grub/dual boot not working?

pcdebb · 12-02-2003, 09:48 PM

I just did an upgrade install from Redhat 9 to Fedora Core 1. I installed the GRUB loader, when I boot up, I get a screen that simply says "GRUB" with a blinking cursor and that is it. I cant goto Linux or Windows unless I put in the boot diskette, which only brings me to Linux. Please tell me my "non Linux" information isn't gone!!!

fancypiper · 12-02-2003, 10:13 PM

It shouldn't be. You are booting to the grub shell, apparently, rather than into your different operating systems.

Got a KNOPPIX Linux Live CD handy to do a quick check?

Installing a bootloader
Multiboot with GRUB Mini-HOWTO
Linux+Win9x+Grub HOWTO

pcdebb · 12-02-2003, 10:13 PM

lol I dont know what KNOPPIX is, so i guess I dont have that. should I post the contents of my grub.conf file?

fancypiper · 12-02-2003, 10:43 PM

Yes, and your /etc/fstab plus how the drives are actually partitioned

# How are the hard drives partitioned
fdisk -l

pcdebb · 12-02-2003, 10:49 PM

contents of grub.conf:

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd1,4)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hdb6
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=1
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd1,4)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Fedora Core (2.4.22-1.2115.nptl)
        root (hd1,4)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.22-1.2115.nptl ro root=LABEL=/ hdd=ide-scsi
        initrd /initrd-2.4.22-1.2115.nptl.img
title Windows
        unhide (hd0,0)
        rootnoverify (hd0,0)
        chainloader +1
        makeactive

contents of /etc/fstab:

Code:

LABEL=/                 /                       ext3    defaults        1 1
LABEL=/boot             /boot                   ext3    defaults        1 2
none                    /dev/pts                devpts  gid=5,mode=620  0 0
none                    /proc                   proc    defaults        0 0
none                    /dev/shm                tmpfs   defaults        0 0
/dev/hdb7               swap                    swap    defaults        0 0
/dev/cdrom              /mnt/cdrom              udf,iso9660 noauto,owner,kudzu,ro 0 0
/dev/fd0                /mnt/floppy             auto    noauto,owner,kudzu 0 0
/dev/cdrom1             /mnt/cdrom1             udf,iso9660 noauto,owner,kudzu,ro 0 0

my linux partition is installed on the D: drive (on the text booting it says the redhat partition is on /dev/hdb6), and of course windows is on drive C:

pcdebb · 12-03-2003, 02:02 AM

please can anyone help me?

I did a fresh reinstall, specifically telling it not to install any bootloader of any kind, but I still get the screen that says "GRUB" with a cursor and that's it. I cant type anyting else and nothing else happens now matter how long I wait. I don't know of any other conceivable way to get back to my windows environment. I've read the above links, and I've read countless other links on GRUB and the grub.conf file but nothing seems to be working at this point. I really need to know if my windows partitions are gone as that's 60gigs of data gone. I'm really trying to help myself, but I've been at this since 10pm and I thought it was supposed to be quite simple

fancypiper · 12-03-2003, 11:17 AM

Please post the output of

fdisk -l

Or, if you are absolutely sure your /etc/grub/grub.conf and /etc/fstab are correct and the partitions are labled correctly, you can go ahead and command

grub-install

Otherwise, you will have to remove grub.

You can remove grub by using the Windows XP Recovery Console or the Windows 2000 Recovery Console