[SOLVED] Grub error: unknown filesystem after installation
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I was found lots of issues, but nothing have worked.
I was tried to boot Debian netinst CD in Rescue mode, and changed the /boot/grub/grub.cfg, but nothing has changed!
I tried to test, which line is the bugous line in the config file by this simply method:
I was added this line before the first line in the config:
Quote:
echo "GRUB Config file"
But nothing has changed. It seems that the grub can't load the /boot/grub/grub.cfg from the disk.
After that I tried to run an fsck with -f (force) option, but no errors found.
Tried to detect badblock: # badblocks /dev/sda
...no problems found.
OK, reinstall the GRUB...
Quote:
grub-install /dev/sda
The installation was successfull without any errors, but the problem dosen't fixed.
OK, try to reinstall Debian... (Might be something wrong in the installation???)
The installation successfully, and try to boot the system.
The problem doesn't fixed yet.
Here is my partitioning:
drive part.size mount point filesystem
/dev/sda1 8GB / ext.3
/dev/sda2 20 GB /home ext.3
/dev/sda3 10 GB /www ext.3 (apache document root)
/dev/sda4 2 GB SWAP SWAP
The grub.cfg:
Quote:
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
echo "Starting GRUB.cfg ..."
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
set prefix="(hd0,0)/boot/grub"
set root="(hd0,0)"
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,0)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=C.UTF-8
insmod gettext
set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
insmod png
if background_image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/spacefun-grub.png; then
set color_normal=light-gray/black
set color_highlight=white/black
else
set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-486' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-486 ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-486 root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-486
}
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-486 (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-486 ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-486 root=/dev/sda1 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-486
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
=> Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector
1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and
looks in partition 1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
echo "Starting GRUB.cfg ..."
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
set prefix="(hd0,0)/boot/grub"
set root="(hd0,0)"
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,0)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=C.UTF-8
insmod gettext
set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
insmod png
if background_image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/spacefun-grub.png; then
set color_normal=light-gray/black
set color_highlight=white/black
else
set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-486' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-486 ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-486 root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-486
}
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-486 (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-486 ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-486 root=/dev/sda1 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-486
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=250c1bb4-17db-4c43-aedc-b5fa93231ce2 / ext3 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /home was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=3cd49745-1565-433a-8fae-f3e8b0f7d291 /home ext3 defaults 0 2
# /www was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=0ddc6d99-48af-43cb-bbaa-e67b32865e83 /www ext3 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda4 during installation
UUID=8c4baa1b-b837-4828-b3af-25ca103b3482 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution: Debian Testing, Stable, Sid and Manjaro, Mageia 3, LMDE
Posts: 2,628
Rep:
Better run the boot info script again so we can see if anything else has changed.
My theory is that this is due to an installer foul up. Only one bootloader should have been installed.
This also means that there may be a fault in grub as installed on your system currently.
The Boot info script may give us a clue. The results you posted before showed no problem, just the additional lilo files.
When Ubuntu was introducing Grub2 they tried to let both grub versions co-exist on systems. This worked for most folks. For the ones that it didn't, however, it was a total wreck.
Removing just about every trace of both systems and reinstalling grub2 was the cure. I think you may need to do that.
Before doing so we really should look at the information again and see if there is an alternative.
============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
=> Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector
1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and
looks in partition 1 for (,msdos1)/grub.
=> Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector
1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and
looks in partition 1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
echo "Starting GRUB2 ..."
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ca800505-9525-415f-8b24-3e0d2420fb76
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 2da9c994-719a-46fa-b7f5-20d9c6cd38bd
set locale_dir=($root)/grub/locale
set lang=hu
insmod gettext
set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-686' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 2da9c994-719a-46fa-b7f5-20d9c6cd38bd
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-686 ...'
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=ca800505-9525-415f-8b24-3e0d2420fb76 ro quiet
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
}
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-686 (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 2da9c994-719a-46fa-b7f5-20d9c6cd38bd
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-686 ...'
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=ca800505-9525-415f-8b24-3e0d2420fb76 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sdb1 during installation
UUID=ca800505-9525-415f-8b24-3e0d2420fb76 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /boot was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=2da9c994-719a-46fa-b7f5-20d9c6cd38bd /boot ext4 defaults 0 2
# /home was on /dev/sdb2 during installation
UUID=711f9508-6dc1-4bec-9d28-38c9c7504a7e /home ext4 defaults 0 2
# /www was on /dev/sdb3 during installation
UUID=fc6db51d-84d7-4588-8af9-e56524010ab0 /www ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sdb4 during installation
UUID=29c42788-e05d-40ed-a26e-c7a49fc9b96b none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
?? = ?? initrd.img 1
?? = ?? vmlinuz 1
We can see a problem in the last section of the result:
"sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ..."
The grub tries to load files from the root filesystem, but the Grub can't recognize the filesystem on sdb1 (hd1,msdos1)!!!
But why can't recognize the fs on sdb1?!
We can see that the filesystem is ext4 on the all disc, except the sdb4, where the fs is swap solaris.
The rescue disc, and oter live linuxes are recognize the fs without errors.
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 973 7811072 83 Linux
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb2 973 3405 19531776 83 Linux
/dev/sdb3 3405 4633 9863168 83 Linux
/dev/sdb4 4633 4871 1913856 82 Linux swap / Solaris
We can see that the /dev/sdb1 partition does not end on cylinder boundary.
This might be problem.
The solution can be resize of the sdb1 partition.
...but how can I calculate that where is the cylinder boundary?
============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
=> Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector
1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and
looks in partition 1 for (,msdos1)/grub.
=> Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector
1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and
looks in partition 1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c1b5b1af-888d-4425-a21b-ce9f7e789673
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f92be2b9-a6e0-4063-817e-6363355d55fb
set locale_dir=($root)/grub/locale
set lang=hu
insmod gettext
set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-686' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f92be2b9-a6e0-4063-817e-6363355d55fb
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-686 ...'
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=c1b5b1af-888d-4425-a21b-ce9f7e789673 ro quiet
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
}
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-686 (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f92be2b9-a6e0-4063-817e-6363355d55fb
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-686 ...'
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=c1b5b1af-888d-4425-a21b-ce9f7e789673 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sdb1 during installation
UUID=c1b5b1af-888d-4425-a21b-ce9f7e789673 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /boot was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=f92be2b9-a6e0-4063-817e-6363355d55fb /boot ext4 defaults 0 2
# /home was on /dev/sdb2 during installation
UUID=16325159-cae5-458c-81f9-b1a172868bbc /home ext4 defaults 0 2
# /www was on /dev/sdb3 during installation
UUID=b9cb30bc-6cbd-40af-ae66-b9a0c1a7ebf4 /www ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sdb4 during installation
UUID=ae2f05d8-ba2a-437c-99c9-d81ab9ffe2e8 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
Distribution: Debian Testing, Stable, Sid and Manjaro, Mageia 3, LMDE
Posts: 2,628
Rep:
I think your approach is really interesting. That is a very small HDD, surprised the install fits.
I am a little concerned about that as you should have the grub.cfg file for sdb1 also in the results from the boot info script.
Here are "symbolic" menu entries for your installs.
Code:
echo "Adding Debian on sda1" >&2
cat << EOF
menuentry "Debian on sda1" {
set root=(hd0,1)
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet
initrd /initrd.img
}
EOF
echo "Adding Debian2 on sdb1" >&2
cat << EOF
menuentry "Debian2 on sdb1" {
set root=(hd1,1)
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb1 ro quiet
initrd /initrd.img
}
EOF
These will attempt to boot ANY Debian based OS that is on the defined partition to the newest kernel on that partition. You need to add them to the /etc/grub.d/40_custom file and save it and then run, as root;
Code:
update-grub
I would be happier if we were using the grub from sdb1 (installed to the MBR of sda) but lets just try it on the sda1 install as it is already trying to work.
If it doesn't work try it with the install on sdb1 and install that grub on the sda MBR (grub-install /dev/sda).
If you have had Ubuntu installed on this computer before I don't see that this can be a hardware problem but one never knows for sure. I still think this is some installer error.
That is an old computer though so it could be just too old for this. You have booted the install disk and Ubuntu LiveCD on it, though, so I think it should run.
There is the package "grub-legacy" in the Debian Squeeze repo. This is the old Grub version. You could try it also. To do that you need to completely purge your current grub, as root;
Code:
apt-get purge grub-pc grub-common
and install
Code:
apt-get install grub-legacy grub-common
You are using the same "grub-common" package with either version of grub but you have to purge it and reinstall for the different versions of grub to communicate with it properly.
If this is a hardware based problem it has to be related to grub-pc, I think. Grub-legacy may do the trick.
If not you could purge grub completely and make sure all directories and files are gone (/boot/grub, /etc/default/grub and /etc/grub.d) and install lilo which is even older and surely should be compatible with your hardware.
I don't know a thing about using lilo but I am sure there is documentation.
We can see that the /dev/sdb1 partition does not end on cylinder boundary.
This might be problem.
The solution can be resize of the sdb1 partition.
...but how can I calculate that where is the cylinder boundary?
Hi petyabest,
I have the same problem, my freshly installed Precise Pangoline on USB drive refuses to boot. Grub2 simply says "unknown filesystem" on the linux partition in the drive, even if
it's mountable without errors (I'm running a fsck just now to be sure, but I suspect it won't solve the problem).
Code:
Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 testine, 63 settori/tracce, 60801 cilindri, totale 976773168 settori
Unità = settori di 1 * 512 = 512 byte
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Identificativo disco: 0x45144a76
Dispositivo Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 63 40965749 20482843+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2 40965750 409593239 184313745 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sdb3 * 409593240 976768064 283587412+ 83 Linux
As can be seen, my partition doesn't cross any cylinder boundary, and if I test my grub configuration in qemu, with this:
grub works perfectly and its normal screen shows up. Then, I suspected than it could have been the bios. So I tested this on two different machines (a very old laptop and a normal, quite recent, pc) with exactly the same result. In the end, I have no answers for this behavior and I'm very disappointed with grub2. I simply can't accept the fact that it's not able to recognize a standard ext3 partition in 2010. I'd have expected this by windows, but not by grub...
Distribution: Debian Testing, Stable, Sid and Manjaro, Mageia 3, LMDE
Posts: 2,628
Rep:
This may be or may not be a grub-pc problem.
I think it is an install problem with the Ubuntu installer. This could be wrong but there is supposed to be a major overhaul of ubiquity during the 12.10 dev cycle.
I do not have a usb stick. I know, I am a grumpy geezer and should get one.
I do have a usb drive. Dual Sata external enclosure. Have no trouble booting from it under Xubuntu 12.04 (will be off of here Friday) or any of the Debian installs on there or the 2 Xenix installs on there.
What happens if you turn off your other drives when you try to boot from the usb device?
Is grub for the usb device installed on your primary drive? That would be your internal sda drive. This is a grub-pc problem. If you can boot to the thing with the othe drives turned off (I can do that in my bios) try installing the grub from your usb device on the sda internal.
If you use the box with out the usb stick you can put what ever other grub you normally use back on there in chroot before leaving the usb installed OS.
If you use MS on the internal you will have to use testdisk, the MS install disk or some other tool. Don't know for sure what they would be. Don't think anyone needs to boot to MS anyway.
The song and dance about the overlapping partition table is not the problem. If you use gparted to partition your drive with several installes cfdisk will not open because of that very problem. Grub does not care as long as it is pointed to the correct partition.
Sorry for the late reply, I tried some of your suggestions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
This may be or may not be a grub-pc problem.
I don't know, the USB hdd I'm talking about is a Western Digital MyPassport Essential (http://reviewholes.com/wp-content/up...-Essential.jpg) and, if I remember correctly, the old grub (now grub-legacy) was able to boot it correctly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
I think it is an install problem with the Ubuntu installer. This could be wrong but there is supposed to be a major overhaul of ubiquity during the 12.10 dev cycle.
Not sure about that neither. I tryed to make this drive bootable before and got stuck at this point also with (at least one) previous releases of grub2.
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
I do not have a usb stick. I know, I am a grumpy geezer and should get one.
I have many USB sticks. Most of them have syslinux + Knoppix over them and they boot fine on any machine. A few of them have grub4dos + lots of ISOs and they also boot fine (if you defrag the ISOs so that they can be mmapped).
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
I do have a usb drive. Dual Sata external enclosure. Have no trouble booting from it under Xubuntu 12.04 (will be off of here Friday) or any of the Debian installs on there or the 2 Xenix installs on there.
With grub2? Lucky you...
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
What happens if you turn off your other drives when you try to boot from the usb device?
If I turn off the internal hdd from bios and I try to boot from USB, the boot stops as usual with an "unknown filesystem" error. Within the grub rescue console, all three the USB partitions are reported as "unknown filesystem". However, surprisingly, if I type "ls" within the console, also the internal hdd shows up. And if I set the grub prefix to the internal hdd, grub2 starts correctly and its normal screen shows up. Finally, even in this "normal" configuration the USB hdd's third partition (the ext3 one) is still marked as "unknown filesystem", while both the FAT and the NTFS partitions are recognized correctly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
Is grub for the usb device installed on your primary drive? That would be your internal sda drive. This is a grub-pc problem. If you can boot to the thing with the othe drives turned off (I can do that in my bios) try installing the grub from your usb device on the sda internal.
I have a grub2 installed both on the internal hdd MBR and in the USB drive MBR. However, while the one in the internal hdd boots correctly, there is no way to complete the boot sequence on the USB disk. The ext3 partition is always marked as "unknown filesystem", no matter what I do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
If you use the box with out the usb stick you can put what ever other grub you normally use back on there in chroot before leaving the usb installed OS.
No, I only managed to do the opposite. Boot with the internal hdd and then chroot to the USB installation. Grub2 installs correctly, no errors reported, but the result is always the same.
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
If you use MS on the internal you will have to use testdisk, the MS install disk or some other tool. Don't know for sure what they would be. Don't think anyone needs to boot to MS anyway.
I have a old WinXP installation on the internal hdd that boots through grub2, so there's no news here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by widget
The song and dance about the overlapping partition table is not the problem. If you use gparted to partition your drive with several installes cfdisk will not open because of that very problem. Grub does not care as long as it is pointed to the correct partition.
I agree, I don't remember to have had problems with out-of-boundary partitions. However I don't see a solution for my problem. For some reason my USB drive is not read correctly by grub2. I think that a downgrade to grub-legacy is the only solution to have this drive bootable again.
As a side-note, I also had problems with the graphical part of grub2. On my main machine, a gentoo installation on top of a recent PC, grub2 isn't able to go into graphical mode. I tryed almost everything to fix it, to no avail. This makes me think that grub2 has still some bug to correct before it can be considered as reliable as grub-legacy.
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Grub error: unknown filesystem after installation
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