Loading Linux x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon ...'
linux /boot/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon ro init=/linuxrc splash=silent,theme:sabayon vga=791 console=tty1 quiet dokeymap keymap=it domdadm resume=swap:UUID=6b8a485f-2416-4303-96df-210a14092745 real_resume=UUID=6b8a485f-2416-4303-96df-210a14092745 root=UUID=a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62 docrypt
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon
}
menuentry 'Sabayon GNU/Linux, with Linux x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon (recovery mode)' --class sabayon --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
load_video
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd2,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62
echo 'Loading Linux x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon ...'
linux /boot/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon ro single init_opts=single init=/linuxrc splash=verbose,theme:sabayon vga=791 console=tty1 quiet dokeymap keymap=it domdadm resume=swap:UUID=6b8a485f-2416-4303-96df-210a14092745 real_resume=UUID=6b8a485f-2416-4303-96df-210a14092745 root=UUID=a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62 docrypt
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sdb1)" --class windows --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4CE0728CE0727BD0
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========================== sdc1/boot/grub/grub.conf: ===========================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
default=0
timeout=10
title=Sabayon Linux (kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon ro init=/linuxrc splash=silent,theme:sabayon vga=791 console=tty1 quiet dokeymap keymap=it domdadm resume=swap:UUID=6b8a485f-2416-4303-96df-210a14092745 real_resume=UUID=6b8a485f-2416-4303-96df-210a14092745 root=UUID=a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62 docrypt
initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon
savedefault
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=============================== sdc1/etc/fstab: ================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# /etc/fstab
# Created by anaconda on Thu Nov 10 18:42:54 2011
#
# Accessible filesystems, by reference, are maintained under '/dev/disk'
# See man pages fstab(5), findfs(8), mount(8) and/or blkid(8) for more info
#
UUID=a1fce21e-fc0a-4593-b3fe-cd646c9fab62 / ext4 defaults 1 1
UUID=0e98187b-f194-4c1f-a5dd-e9f2c111f7d6 /home ext4 defaults 1 2
UUID=6b8a485f-2416-4303-96df-210a14092745 swap swap defaults 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=================== sdc1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
0.132469177 = 0.142237696 boot/grub/core.img 1
18.184619904 = 19.525586944 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
20.158660889 = 21.645197312 boot/grub/grub.conf 1
20.133995056 = 21.618712576 boot/grub/stage2 1
7.754722595 = 8.326569984 boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.39-sabayon 2
=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================
unlzma: (stdin): Compressed data is corrupt
umount: /tmp/BootInfo0/sdb2: device is busy.
(In some cases useful info about processes that use
the device is found by lsof(8) or fuser(1))
No volume groups found
mdadm: No arrays found in config file or automatically
I'm not really concerned about moving the hard disk around. I'm currently using this config at work because I volounteered to port an existing game to Linux. In order to better convince the boss, I asked for an external drive, that way I can switch it off when I don't work on Linux and save power. You see, they kind of don't know what Linux is here, so opting for the less intrusive option "it's as if it wasn't there" was my best bet - that said, the disk should never leave this computer.
Hopefully, as the maintainer I can start to permanently work on Linux later, but one step at a time
In your case I would think a boot cd would be the best option, then you would not have to change your bios. There are a lot of tutorials and downloads for (Super) grub2 boot cd in google.
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That said, I'm interested in the solution of making a 20 mib partition. Can you guide me a little please? Like, what file system should I use, how can I resize the ntfs partition? sdb is an SSD, if that matters.
