Grub does not work

satimis · 06-16-2006, 09:49 PM

Hi folks,

FedoraCore5_64

Grub on this box did not work ever since running "yum update" updating "kernel-2.6.16-1.2133_FC5" a few days ago. On starting the PC only with "GRUB" popup on a black screen without other messages. Typing does not work, keystroke without function. I have to run a boot floppy to start the box/PC.

# uname -a

Code:

Linux localhost.localdomain 2.6.16-1.2133_FC5 #1 SMP Tue Jun 6 00:51:53 EDT 2006 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

# rpm -qa kernel

Code:

kernel-2.6.16-1.2133_FC5
kernel-2.6.16-1.2122_FC5

The boot floppy was created on this box with

Code:

# grub
grub> root (hda0,0)
setup (fd0)

I tried to fix the problem with the boot floppy without success. Steps performed as follows;

# fdisk -l

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1          13      104391   83  Linux
/dev/sda2              14        1734    13823932+  83  Linux
/dev/sda3            1735        3008    10233405   83  Linux
/dev/sda4            3009        9729    53986432+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5            3009        3262     2040223+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

HD - SATA interface
/boot on /dev/sda1

After starting the box/PC with the boot floppy

1)
On Konsole;
# grub

Code:

Probing devices to guess BIOS drives. This may take a long time.

	GNU GRUB  version 0.97  (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)

 [ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported.  For the first word, TAB
   lists possible command completions.  Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
   completions of a device/filename.]

grub> root (hd0,0)

Code:

root (hd0,0)
 Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
grub> setup (hd0,0)

setup (hd0,0)

Code:

 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... no
 Checking if "/grub/stage1" exists... yes
 Checking if "/grub/stage2" exists... yes
 Checking if "/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
 Running "embed /grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0,0)"... failed (this is not fatal)
 Running "embed /grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0,0)"... failed (this is not fatal)
 Running "install /grub/stage1 (hd0,0) /grub/stage2 p /grub/grub.conf "... succeeded
Done.

Exited grub and rebooted the box/PC. Still failed to boot the box/PC with only "GRUB" displayed on a black screen, no other messages. Keystroke did not work.

2)
On Konsole
# grub

Code:

Probing devices to guess BIOS drives. This may take a long time.

	GNU GRUB  version 0.97  (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)

 [ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported.  For the first word, TAB
   lists possible command completions.  Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
   completions of a device/filename.]

grub> root (fd0)

Code:

root (fd0)
 Filesystem type unknown, using whole disk

grub> setup (hd0,0)

Code:

setup (hd0,0)

Error 17: Cannot mount selected partition

Failed. Whether I need to mount the /boot partition (/dev/sda1) first before running "grub"? The HD is working. Would it make confusion resulting in re-installing the complete FC5_64.

Besides I can't mount the boot floppy, either as root or as user, to copy "grub" from it on /boot

$ cat /etc/fstab

Code:

...
....
/dev/fd0	 /mnt/floppy		auto	noauto,owner,user,kudzu 0 0

However I can mount a floppy with .txt files on it only by running "mount /mnt/floppy"

It looks strange to me. Would the boot floppy only contain an image.

Please advise. TIA

B.R.
satimis

syg00 · 06-16-2006, 10:04 PM

Go back to the hard disk install - use setup (hd0)

pixellany · 06-16-2006, 10:22 PM

A very long post--hard to follow.
When you upgrade the kernel, you have to edit the grub config file to have the correct kernel name. the config file is typically named "menu.lst" (in /boot/grub)

I'm guessing that commands like "setup" do the same thing, but I have never done it that way.

satimis · 06-16-2006, 10:33 PM

Hi pixellany,

Quote:

When you upgrade the kernel, you have to edit the grub config file to have the correct kernel name. the config file is typically named "menu.lst" (in /boot/grub)

IIRC when I ran "yum update". It only updated the kernel, no other packages. "yum update" removed the old kernel and edited /boot/grub/grub.conf autotmatically. menu.lst is symlinked to grub.conf on this FC5_64 PC. Everything was not under my control.

# ls -l /boot/grub

Code:

total 205
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root     63 Apr 20 15:15 device.map
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   7456 May 30 00:18 e2fs_stage1_5
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   7328 May 30 00:18 fat_stage1_5
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   6592 May 30 00:18 ffs_stage1_5
-rw------- 1 root root    753 Jun 12 23:36 grub.conf
-rw------- 1 root root    912 May 23 20:39 grub.conf.old_230506
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   6592 May 30 00:18 iso9660_stage1_5
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   8032 May 30 00:18 jfs_stage1_5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root     11 Apr 20 15:15 menu.lst -> ./grub.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   6752 May 30 00:18 minix_stage1_5
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   9056 May 30 00:18 reiserfs_stage1_5
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   7028 Jun  7 00:56 splash.xpm.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    512 May 30 00:18 stage1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 102332 May 30 00:18 stage2
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   6944 May 30 00:18 ufs2_stage1_5
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   6144 May 30 00:18 vstafs_stage1_5
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   8768 May 30 00:18 xfs_stage1_5

# cat /boot/grub/grub.conf

Code:

....
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.16-1.2133_FC5)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.16-1.2133_FC5 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb noapic quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.16-1.2133_FC5.img
title Fedora Core (2.6.16-1.2122_FC5)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.16-1.2122_FC5 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb noapic quiet
        initrd /initrd-2.6.16-1.2122_FC5.img

B.R.
satimis

satimis · 06-16-2006, 10:38 PM

Hi syg00,

Tks for your advice.

Quote:

Go back to the hard disk install - use setup (hd0)

Now this FC5_64 box can be started with the boot floppy.

Whether you suggested after bootup the box on Konsole or any terminal run "setup" as root;

$ su -
PASSWORD
# setup

TIA

B.R.
satimis

syg00 · 06-16-2006, 10:51 PM

From a terminal (as root)

Code:

grub
root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
exit

Should do it - although I was under the impression FC offered a rebuild of the loader as an option if you booted the (first) CD in rescue mode.
Note the root directive addresses the partition where the grub stage files exist - the setup line addresses the device; it will (re-)write the MBR loader code.

satimis · 06-18-2006, 05:58 AM

Hi syg00,

Quote:

From a terminal (as root)

Code:

grub
root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
exit

Should do it

Your advice works for me. Problem solved. Tks.

B.R.
satimis

lunlun · 06-20-2006, 03:10 AM

Hi again syg00,

--edit--
I found out my problem, grub-install is installing grub into /mnt/hda3/boot/grub

while my original grub is int /mnt/hda3/grub

so i had to copy my menu.lst from /mnt/hda3/grub into /mnt/hda3/boot/grub
--edit--

Quote:

Originally Posted by satimis

Hi syg00,

Your advice works for me. Problem solved. Tks.

B.R.
satimis

i have a dual boot window and FC5

after i played with grub-install on FC5 (I WAS just trying to use grub-install to install grub on my external harddrive, but somehow i managed to screw up my computer's gruB)

when i reboot, i see lots of "GRUB" and i cannot boot into FC5 nor window.

my /boot partition is on /dev/hda3

so i booted knoppix

mounted hda3
and typed

Code:

grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/hda3 /dev/hda

but now... i just get booted into the grub shell.

So i followed your instructions

root (hd0,2)
setup (hd0) "there are succeed messages"
reboot "since i dont have the exit command"

but when i reboot, i still get booted into the grub shell

Q1: grub can either be installed into mbr or on partition(/boot), right???

Q2: on the command "grub-install", how can i specify whether it will install into mbr or on partition?

(when i did

Code:

grub-install /dev/hda

WHICH i thought will install grub into mbr, it gives me error of "could not find device for /boot: Not found or not a block device)

hmm i probably sound very wrong and am embarrassing myself but i really appreciate you guys' help

Lunlun