bootloader parsing number error
 

Hi,
I upgraded Suse 10.2 to 10.3 and all went well. At least so I thought.
I keep a Windows partition to do my taxes on, since there is no equivalent I've found in the Linux world.
When I try to boot Windows I receive the following error:

Root no verify (hd0,5)
Chainloader (dev/sdc1) + 1
Err 23: Err while parsing number

My guess is that the Grub is seeing something or not seeing something that it doesn't recognize and is balking.
How do I find out what Grub needs and How do I fix it ?
Thank you in advance for your help.

unless you have made syntax errors yourself, the first thing is noverfiy is the correct syntax.

suse seems to have got excited with its chainloader command as well.

so far I translate your commands as

target is hd0,5 = partition 6......for windows I doubt it very much, normally C is on the first partition hd0,0

the chainloader command then attempts to get fancy, and name your device as sdc.

1) when grub first appears press C for commands
type root (hd0....and press tab to see what is available...likely fat to be on hd0,0
if it it choose it

command 2....assuming you have no other windows installed, your post lacks detail, is
chainloader +1


2) read my trouble shooter to get a feel for what to expect.

3) if you have extra ms systems you need to detail them in your post and explain how each hard drive is connected and your partitions as you remember them. Also I assume you can get into Linux so post your /boot/grub/menu.lst or /etc/grub (something)

4) my signature explains how grub works. if the commands

root (hd0,)
chainloader +1

works first time, then that is what you edit with root powers into your grub menu.

however, unlikely has it sounds you may need a extra command so that
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
may be the actual commands you need?



good luck

Thats great advice!
I've got guests now but will get to the tutorial very soon and let you know how I made out.

If you use "rootnoverify" it is one word--no caps.

GRUB always uses hdx,y or simply hdx---where x and y are always numbers and start from zero:

hda1 = hd0,0
sda1 = hd0,0
etc.

If you have mixed ide and SATA, it gets more confusing

the "booting' link below might help also

Things have been hectic here lately. I read some of the Grub trouble shooter and then decided to look at my fstab file.
It seems that Suse 10.3 decided to go off on trip of its own. This is nothing like my older fstab file.
e.g.

/dev/sda6 / ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/sda7 /home ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 2
/dev/sda1 /windows/C ntfs ro,users,gid=users,umask=0002,nls=utf8 0 0
/dev/sda5 swap swap defaults 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs noauto 0 0
debugfs /sys/kernel/debug debugfs noauto 0 0
usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs noauto 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts mode=0620,gid=5 0 0
~
~
I have a single disk and I believe (not 100% sure) that /windows/C was vfat not ntfs. The hard drive is not a scuzzi drive but an IDE. There should be only one installed Suse 10.3 and one installed Windows Xp. Nothing fancy.
An aside, I can't seem to get the expected results when I:

su
grub> root (hd0, {pressed Tab} get only a tab spaceing ?

Is that because there is no hdo ?
I don't think that can be the only reason though because when I just {tab} at the "grub>", instead of getting a list of the commands, I still get a TabSpaceing ?
Thank you in advance for you input.
Matthew

When I do that trick (tab completion), the first tab adds a comma, and the second tab shows me the partitions.

Or, enter "root (hd0," and then the tab

If I try "root (hd1, <tab>", I get a message that the device does not exist.

You might try hitting the tab key until you get some kind of feedback. You can also find things using the grub "find" command. I was just playing with this and discovered it is pretty primitive---ie you have specify the full path, and it doesn't take wildcards.

You can not being using my troubleshooter if you were able to get a su command to work. You must have booted into linux.

lets start again, when your bios gives you a grub menu, you press C for commands then.

if you can not see a menu, its hidden normally press the 'escape" key.

from my t/shooter at M@
grub> root (hd0, PRESS TAB means hd zero not hdO for orange ok?

My guests left and I have a few minutes to collect my thoughts and read the tutorial.
This is what I think I should do and would greatly appreciate a critical overlook and correction/warning etc. Please do not assume that my Linux knowledge depth is anything but scared and shallow.
If I can't boot up Linux to get on line, I'm really screwed!
This is a copy of my menu.lst file:

# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Fri Nov 9 21:06:15 GMT 2007
default 0 between 5 and 72 between 5 and 72
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,5)/boot/message

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 10.3 - 2.6.22.12-0.1
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.12-0.1-default root=/dev/sda6 vga=0x31a resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.12-0.1-default

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 10.3 - 2.6.22.12-0.1
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.12-0.1-default root=/dev/sda6 vga=normal showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off 3
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.12-0.1-default

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,5)
chainloader (/dev/sdc1)+1
**********************************
MY Proposed CHANGES TO THE MENU.LST FILE:



• title windows
• root (hd0,0)
• makeactive
• chainloader + 1
• ***********************
Will I need to edit my fstab file?

Many thanks for your patience and advice.
Matthew

don't touch your linux menu.

I think your suggested menu for windows will work, try it please.

we already know from the fstab file that sda1 = c = windows so its on the first partition, which is where it normally is.

AUS9,
Worked like a charm!!
Sometimes hand holding is the reassurance that gives courage.
Thank you everybody for your help.
Is this a great site or what? :D
Matthew