Those in Red don't look right to me. What is your boot errors now after you rearanged your Harddrive?

SSDD.

Still grub error: unknown file system

I don't understand how an automated process that works for just about everyone else fails for me.

So how do I go about correcting that? I'm not supposed to configure that file manually.

I have Ubuntu 10.10 as well as 11.10 on different partitions and they both have that line present and they boot so that isn't the problem.
Also, both of my grub.cfg files have entries similar to below:


I've seen posts of grub.cfg files which have entries similar to the OPs (/dev/sda) so don't know if that matters.
You can edit the grub.cfg file and change the /dev/sda part to: set root='(hd0,msdos3)'. Do this as root, save the file and reboot. Do not run update-grub before rebooting. There are reasons why they don't want you to manually edit the file but that's too long an explanation to get into here, your computer won't explode. Write down what you did so that if it doesn't change, you can put it back to the original.

The information from bootinfoscript looks OK. The only interesting thing I see is that your windows Recovery partition seems to be on a different hard drive. Note the set root line below??

I install my Vista via a USB stick. I also use this to store logs and scripts I need as I'm constantly rebooting to the Live CD. Its possible the drive just happened to be plugged in last time I installed GRUB. There is no recovery partition set up for Vista, although it's starting to sound like a good idea. When I heard Win7 had super-fast installation I thought it was a a useless feature. Now I really wish I had it.

Regardless, this shouldn't have a huge impact on the error at hand, should it? Seeing as how it wasn't plugged in half of the times I installed GRUB and it still got the same error.

Also, I think my partitions are being listed backwards. I think msdos3 is sda1 but I'm not sure.

I'll poke around with the config when I get home. Worst case scenario I won't be able to boot to my hard disk if I mess up, which isn't much of a threat at this point.

That would be my next suggestion is to do a new install and make sure all usb is unplugged with Vista installed and working.

Then if you do come back and let us know if that fixed the problem.

Why would you think that? Your bootinfoscript output clearly shows in several places that sda1 is an ntfs partition and sda3 is ext4.

Can't really think of anything else. Have you tried the suggestion below, got it from ubuntu forums but don't know if it will apply.

If at the grub prompt, type ls and ENTER. If the command does not display all the partitions, reboot and enter your computer's BIOS setup. Ensure the BIOS reports the full disk size.

I've already done that, albeit not intentionally.

Oh yea. Oops!

My BIOS was "stringently locked" by the manufacturer. I would have to send in my motherboard for replacement in order to access the BIOS again. Its something I'm very unhappy about

If your unhappy about that you will be unhappy about this
http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-...stricted-boot/

Maybe you have an early implementation of this new software.

Yea that's something Microsoft has already said that Windows 8 will have that. That doesn't bother be as much as SOPA.

But that's not what I have. There's an option to burn the BIOS password to chip so that it won't be lost by power failure. The only way to have it removed it either know the password or have it reflashed. I know neither.

That's not the issue at hand.

I guess you can't flash it your self with out booting then. OUCH! you might be in trouble.

I have never ran into a restricted bios but have heard of them. If this is the case you might try making a these partitions to bypass

partition 1 primary 20 meg boot
partition 2 primary xx gig vista
partition 4 extended
partition 5 logical 10 gig mint /
partition 6 logical 18 gig mint /home
partition 7 logical xxxxx data

Install grub to a separate partition and try to chainload your distros. You will need to map your menu for vista boot. This should get you around any boot restrictions to boot 1st partition.

I don't know if grub2 has the 128Gig limit, but I've noticed that it's never talked about. If I'm correct then wins should be no more than 126 or 127Gig to place grub within 128 Gig read limit.

I can't even boot to linux! There's NO WAY I'm mucking around with flashing my chipset! It's not an Xbox, it's my COMPUTER!

OOOHHHH GOODD! SO many partitions!

I never knew the BIOS could specify a partition to boot to. I thought it was just by device. I at least have the power to select my boot device, but individual partitions are not on the list. Besides, the Windows installer will only allow me to install to the first partition on the disk. In order to accomplish what you're saying, I would have to install Windows then manually move the files over to another partition. Windows HATES that.

I'm obviously not the expert here, but I know that can't be true. Linux boots just fine when it gets the entire hard drive to itself, and I'm using a 320gb. Unless Linux is totally bypassing GRUB (not likely), then GRUB 2 is working fine on a partition bigger than 128gb.

Did this. Same error. Also tried removing the menu entry for sbd1. Still not working.

I will try what Larry said. Does it ABSOLUTELY have to be a dedicated /boot partition or can I get away with /root? Also, I have no understanding of extended partitions. Doesn't that mean it's "unallocated" space that the previous partition can acquire if needed, or do I really just have no idea what I'm talking about?

I apologize as I didn't make myself clear previous grubs had to be placed within the first 128Gig of the drive or it would be beyond the systems bios to be read.
http://www.mail-archive.com/misc@ope...msg101169.html

Yea, I understand what you mean. I'm just saying it doesn't apply in this case. But thank you.

I did what Larry said, and it worked! No, just kidding. I now have a grub prompt instead of a grub rescue prompt.

...Now what?

update-grub does not work from live cd. It just gives me this error:

Grub-install gives me the same error, but then it says it installed without any errors. I havent even tried it yet because I'm to close to finally fixing it to risk messing it up.

What should I do?