I have been messing around with Linux for about 2 years all together now. I use Debian testing (Squeeze) amd64.

My pc running Debian:

- Intel D945GCLF2 Motherboard
- Intel Atom Dual Core 330 (1600 MHz)
- 2 GB DDR2 RAM
- 250 GB Samsung Harddrive
- Intel GMA 950 Graphic card / max. 256MB shared RAM

The pc has been running flawlessly with XP Pro 24/7 since February 2009 with no trouble at all.

I got tired of XP and decided to change to Debian instead.
I downloaded an ISO image of the netinstall, burned it and installed.
I erased every bit of old partition from Windows and used up the whole harddrive for Debian, only.

No problems. Everything ran as it should and I was happy. Almost.
I needed more space than 250GB. I decided to go for a "WD Caviar Green WD20EARS 2 TB"

Ok then. Bought it, replaced it with the old one and installed a fresh Debian from the same CD as before.

Installation went fine and I had no errors and I used up the whole harddrive for Debian, only.

I was then told the installation was complete and the cd would get ejected and I had to restart to enter my newly installed OS.

I then restarted and hit a f*cking brick wall:

"no bootable device insert boot disk and press any key"
I was like "WTH!".

CD was ejected and my "WD Caviar Green WD20EARS" was already configured to boot as the first device in BIOS. But I am not able to boot into my newly installed Debian!

I have tried to install Ubuntu 10.10 amd64, Debian Squeeze i386 and Debian Squeeze amd64. None of them worked on the new "WD Caviar Green WD20EARS". They simply wouldn't boot and came up with the same no bootable device insert boot disk and press any key" message.

The "WD Caviar Green WD20EARS" works without question!
It has been running XP Pro for about 2-3 months without problems (on the same pc as I experience the problems with the bootup of Linux) and I have even installed Windows 7 without problems and it was bootable.

When I change the harddrive back to the old Samsung 250GB, everything works! I can boot into Debian, Ubuntu, XP Pro and so on...

I suspect GRUB is not working on the MBR and I have to format the MBR.
I have been searching for guides how to wipe the MBR but it seems that by simply formatting the harddrive with a Debian install, it should wipe the MBR and install GRUB on it.

Help would be appreciated - I need the extra space!

I am not sure what your problem is. Sounds like it could be more than the MBR.

You do need make sure that Grub is installed there. I think that I would try the directions here first;
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2#Recove...20via%20LiveCD

It calls for the use of a Live CD but any media that you can chroot from will work fine.

You may want to install with a /boot partition. I have never had to do that but it could be some problem with the size of your drive (unlikely but possible).

It may be that you installed on just a / partition. I thinks that grub has an easier time with / and /home partitions. Not sure why but on large drives it just seems that way, nothing that I can really point at at and say Ah ha about.

First little quick check run command 'grub-install -v' as root. If it is installed it will tell you which version. Grub2 should boot anything. At any rate widget is right, a live cd is the way to go whether you are trying to repair grub legacy or grub2. You need to get the right live cd for the version you want to install or repair.

Disregard the parts about grub legacy, I see Debain Squeeze also runs grub2.

What the OP has a problem with is beyond me. Squeeze ought to install it and run it.

I do not run anything that even smells of MS but I know it will boot it. The OP did a clean install on a large drive, but I know folks using grub1.98 on such drives with no problem.

It has no problem booting this install of Squeeze and I am running 2.6.35 on here (same as Ubuntu 10.10) or any of the Ubuntu-testing OS' I have installed with Squeeze (or Squeezy as it is known here).

The new grub still has some things that need work but it is a slick and great boot loader. I have always loved grub0.97 but this is better.

Custom symbolic menu entries are just handier than a pocket in a shirt.

A menu background image is a snap and uses an image with real colors besides.

More flexible do to the script base functionality.

You might guess that I kind of like it.

I agree, I am in the process of converting to grub2 also. I chainload multiple distros and have bootloader in a separate partition. The largest problem so far was getting the shell into the partition without half of ubuntus links. I am in the process of eliminating the search now but that is a slick feature except makes it longer to boot. I have to manually update grub.cfg. Another problem is making the mental typos creating the menuentrys (I keep thinking grub legacy).

OP check and make sure your bios recognizes the new hd. You may need to do a bios update on your m/b

As I wrote the first time:

"CD was ejected and my "WD Caviar Green WD20EARS" was already configured to boot as the first device in BIOS. But I am not able to boot into my newly installed Debian!"

But thanks!

I have solved the problem by creating the following partitions:

1. /boot <- Boot flag "ON"
2. / <- Boot flag "OFF" (Main harddrive)
3. swap <- Boot flag "OFF"

By creating the /boot partition and booting into that one before any other partition fixed the problem

Thanks for your help everybody!

That is just great. Been lusting after a monster drive myself and wondering how it would work. Sounds pretty simple.

I need simple.

It seems like the boot process still acts like a bitch after a reinstall.
I succeeded installing and booting up Debian one time yesterday on the 2TB drive.

I rushed through the installation and partitioning and it worked!

Then I went back to reinstall and repartition the whole harddrive because of too much space in the /boot and swap, and then it went downhill.
Now I get the same error as before: "no bootable device insert boot disk and press any key".

I know it works, but I just have to get it right when creating the partitions:

- /boot
- /
- swap

I didn't remember the order they were in nor the exact size I gave the partitions. I remember I gave the /boot partition the boot flag "ON", but I might be wrong.

I'll work on it and get back here, when I find the solution, AGAIN.

Please do, I have been thinking about going to a 2tb hd but may stick to 1tb if you have to give extra large partitions to make things work. Defeating the purpose.

I've had a thought about this f*cking problem all day and I found the solution.

When using the 250GB Samsung harddrive:

I can install like I've always could.
Insert cd, follow instructions, configure partitions either by guide or manual - Both work!

When using the 2TB WD harddrive:

I can't install like I've always could.
If a linux OS is already existing on the harddrive or the GRUB loader is already existing in the MBR, I have to do an NTFS quick format by the XP Pro installation cd. If I don't do this I do NOT get the opportunity to choose "primary" or "logical" when configuring the partitions and I suspect this to be the source of the problem.
When every trace of linux is erased from the MBR or harddrive itself, I can install Debian by doing the following:

Insert cd, follow instructions, configure partitions MANUALLY:

1. /boot (150MB - Primary) Beginning
2. swap (4.1GB - Primary) Beginning
3. / (2.0TB - Logical) End

My table looks like the following:

Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda5 1918775344 749704 1820557480 1% /
tmpfs 1023544 0 1023544 0% /lib/init/rw
udev 1018836 236 1018600 1% /dev
tmpfs 1023544 0 1023544 0% /dev/shm
/dev/sda1 140805 20334 113201 16% /boot

I will test further and report back.

I don't get it!
Why is this happening with a 2TB harddrive, but not a 250GB?
Is this a bug in Debian or is it my hardware?

Googling after your motherboard in combination with 2 TB drives I found more people with the same issue with different OSs, so I think this is a hardware issue. Sad, I have the same motherboard with a 1 TB-drive and wanted to upgrade soon, so I have to add a second drive instead of replacing the old.
Maybe you should put /boot, swap and / on your 250 GB drive and /home on the 2 TB drive.

I read somewhere that someone was making bios see more than one drive per hd. I have searched and can not find it. I think it was in one of Saikee's booting articles.

Thank you for your reply.
The thing about putting /home onto the 2TB harddrive and the rest on the 250GB had already caught my attention, but my pc cabinet doesn't allow more than 1 physical hdd.

Test 1:
Quick NTFS format with Windows XP installation CD:

Then a guided install with everything in the root (/)

1. / (2.0TB) Boot Flag "ON"
2. swap (4.1GB) Boot Flag "OFF"

NOT WORKING!

Test 2:
Quick NTFS format with Windows XP installation CD:

Then a manual install

1. /boot (150MB - Primary) Beginning - Boot Flag "OFF"
2. swap (4.1GB - Primary) Beginning - Boot Flag "OFF"
3. / (2.0TB - Primary) Boot Flag "ON"

WORKS!


You do not have to add a second drive.
Just do it like I did in Test2 and you'll have no trouble booting

I have to test, if this works with a dedicated /home-partition, all in one partition is a no-go for me. Thanks for your advice.