how to enter fedora from grub?

revoked · 07-28-2006, 09:10 AM

hi there,

i've some similar issue here and here goes.I've a single sata hard drive instead of 2.I successfully installed fc5 on the 2nd partition in order to dual boot it with winxp using ntldr.I've installed grub to the first sector /boot and have successfully copy the linux boot sector (.bin file) to windows and have edited the boot.ini file with this line c:\fc5.bin="fedora".

I am able to choose winxp or fedora now with the nt boot menu and can boot into winxp successfully.But im not sure how to boot into fedora.

When i choose fedora,it enters the "grub>"screen..from there im stucked and i cant get into fedora.

Anybody??

konsolebox · 07-28-2006, 09:20 AM

you can try to enter this 1 by 1 in grub's command-line:

Code:

root (hd0,0) # replace with the proper disk and partition
find /boot/grub/stage1 # i don't know if we really need this
kernel /boot/...  # kernel and parameters
initrd /boot/...  # path to your initrd file if you're using initrd
boot

if your fedora is hda , use (hd0,n) where n is the partition number minus 1

here's a sample:
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.9-34.EL ro root=LABEL=/ quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.9-34.EL.img
boot

revoked · 07-28-2006, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by konsolebox

you can try to enter this 1 by 1 in grub's command-line:

[code]
root (hd0,0) # replace with the proper disk and partition
find /boot/grub/stage1 # i don't know if we really need this
kernel /boot/... # kernel and parameters
initrd /boot/... # path to your initrd file if you're using initrd
boot
[code]

if your fedora is hda , use (hd0,n) where n is the partition number minus 1

here's a sample:
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.9-34.EL ro root=LABEL=/ quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.9-34.EL.img
boot

hi there

if my linux partition is where
/dev/sda5 is where /boot is located and
/dev/sda6 is my other linux partition, how will my root command will be?
any commands to check the kernel parameters and the path to initrd file?I ain't sure about this.

Btw any idea what causes this to happen?Or is it just some normal procedure that ive left out?

konsolebox · 07-28-2006, 07:11 PM

i'm not sure but perhaps these commands will work:

Code:

root (sd0,4) #sda5
find /boot/grub/stage1
root (sd0,5)
kernel /boot/kernel ro root=LABEL=/ quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-...
boot

i haven't tried the type of setup you have yet. i always use grub as the main bootloader.

if you were able to boot to fedora before, you can have the kernel parameters by doing

Code:

zcat /proc/cmdline.gz

or also by reading /boot/grub/menu.lst or /etc/lilo.conf if you already have.

if you have an initrd file you can almost always find them as /boot/initrd*

revoked · 07-29-2006, 05:21 AM

hi there,

Im not sure if i do it correctly but ive encountered errors:

grub> root (sd0,5) #where 6 is my /boot is and minus 1
error 23:Error while parsing number

grub> boot
error 8;kernel must be loaded before booting.

grub> kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.9-34.EL ro root=LABEL=/ quiet
error:cannot mount selected partition

no idea with it and am still stuck at the grub prompt

konsolebox · 07-29-2006, 05:55 AM

we really need to know the filenames of your kernel image and initrd. can you boot into a livecd?

we don't have that info now so here i just copied a setting from a default fc5 install and modified some of the values. just try them anyway.

Code:

root (sd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 ro root=/dev/sda5 rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img
boot

OR

Code:

root (sd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz ro root=/dev/sda5 rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img
boot

if this fails, boot a livecd. mount your /boot partition (sda5) to something like /mnt/system.

Code:

mount /dev/sda5 /mnt/system
ls -l /mnt/system/boot/vmlinuz* /mnt/system/boot/initrd*

replace the initrd and kernel values accordingly and then retry the commands in grub.

revoked · 07-29-2006, 06:57 AM

hi there!

real thanks for ur help as i've followed what uve said and found some other links with info and have got it to start already!

heres wat ive did:
1) find /grub/stage1 #returns (hd0,4)
2)root (hd0,4)
3)kernel /vmlinuz [tab] gives me the info [enter]
4)initrd /initrd [tab] gives me the info [enter]
5)cat /grub/grub.conf #to verify if its ok
boot

it starts alrite but however i reboot to test the startup again,i've to retype those commands in order to start fedora again.So im wondering is there anyway to configure so that i will not enter the grub command prompt and straight into fedora the nex time?

konsolebox · 07-29-2006, 07:33 AM

of course we were only testing the booting process.

you can input this in your /boot/grub/menu.lst. now please just fill-in the missing values.

Code:

default 0
timeout 20

title FC5
root (hd0,4)
kernel /vmlinuz-??? parameters
initrd /initrd-???

again you can know the parameters by 'zcat /proc/cmdline.gz'
you can set timeout to 0 if you want fc5 to boot immediately without asking for input.

revoked · 07-29-2006, 03:52 PM

will try and thanks for the info again!

revoked · 07-30-2006, 12:42 AM

hi there, have tried but still unsuccessful in getting straight to fedora instead of re-typing the commands at the GRUB> command prompt screen each time i need to log on..
here is my grub.conf:
----------------------------------------------------
# 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 (hd0,6)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda7
default=0
timeout=0
splashimage=(hd0,6)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
#hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp.img
makeactive
title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
------------------------------------------------------
Any solutions??

konsolebox · 07-30-2006, 02:16 AM

did you install your /boot partition before the 1024 cylinder of the disk?
ref: http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux...w2k-HOWTO.html

revoked · 07-30-2006, 05:38 AM

hi there

thanks for the clue there and have got it to work fine now!

cheers!

konsolebox · 07-30-2006, 05:45 AM

really? but how did you do it? ... anyway i'm glad for you. til next time

revoked · 07-30-2006, 05:52 AM

yea...i followed the link u've provided and use partition magic to shrink the windows partition and place my grub there this time.

Re-perform the steps and then it worked!

However does all these methods work with suse linux as well?As in using ntldr to dual boot both windows xp and suse linux?

Anyway i also wana test the installation with suse linux.And at installation im unable to figure out how do i place grub on the space which ive done for fedora because it doesnt seem to show the free space in the installation.

konsolebox · 07-30-2006, 06:15 AM

same procedure of course. boot to the suse system, then install grub there. if you can't boot to suse, you can always use a livecd for that. boot a livecd then do 'mount /dev/hdaX /mnt/anydir; chroot /mnt/anydir /bin/bash' where hdaX is the suse's partition and anydir is can be /mnt/system or anything. after that you can install grub as if you're installing grub in the installed suse.

btw maybe i'm getting the wrong idea here. do you want to install a new grub on a new system? or you just want to add suse in the boot menu?