Can't boot CrunchBang waldorf with grub

JosephS · 10-02-2013, 12:52 PM

I installed CrunchBang Waldorf 64 bit. I installed Grub2 in the MBR. When I boot up I don't get a boot menu; this is the message I get:

Quote:

Broadcom - MOF : Exiting Broadcom PXE Rom
No bootable device -insert bootdisk & press any key.

I have the following partitions:
Sda1 Windows7 ntfs
Sda2 CrunchBang / Ext4
Sda3 Empty Space Ext4
Sda4 Extended
Sda5 CrunchBang /Home
Sda6 CrunchBang Swap

I can boot up CrunchBang with a System Rescue CD. CrunchBang did't detect the Windows7 OS.

This is the entry in /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Quote:

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'CrunchBang GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.2.0-4-amd64' --class crunchbang --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
load_video
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root ee1b9504-51cc-4cf1-87ce-ecfb38291a4f
echo 'Loading Linux 3.2.0-4-amd64 ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-amd64 root=UUID=ee1b9504-51cc-4cf1-87ce-ecfb38291a4f ro quiet
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-amd64
}
menuentry 'CrunchBang GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.2.0-4-amd64 (recovery mode)' --class crunchbang --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
load_video
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root ee1b9504-51cc-4cf1-87ce-ecfb38291a4f
echo 'Loading Linux 3.2.0-4-amd64 ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-amd64 root=UUID=ee1b9504-51cc-4cf1-87ce-ecfb38291a4f ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-amd64
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

Thanks

qlue · 10-03-2013, 11:28 AM

Why do you have PXE boot set in your BIOS if you're booting from a hard drive?
You need to check the boot order in your bios and make sure it's looking for a bootloader in the correct place.

P.S: Crunchbang's installer always detects my Windows7 partition as Vista. This is normal, and is usually corrected after updating and upgrading.

colorpurple21859 · 10-03-2013, 11:55 AM

Is the boot flag set on the partition

JosephS · 10-03-2013, 03:37 PM

Boot order of laptop:
1. usb cdrom
2. IDE0
3. IDE1
4. Network Boot MATSHITADVD RAM U J892AS
5. usb hdd: verbatim
6. usb fdd

I booted without a cd installed, from network boot. Verbatim is a flash drive; also booted without that installed. Don't know what fdd is, but it is at the end.

Sata mode in bios allows for 2 choices:
AHCI
IDE

Quote:

Why do you have PXE boot set in your BIOS if you're booting from a hard drive?

I don't know what PXE is. I just got this laptop. What is this for?

I didn't set the boot flag because Gparted only let me set it on one partition. I've had dual installs with XP and Linux and haven't set the flag on Linux and it wasn't a problem. From what I have read it doesn't have to be set.

I found a boot info script that I ran to gather info on my system:

qlue · 10-03-2013, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephS

Boot order of laptop:
1. usb cdrom
2. IDE0
3. IDE1
4. Network Boot MATSHITADVD RAM U J892AS
5. usb hdd: verbatim
6. usb fdd

I booted without a cd installed, from network boot. Verbatim is a flash drive; also booted without that installed. Don't know what fdd is, but it is at the end.

Sata mode in bios allows for 2 choices:
AHCI
IDE

I don't know what PXE is. I just got this laptop. What is this for?

PXE is Network Boot. This is normally used on Corporate LANs to boot work stations from a central point. But to boot that way, the PC must be connected via Ethernet to a PXE server. (which contains the OS to be booted)
There should be a way to turn it off in bios, but even if there isn't, the fact that it's coming up shows that the bios is not finding a bootable hard drive as both IDE0 and IDE1 are set earlier in the boot order.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephS

I didn't set the boot flag because Gparted only let me set it on one partition. I've had dual installs with XP and Linux and haven't set the flag on Linux and it wasn't a problem. From what I have read it doesn't have to be set.

I found a boot info script that I ran to gather info on my system:

My guess is that GRUB may have failed to install properly. Generally, GRUB would be installed to the mbr of the primary hard drive. (/dev/sda usually)
The /boot/grub/grub.cfg you posted is irrelevant at this point as the bios is not finding any bootloader at all. (hence the "no bootable device" message)

The first thing to do is disable the PXE boot (network boot) in bios as that may be interfering with the boot up process. (even though it appears later in the boot order, the bios may be ignoring any other form of booting)
Then make certain that the main hard drive is properly connected and detected by the machine. Remove all other drives so that you only have one. (/dev/sda)
Boot up with a live cd that includes grub. (most rescue cd's) From the command line type;

Code:

grub-install /dev/sda

Remove the live cd and reboot the computer.
If the grub menu comes up, you should be good to go. (remember to run update-grub from the command line after booting into #!)

P.S: depending on the live cd, you may have to prefix those commands with sudo

JosephS · 10-06-2013, 12:59 PM

I tried that.I also tried this page which uses chroot http://crunchbang.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=15351I think grub must be messed up. I also used windows7 cd to try to fix it so I could boot that partition, but it couldn't fix the boot problems there either.

What packages of Grub does CrunchBang Waldorf use?
when I check this is what I have installed:

Code:

root@crunchbang:~# aptitude search ~ngrub
i   grub-common
i   grub-pc
i A grub-pc-bin
i A grub2-common

I don't know what to do at this point. I don't really want to install everything, and don't if it would help.

colorpurple21859 · 10-06-2013, 02:44 PM

This may help from a post by Yancek on another thread.

Quote:

You might read the link below which explains the problem:

http://ubuntujournal.blogspot.com/20...wont-boot.html

note that the sda5 in the link will sda2 in your case.

qlue · 10-06-2013, 10:30 PM

Okay, I went over everything again. Based on the boot order information you've provided, there does not appear to be any hard drive in that laptop. (both ide0 and ide1 are blank)
What type of drive is "MATSHITADVD RAM U J892AS" actually? Is that a NAS?

JosephS · 10-07-2013, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qlue

What type of drive is "MATSHITADVD RAM U J892AS" actually? Is that a NAS?

I don't know what that is, I'll have to research that.

I decided to reistall Windows7 and CrunchBang. It fixed some things. I had network booting disabled. I tried to install Windows7 and it gave me an error about disk conroller and wouldn't install in /dev/sda1. I had to change 'Sata Mode" in the Bios from AHCI to IDE, then I was able to install Windows7 in /dev/sda1. I then reinstalled CrunchBang in the partitions I had earlier, and installed Grub in the MBR. It seemed to install better: I have sound which I didn't have, and Grub found the Windows7 OS. I think Grub is in the MBR; I can't boot from the bios (gives message: no bootable device), but when I use the System rescue CD and boot 'first hard drive' I get the Grub prompt and a choice of both OS.

Not sure what ide0 and ide1 are. This laptop seems to have some strange configuration. I looked inside and see what looks like one hard drive.
Even if I put them first in the boot order they don't get booted:
1. IDE0 Toshiba MK6465GS
2. IDE1 MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ892AS
3. USB CDROM
4. USB HDD
5. USB FDD
6. NETWORK BOOT

This is what I got form lshw: hard-disk.txt

I don't see much in the Bios for settings besides the boot order:
Sata Mode: AHCI, IDE
D2D Recovery: enabled, disabled
I don't see anything else that would affect booting the OS.

I guess if I can't get the bios to work I will try to put Grub on a flash drive to use for booting.

Thanks

colorpurple21859 · 10-07-2013, 03:31 PM

get back to the grub prompt go to command line what is the output of set and ls.

qlue · 10-07-2013, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephS

I don't know what that is, I'll have to research that.

I decided to reistall Windows7 and CrunchBang. It fixed some things. I had network booting disabled. I tried to install Windows7 and it gave me an error about disk conroller and wouldn't install in /dev/sda1. I had to change 'Sata Mode" in the Bios from AHCI to IDE, then I was able to install Windows7 in /dev/sda1. I then reinstalled CrunchBang in the partitions I had earlier, and installed Grub in the MBR. It seemed to install better: I have sound which I didn't have, and Grub found the Windows7 OS. I think Grub is in the MBR; I can't boot from the bios (gives message: no bootable device), but when I use the System rescue CD and boot 'first hard drive' I get the Grub prompt and a choice of both OS.

Not sure what ide0 and ide1 are. This laptop seems to have some strange configuration. I looked inside and see what looks like one hard drive.
Even if I put them first in the boot order they don't get booted:
1. IDE0 Toshiba MK6465GS
2. IDE1 MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ892AS
3. USB CDROM
4. USB HDD
5. USB FDD
6. NETWORK BOOT

This is what I got form lshw: hard-disk.txt

I don't see much in the Bios for settings besides the boot order:
Sata Mode: AHCI, IDE
D2D Recovery: enabled, disabled
I don't see anything else that would affect booting the OS.

I guess if I can't get the bios to work I will try to put Grub on a flash drive to use for booting.

Thanks

Okay, from that it appears that IDE0 is the hard drive and IDE1 is the optical drive. (which is booting)
I would try booting into the first hard drive using the cd, then re-installing grub from a command line.
But first, make sure you do the update and upgrade to bring everything up to date. (that may even fix things on it's own)

JosephS · 10-09-2013, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colorpurple21859

get back to the grub prompt go to command line what is the output of set and ls.

grub > set
locale-dir=(hd0,msdos2)
/boot/grub/locale
prefix=(hd0,msdos2)/boot/grub
root-hd0,msdos2

grub > ls
(hd0)(hd0,msdos6)(hd0,msdos5)(hd0,msdos3)(hd0,msdos2)(hd0,msdos1)

I reistalled grub in the first hard drive; didn't make a change.
I put grub on a usb drive, at least that is better than using the cd.

Thanks for help

ReaperX7 · 10-16-2013, 08:47 PM

If you're using Grub2, do you have OS-Prober installed?

JosephS · 10-17-2013, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReaperX7

If you're using Grub2, do you have OS-Prober installed?

root@crunchbang:~# os-prober
/dev/sda1:Windows 7 (loader):Windows:chain

I can't find a man page for this program. It doesn't say anything about CrunchBang install.

colorpurple21859 · 10-17-2013, 05:27 AM

post the results of this. It should give enough info to figure out what is going on
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/