LXer: Tutorial: GRUB vs. the Inodes: Who Needs a Bootable System, Anyway?

LXer · 05-02-2008, 12:51 AM

Published at LXer:

Users of GRUB legacy, which is version 0.97, are getting bitten by an e2fsprogs incompatibility that renders their systems unbootable. e2fsprogs is the utilities package for the Ext3 filesystem, so it doesn't affect other filesystems. Resident expert Carla Schroder explains the problem and details some fixes to get affected systems back up.

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aus9 · 05-02-2008, 07:43 PM

Mandriva 2008.1 users of grub can rest easy as mcc search of grub shows its changelog

Wed Feb 06 2008 Pixel <pixel@mandriva.com> 0.97-22mdv2008.1
+ Revision: 163119
- handle ext3 256 bytes inode, which is the default
- use autoreconf
- add patch to help automake

2) tune2fs -l /dev/sda1 | grep -i 'inode size'
Inode size: 256

I am on a mdv 2008.1 ext3 with grub right now and it boots fine.

aus9 · 08-07-2008, 12:47 AM

ok I have just converted to sidux whick also used default 256 inode.

But this very informative link....says old live cds....trying to rescue a broken grub will fail.
http://sidux.com/Article416.html (section under grub)

I tested this myself and lo it is broke....if you use the wrong (old live cd)

There are work arounds that include.....lilo handles 256 inodes, format as xfs etc and not ext2 ext3

AND the easiest work around of the lot....heh heh is to use a recent sidux cd or dvd as a rescue cd/dvd.