Hi all MEPIS users,

Am using SimplyMEPIS 3.3test02 (2.6.10) with GRUB boot manager on a multi-boot setup -
(hda) Windows XP (hd0,0)
(hda) Windows 98 (hd0,1)
(hdb) MEPIS, kernel 2.6.10 (hd1,0)

Note: GRUB is loaded to MBR of master HDD (hda).

20 GB master HDD (hda) has both windows OS on separate partitions;
80GB slave HDD (hdb) has Mepis on first partition (hd1,0) of 40GB - and separate "Home2" partition of 40GB.

GRUB is used as the boot manager - worked very well when the original 'install' files on the SimplyMEPIS CD was used to 'install' to the HDD - took around 10 seconds from end of POST sequence on machine boot-up till the GRUB boot menu appeared.

My problem is - I upgraded the GRUB files from GRUB ver 0.95 + cvs 20040624-13 to - GRUB ver 0.95 +cvs20040624-17 - using KPackage - and it installed fine.

As an extra 'security' measure I edited the /boot/grub/menu.lst file to include the following at the top of the file:

password -md5 (my encrypted password here)

Now when I boot my machine the GRUB boot menu takes around 1 minute (60 secs) after the POST before it appears -

Grub loading stage1.5 .............~ 30 secs
Grub loading, please wait ..........~ 30 secs
Boot menu ....................

whereas before the upgrade it only took around 10 seconds for the GRUB boot menu to appear. And before the upgrade the - 'Grub loading stage1.5' - message never came up - it just went direct to - 'Grub loading, please wait' - message.

Other than this "delay" before the boot menu appears - it all works fine.

Any suggestions as to what I may have done wrong or did I miss some step or steps when doing the upgrade?

Oz-Rod

I doubt this is the source of your problem, but why are you still using a test release of an old version of MEPIS?

Looking at what has changed since it worked well for you:

• Update GRUB
• Add a password to GRUB

Have tried undoing either of these?

I think it would be especially easy to disable the password & see if that is causing your problem.

If that doesn't work, consider going back to the earlier ver. of GRUB, at least temporarily.

BTW, what Googles & other searches did you do?

Hi archtoad6,

>I doubt this is the source of your problem, but why >are you still using a test release of an old >version of MEPIS?

Well I spent a bit of time getting this SimplyMEPIS 3.3.1test02 version working the way I want it to and have added updates only to specific files that I felt needed updating to bring them in line with how I want them to work!!! I'm one who strongly beleives that - IF IT AIN'T BROKE - WHY FIX IT ....

or if it all works as YOU (or in this case I) want things to then why install an upgrade and possibly break the setup to the extent that you then have to spend possibly hours trying to fix them -- UUUGGGHHH


>Looking at what has changed since it worked well >for you:
>Update GRUB
>Add a password to GRUB
>Have tried undoing either of these?

Yep! Did both "undo's" but neither fixed the problem. NOTE: the system still worked OK - except for the long delay till the 'login' screen came up....

>I think it would be especially easy to disable the password & see if that is causing your problem.
>
>If that doesn't work, consider going back to the earlier ver. of GRUB, at least temporarily.

Yep! Even did that - still had problem..

>BTW, what Googles & other searches did you do?

Searched the web and all the LQ forums for possible help - there were several posts regarding GRUB problems but none similar to my problem.

Anyway - the system somehow has fixed itself - it boots up without the 'delay' - just as quick as when it did before I did the changes - which are still in the setup as of yesterday - it be all working OK now.

Thanks for the reply though.

Oz-Rod

I can relate to "it's just the way I want it & I don't want to have to re-do the configuration"; on the other hand, KWallet, at least <3.4, doesn't support multiple accts. @ 1 domain. I.E. I have multiple e-mail accts. @ 1 host & I have to use Opera & its Wand to access them. Much as I love Opera, I would like to have the option of using Konqueror. (And don't say KMail, I am a fairly die hard web interfacer for e-mail.) Therefore, I am getting ready to try 3.4-3, but wondering how bring over what I want, but still give Warren's new desktop arrangement a fair chance. Unfortunaetly, doing a new install on the same partition w/ the "Save home" option doesn't give the new desktop layout a chance.

I tried an upgrade of Woody to Sarge once & it trashed the system, now I do a fresh install on a different partition. I fully agree w/ your "no upgrades" policy.

More than once I have started to upgrade some "K" component, only to be presented w/ a list of over 200 (214??) packages that must be upgraded too. That sounds too much like an upgrade to me. So I am mulling over how to install 3.4-3 & yet bring my configuration files over piecemeal.

Do you know of any list of the KDE config files, what they do, & most especially what part of the Control Center affect them?