Grub error 17, can't do anything

pingue999 · 05-15-2005, 11:06 AM

hi

I run on an other computer windows and debian sarge with a dual boot.
I was trying to see files on an other computer when my debian hang for more than an hour, it didn't respond on mouse, keyboard and even not on the reset button.
so I shut down the power and tired to restart it but I got the message error 17.
when I run the live cd (knoppix) and looked in /boot/grub/menu.lst the file was completely empty.
also I can't install grub anymore.
I searched for topic her but the solutions that where in there didn't work.
Has someone a solution because if possible I will not reinstall debian.

regards

mjrich · 05-15-2005, 09:13 PM

From the Grub manual (www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual)...

Quote:

17 : Cannot mount selected partition. This error is returned if the partition requested exists, but the filesystem type cannot be recognized by GRUB.

Have you tried to reinstall Grub, or at the very least replaced the empty menu.lst with one containing a minimal entry for your Sarge setup ? And you're quite sure that nothing else has happened (unplugging the drive, switching masters and slaves, attempting to reinstall windows etc. etc.).

How exactly were you "trying to see the files on another computer" ?

Cheers,

mj

pingue999 · 05-16-2005, 05:32 AM

I have tried to reinstall grub but I got the following message,
W: Not using locking for read only file /var/lib/dpkg/lock
E: Unable to write to /var/cache/apt/
E: The package list or status file could not be parsed or opened.
Also I have tried to replace menu.lst but I got the message: /boot/grub/menu.lst E212: Can't open file for writing.

After you mentioned that some hardware connections where wrong I checked them but they are alright.
Also I didn't attempt to reinstall windows.
I was trying to see the files on an other computer by using something similar to explorer (don't know how it is called under linux) he could see the other computer on the network but when I tried to open a shared map it hung and didn't respond anymore.
Than I restarted the computer and it hang somewhere after the GRUB but he said to run in recovery mode and run fsck. after don that and rebooted again I got the error in GRUB.

I thing I do something wrong when I run the live cd so that I haven't root permission.
O, for the record I am a complete

but not afraid to learn from my mistakes, the reason that I run linux is that windows crashed continuously. I use debian sarge for more than 7 months without problems, and now when I want to do something more it crashed. But I still like it.

reggards

mjrich · 05-16-2005, 03:11 PM

Knoppix mounts drives as read-only by default, so you'll have to right click on the drive (if you're using Kde) and change it to read/write mode. This is also most likely the cause of your apt errors.

To edit your menu.lst, open a terminal and switch to root:

Code:

su
             # no password, just press enter
cd /mnt/hda*/boot/grub
vim menu.lst

replacing * with the appropriate partition. Alternatively, you could just use the command line at the Grub prompt (see http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...ode/index.html for commands). To re-install Grub, use grub-install <location>.

Good luck !

mj

pingue999 · 05-17-2005, 04:49 AM

It looks like that there is something wrong with the partition, when I run knoppix on kde a can look at all the partitions except the one with debian on it.
I will go on with trying this weekend because during the week i am not at the place where my computer is.
but thanks anyway for the explanation.

regards