How to restore boot loader on Mandriva 09 dual boot ... pruned parts 1

yancek · 01-04-2009, 08:28 PM

I would agree with CJS about grub stage1 being on sda as the default install is to the mbr of the first drive. I expect this happened with the Opensuse install as that is the menu which comes up first.

I'll be interested to see if your suggestions work.

Post 16 shows root (hd1,4)configfile entry from Ubuntu menu.lst giving "bad file or directory" error
Post 20 shows NO Mandriva entry in Opensuse menu.lst.
Post 26 shows the Mandriva menu.lst and all the entries for the different OS's show the sdb drive as (hd0)??
Post 29 shows what should be a correct entry for Mandriva in the Opensuse menu.lst but the stanza has (hd0) instead of (hd1)
Post 35 shows a correct entry for Mandriva in theOpensuse menu.lst but no initrd lines (cut off in the post?)

Interesting that Mandriva grub sees itself on (hd0) while the other systems see (hd1)?

Gins · 01-05-2009, 11:12 AM

First I mounted sdb5.

The following procedure worked fine.

Code:

mount --bind /dev /tmp/sdb5/dev
mount --bind /proc /tmp/sdb5/proc
chroot /tmp/sdb5
grub
grub> root (hd1,4)
grub> setup (hd1,4)
grub> quit
exit

---------------------------------------------------

The following is the part of the output:

Code:

GNU GRUB  version 0.97  (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)

 [ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported.  For the first word, TAB
   lists possible command completions.  Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
   completions of a device/filename. ]

grub> root (hd1,4)
 Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83

grub> setup (hd1,4)
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
 Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd1,4)"... failed (this is not fatal)
 Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd1,4)"... failed (this is not fatal)
 Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd1,4) /boot/grub/stage2 p /boot/grub/menu.lst "... succeeded
Done.

grub>

grub> quit
[root@SuseLinux103 /]# grub
Probing devices to guess BIOS drives. This may take a long time.
[root@SuseLinux103 /]#

Please suggest the next step.

PS
CJS wrote the following:

Code:

Actually when you installed your distros on the sdb drive, most distros by default install Grub to the MBR (Master Boot Record) of /dev/sda, which they assume to be the drive you boot from.

I don't know those peculiar things. I guess those things border bugs.

It was not my intention to install open SuSE 10.3 on sdb8.
The installation procedure dictated terms and installed on sdb8.
I just obliged because I wanted an old open SuSE version.

On the other hand I am no expert in these matters. If you know everything, it may be possible to select the partition.

Mandriva is different. It gives you all the choices to select partitions, programs etc.

I would like to say it has the most user friendly installation procedure.

You might wonder why I need an old version of open SuSE.

I bought about 200 CDs and 50 DVDs about 4 years ago. I didn't use them because in most cases, like the other people, I use or rather burn programs onto DVDs.

When you install a latest version of linux distro, you get the latest version kb3 burning program.

My old CDs and DVDs are not compatible with the latest version of k3b burning program.
When burning a CD or a DVD, I get an error message. The funny error message comes at the end of the DVD/CD burning.

I installed the old version of open SuSE which is 10.3 to test.

All my old CDs and DVDs are working fine in open SuSE 10.3. So it is obvious that nothing wrong with the my CDs and DVDs.

CJS · 01-05-2009, 11:18 AM

OK, looks like Grub was installed successfully to your Mandriva partition boot sector, so how about following the commands from post #58 in order to modify your Mandriva menu.lst, but omit the "cp" command. Also be sure to add the Mandriva entry at the bottom of that post to your OpenSUSE menu.lst, then reboot, and let us know exactly what happens when you try and boot Mandriva. We can go from there.

Gins · 01-05-2009, 11:30 AM

CJS

The following is from post 58.

Code:

mkdir /tmp/sdb5
mount /dev/sdb5 /tmp/sdb5
cp /tmp/sdb5/usr/lib/grub/*/stage2 /tmp/sdb5/boot/grub
gedit /tmp/sdb5/boot/grub/menu.lst

Could you please write the exact commands you want me to try?

CJS · 01-05-2009, 11:35 AM

OK, how about trying:

Code:

mkdir /tmp/sdb5
mount /dev/sdb5 /tmp/sdb5
gedit /tmp/sdb5/boot/grub/menu.lst

And replace "gedit" with "kate" in the above commands if you are using KDE instead of Gnome. Then modify all your Mandriva entries in the menu.lst as shown in post #58; once you are done with that, open your OpenSUSE menu.lst and add the Mandriva entry to it given at the bottom of post #58. Let me know how that goes or if you run into problems.

Gins · 01-05-2009, 01:12 PM

CSJ
Something is going on for more than 40 minutes. Please read the following:

Code:

ni@SuseLinux103:~> su root
Password:
SuseLinux103:/home/ni # mkdir /tmp/sdb5
mkdir: cannot create directory `/tmp/sdb5': File exists
SuseLinux103:/home/ni # mount /dev/sdb5 /tmp/sdb5
mount: /dev/sdb5 already mounted or /tmp/sdb5 busy
mount: according to mtab, /dev/sdb5 is already mounted on /tmp/sdb5
SuseLinux103:/home/ni # kate /tmp/sdb5/boot/grub/menu.lst
/usr/bin/iceauth:  creating new authority file /root/.ICEauthority
kbuildsycoca running...
Invalid entry (missing '=') at /tmp/kde-root/kconf_updateGVpJIa.tmp:1
kbuildsycoca running...
Reusing existing ksycoca

Besides the above 'kate' opened automatically with the following:

Default session menu.lst - kate

Code:

timeout 10
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
gfxmenu (hd0,4)/boot/gfxmenu
default 0

title linux
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=6460a523-8375-40e3-9958-31c179210b3a  resume=UUID=743165c2-5731-4133-9976-0fc7fd90d02c splash=silent vga=788
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title linux-nonfb
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux-nonfb root=UUID=6460a523-8375-40e3-9958-31c179210b3a  resume=UUID=743165c2-5731-4133-9976-0fc7fd90d02c
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title failsafe
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=failsafe root=UUID=6460a523-8375-40e3-9958-31c179210b3a  failsafe
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title windows
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title windows1
root (hd0,1)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title Ubuntu 8.04 
root (hd0,2)
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

title openSUSE 10.3 (i586)
VERSION = 10.3
root (hd0,7)
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

What shall I do?
Reusing existing ksycoca ... [ This means something is going on.]

yancek · 01-05-2009, 01:39 PM

Hello Gins.

Quote:

SuseLinux103:/home/ni # mkdir /tmp/sdb5
mkdir: cannot create directory `/tmp/sdb5': File exists

The above simply means you have previously created the directory "sdb5" in the /tmp directory so you do not have to do it again.

Quote:

mount: /dev/sdb5 already mounted or /tmp/sdb5 busy

The above means /dev/sdb5 is already mounted so, you do not need to do this step.

Copy the entry from Mandriva menu.lst shown below and in your last post to the Opensuse menu.lst. Make the change of (hd0,4) to (hd1,4).

Quote:

title linux
kernel (hd1,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=6460a523-8375-40e3-9958-31c179210b3a resume=UUID=743165c2-5731-4133-9976-0fc7fd90d02c splash=silent vga=788
initrd (hd1,4)/boot/initrd.img

Or, if you want to do it the way CJS suggested, change the entry in the Mandriva menu.lst file, (hd0,4) to (hd1,4) and then add his chainloader entry below to the Opensuse menu.lst

Quote:

title Mandriva Grub menu
root (hd1,4)
chainloader +1

Do it one way or the other, not both or it won't work. Also, when you boot you need to make the selection from Opensuse and not wait for the Ubuntu bootloader.

I make this suggestion 20+ posts ago but there was confusion about the grub hd0 entries so I hope you get it this time.

good luck.

Gins · 01-05-2009, 01:51 PM

yancek

I will reboot the computer.

I will get the open SuSE 10.3 to the screen.

I will mount the Mandriva partition.

Afterwards, I will edit the its menu.lst file and add the following:

Code:

title Mandriva Grub menu
root (hd1,4)
chainloader +1

I will be posting again in 30 minutes.

I am going to have dinner now. I am a bit hungry.

Gins · 01-05-2009, 03:41 PM

ni@SuseLinux103:~> su root
Password:
SuseLinux103:/home/ni # mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt/mandriva
SuseLinux103:/home/ni # cd /mnt/mandriva
SuseLinux103:/mnt/mandriva # cd /boot
SuseLinux103:/boot # cd grub
SuseLinux103:/boot/grub #

Code:

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows 3###
title windows 3
    rootnoverify (hd1,7)
    chainloader (hd1,1)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
    rootnoverify (hd1,7)
    chainloader (fd0)+1

title Mandriva Grub menu
root (hd1,4)
chainloader +1



###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 10.3
    root (hd1,7)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-bigsmp root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_MAXTOR_STM35003_9QM357QE-part8 vga=normal showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off 3
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-bigsmp

SuseLinux103:/boot/grub #

The above is a part of the menu.lst file inside Mandriva.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I selected the following item from the menu when the computer starts:

Mandriva Grub Menu

The following is the error message.

Code:

Booting 'linux'

kernel (hd0,4) /boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=6460a 523-8
375- 40e3-9958- ...                    

splash=silent vga=788

Error15: File not found

Press any key ...

When I pressed a key, I got a completely a new menu.

Code:

1.linux

2.linux-nonfb

3.failsafe

4.windows

5.windows 1

6.Ubuntu 8.04

7.open SuSE 10.3.

In the above, only windows are working. Items 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 does not work.

yancek · 01-05-2009, 04:03 PM

Gins: You are making the same mistake with the "cd" command you made earlier. You are in Opensuse and you mount Mandriva with the first command and change directories to the Mandriva directory with the second command doing this:

Quote:

SuseLinux103:/home/ni # mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt/mandriva
SuseLinux103:/home/ni # cd /mnt/mandriva

The mistake you make is in the command below:

Quote:

SuseLinux103:/mnt/mandriva # cd /boot

This gets you to the Opensuse /boot directory

Quote:

SuseLinux103:/boot # cd grub
SuseLinux103:/boot/grub #

As you can see, you are at the prompt for Opensuse as indicated by:

SuseLinux103:/boot/grub #

If you were at the Mandriva /boot/grub directory, it would be:

Quote:

SuseLinux103:/home/ni/mnt/mandriva/boot/grub #

If Mandriva is not mounted, mount it. If it is mounted or after you mount it run the following:

Quote:

SuseLinux103:/home/ni # cd /mnt/mandriva/boot/grub/

Then do, at the prompt the command: kate menu.lst, you will see the Mandriva menu.lst file open in text editor "kate". Make the grub entries all (hd1,4) for Mandriva.

If you look at your last post, you see the Mandriva entry you have in Opensuse menu.lst, the one you thought was Mandriva. You can tell it is Opensuse because of the reference to YaST - Mandriva does not use YaST, Opensuse does. You do NOT need to change this Opensuse menu.lst entry for Mandriva. What you need to do for this to work is to put the correct entry in the Mandriva menu.lst

Quote:

title Mandriva
kernel (hd1,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=6460a523-8375-40e3-9958-31c179210b3a resume=UUID=743165c2-5731-4133-9976-0fc7fd90d02c splash=silent vga=788
initrd (hd1,4)/boot/initrd.img

You have the chainloader entry for Mandriva already in Opensuse menu.lst as suggested by CJS so all you need to do is put this last entry in menu.lst of Mandriva. Make sure you are clear about how to get into Mandriva menu.lst rather than getting to Opensuse again so you don't repeat this error. Hope this works!

Gins · 01-05-2009, 04:15 PM

I am grately indebted for you all for taking time to help me.

I must leave home early tommorrow morning to work.

It is getting late here.

I must leave at 5 o' clock in the morning.

I will attend this tomorrow evening.

Please help me again tomorrow.

Gins · 01-06-2009, 01:41 PM

yancek

This time I don't want to make any mistakes.

I got the open SuSE 10.3 to the screen now.

The following procedure shows that I mounted the Mandriva properly.

Code:

ni@SuseLinux103:~> su root
Password:
SuseLinux103:/home/ni # mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt/mandriva
SuseLinux103:/home/ni #

SuseLinux103:/home/ni # cd /mnt/mandriva/boot/grub/
SuseLinux103:/mnt/mandriva/boot/grub #

Is the above fine?

Now I go into Mandriva's menu.lst file and insert the following:

Code:

title Mandriva
kernel (hd1,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=6460a523-8375-40e3-9958-31c179210b3a resume=UUID=743165c2-5731-4133-9976-0fc7fd90d02c splash=silent vga=788
initrd (hd1,4)/boot/initrd.img

Please tell me whether everything is in order.
I would like to hear from you again because I don't want to make any mistakes this time.
If you says everything is in order, I will go ahead with editing the Mandriva's menu.lst file.

unSpawn · 01-06-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gins

This is an interesting question.

Yes it is and next time you will leave it at that observation only.

You have hijacked this thread which is disrespectful towards the OP and LQ in general.
Consider this a warning.
Do not ever hijack a thread again.

To make sure we are on the same page I require you to email me you will not hijack any thread again.

Having received your answer this thread will be reopened. In the meantime any evasive action from you (like for instance opening up a new thread to bypass this closure will not be tolerated).

Gins · 01-07-2009, 02:51 PM

I hope our friends CJS and yancek will look at my latest post.

I am waiting to read your comments again. I will not do anything until I hear from you all.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After all the controversies, moderator unSpawn has opened the thread.

I know the fact that it is unacceptable to intervene in a thread started by somebody else to solve my own problems.

The original thread was in line with my problem. It enticed me to attach my question. It was unfortunate, as far as I am concerned.

unSpawn
------------------------
I could not find your email address.
So I sent a private message.
How do I find moderators' email addresses?

yancek · 01-07-2009, 05:43 PM

The stanza for Mandriva should already be there, the one you show in your last post below:

Quote:

title Mandriva
kernel (hd1,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=6460a523-8375-40e3-9958-31c179210b3a resume=UUID=743165c2-5731-4133-9976-0fc7fd90d02c splash=silent vga=788
initrd (hd1,4)/boot/initrd.img

The only thing you may need to change is the (hd1,4) entries after "kernel" and "initrd". If they are (hd0,4), change them to (hd1,4)

Then put the entry below into the Opensuse menu.lst

Quote:

title Mandriva Grub menu
root (hd1,4)
chainloader +1

When you reboot the computer, be sure to select the Mandriva entry from Opensuse menu.lst, do not wait and let it go to Ubuntu. Your Mandriva entry in Opensuse boot menu you will see on your monitor should look like this:

Mandriva Grub menu

Hope this works because I'm out of ideas. Good Luck.