Fedora Install GRUB geom error

I am trying to install Linux to dual boot with Windows XP. My PC already has Windows XP installed and has 2 Hard Drives.

When I first tried to install Lunux I used the auto partition option to set up the Linux partitions on the second hard drive, leaving the first for Windows.

The install seemed to work correctly, but when the system needed to reboot as part of the install, the system went straight into Windows XP.

I tried reinstalling and set the auto partitioning to use free space on both hard drives (see details below). I chose the default options for the grub bootloader, which I think tries to set it up on the /dev/hda MBR.

When the system reboots, I now get the following error

GRUB Geom Error

I have used linux rescue on the install disk and can see the Linux file system and the original Windows XP partition and files. I have also had a look at the grub.conf file (see Below) but am not really sure what I am looking for.

If possible I would still like to get both Linux and Windows up and running, but at the moment would settle for getting the original Windows system back without having to reinstall everything.

Any help much approciated!

Auto Partition Details

Device Mount Point/ Type Size
RAID/Volume

Hard Drives
/dev/hda
/dev/hda1 Vfat 150281
Free FreeSpace 7
/dev/hda2 /boot ext3 94
/dev/hda3 VolGroup00 LVM PV 2243

/dev/hdb
/dev/hdb1 VolGroup00 LVM PV 152625

grub.conf

# grub.conf generated by anaconca
#
#boot=/dev/hda
default=1
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.11-1.1369_FC4)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhg quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

You have to run
grub > root (hd1,1) // disk2, part2
grub > setup (hd0)
grub > quit

Thanks for the help.

When I go into grub and type in

root (hd1,1)

I get an "Error 22 : No such partition" message - is this trying to find a /dev/hdb2 partition? If so I don't think this was set up by the default autopartitioning.

what do the root and setup commands actually do?

From browsing around other support areas I have found an article on a "Disk Geometry Problem" that affected Fedora Core 2. As the version of Fedora I am trying to install is core 4 release, I don't think this is the same problem but could it be the same issue?

root (hd?,?) means where is your boot directory
setup (hd?) where is your loader

Thanks for the info.

I have tried using the root (hd0,1) and setup (hd0).

When I now boot I am getting the following message

GRUB Loading stage 1.5
GRUB Loading, please wait...
Error 17

From looking at other problems I found the following

"error 17" occurs when there is something mismatching b/w your "grub.conf" and the entries which "fdisk -l" shows. so compare them. otherwise post them.

When i do fdisk -l I get the following it seem to be saying that the /dev/hda1 is the boot directory rather than hda2.

Should this say hda2? Is this what is causing my problem? If so what do I need to do to reset it?

GRUB and LILO always conflict with Windows. And GNU GRUB is not so robust, causing many problems during boot.

So try GRUB for DOS please. It is a cross-platform boot loader based on GNU GRUB. The GRUB.EXE can be started from DOS/Win9x; and GRLDR can be started from BOOT.INI of Windows NT/2K/XP/2003; and even more, the GRUB.EXE can be started from LINUX via the KEXEC tool.

By using GRUB.EXE or GRLDR, you don't have to touch your MBR. It is the safest way coexisting with DOS/Windows.

You needn't install GRUB for DOS. Just run GRUB.EXE from DOS, or append a line of "C:\GRLDR=START GRUB" into your BOOT.INI(restart and select the "START GRUB" menu item), that will do.

Download GRUB for DOS here: http://freshmeat.net/projects/grub4dos/

There is a fat12grldr.img file with the GRUB for DOS release. You can create a GRUB bootable floppy with this fat12grldr.img file.

Or, you can just copy GRUB.EXE to your DOS floppy and run GRUB.EXE to enter the GRUB environment.

I ran into exactly the same error last evening, and found the fix this morning.

Conflict comes from having multiple SATA drives, and which ones your BIOS recognizes at startup. Go into your BIOS and make sure all of your SATA drives are "on" so they can be recognized on boot.