Persistent GRUB rescue prompt error

gavin526 · 01-17-2012, 01:16 PM

Hello all,

I was dual-booting Ubuntu 11.10 and Win7 from GRUB2 for some time. I recently replaced Ubuntu with Mint 12. Installation was successful, but when I restart my machine I receive "Error: no such device (some long string)" and the GRUB rescue prompt. I booted into Live Mint from a USB key ran the Ubuntu Boot Repair tool. I rebooted and GRUB2 started normally. Upon restarting, however, the GRUB2 rescue prompt returns.

I thought that maybe I had mistakenly installed GRUB2 on the USB key, so I booted into Live Mint again, ran Ubuntu Boot Repair, rebooted into Mint on my hard disk, removed the USB key, and ran Ubuntu Boot Repair a second time. I rebooted and GRUB2 started normally. Upon restarting, however, the rescue prompt returns.

Any help would be appreciated.

Here is output from fdisk -l:

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa75536ca

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          206848   113043455    56418304    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3       113043456   145813503    16385024    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda4       145813504   156299263     5242880   27  Hidden NTFS WinRE
/dev/sda5       113045504   145813503    16384000    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdb: 640.1 GB, 640135028736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 77825 cylinders, total 1250263728 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf8e432ea

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *   156252158   419637247   131692545    5  Extended
/dev/sdb2       419637248  1229291519   404827136    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb3      1229291520  1250261679    10485080   27  Hidden NTFS WinRE
/dev/sdb5       156252160   179687423    11717632   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb6       179689472   411686911   115998720   83  Linux
/dev/sdb7       411688960   419637247     3974144   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdc: 4083 MB, 4083351552 bytes
128 heads, 63 sectors/track, 989 cylinders, total 7975296 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc3072e18

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1   *          56     7975295     3987620    c  W95 FAT32 (LBA)

Here is the log from Boot Info Script:

Code:

                  Boot Info Script 0.60    from 17 May 2011


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================

 => Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of 
    the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks 
    in partition 6 for .
 => Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector 1 of 
    the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks 
    for  on this drive.
 => Syslinux MBR (3.61-4.03) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc.

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:   No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /bootmgr /BOOT/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:   No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  Windows 7
    Boot files:        /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda3: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:   No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

sda4: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:   No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /bootmgr /BOOT/bcd

sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdb5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdb6: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  Linux Mint 12 Lisa
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sdb7: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdb2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:   No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

sdb3: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:   No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /bootmgr /BOOT/bcd

sdc1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  SYSLINUX 3.86 2010-04-01
    Boot sector info:   Syslinux looks at sector 31068 of /dev/sdc1 for its 
                       second stage. No errors found in the Boot Parameter 
                       Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /syslinux/syslinux.cfg /ldlinux.sys

============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sda1    *          2,048       206,847       204,800   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2             206,848   113,043,455   112,836,608   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda3         113,043,456   145,813,503    32,770,048   f W95 Extended (LBA)
/dev/sda5         113,045,504   145,813,503    32,768,000   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda4         145,813,504   156,299,263    10,485,760  27 Hidden NTFS (Recovery Environment)


Drive: sdb _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 640.1 GB, 640135028736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 77825 cylinders, total 1250263728 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdb1    *    156,252,158   419,637,247   263,385,090   5 Extended
/dev/sdb5         156,252,160   179,687,423    23,435,264  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb6         179,689,472   411,686,911   231,997,440  83 Linux
/dev/sdb7         411,688,960   419,637,247     7,948,288  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2         419,637,248 1,229,291,519   809,654,272   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sdb3       1,229,291,520 1,250,261,679    20,970,160  27 Hidden NTFS (Recovery Environment)


Drive: sdc _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdc: 4083 MB, 4083351552 bytes
128 heads, 63 sectors/track, 989 cylinders, total 7975296 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdc1    *             56     7,975,295     7,975,240   c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/loop0                                              squashfs   
/dev/sda1        1832E12C32E11014                       ntfs       SYSTEM
/dev/sda2        01CC469EEAC8D870                       ntfs       Windows
/dev/sda4        60E25E26E25E00A8                       ntfs       RECOVERY
/dev/sda5        B05462B554627E4A                       ntfs       Programs
/dev/sdb2        B22A651B2A64DDBB                       ntfs       Data
/dev/sdb3        32F88FA2F88F6349                       ntfs       RECOVERY
/dev/sdb5        0bdcd557-4f26-458a-b8d7-ccf3e343e10a   swap       
/dev/sdb6        2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74   ext4       
/dev/sdb7        393d20e8-be73-4fca-9c36-46ef72f91b6b   swap       
/dev/sdc1        1CFA-0C71                              vfat       PENDRIVE

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/loop0       /rofs                    squashfs   (ro,noatime)
/dev/sda1        /media/SYSTEM            fuseblk    (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_permissions)
/dev/sdb6        /media/sdb6              ext4       (rw)
/dev/sdc1        /cdrom                   vfat       (rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro)


=========================== sdb6/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}

function load_video {
  insmod vbe
  insmod vga
  insmod video_bochs
  insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod part_msdos
  insmod ext2
  set root='(hd1,msdos6)'
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74
  set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=10
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
if background_color 0,0,0; then
  clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Linux Mint 12 64-bit, 3.0.0-12-generic (/dev/sdb6)' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd1,msdos6)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74 ro   quiet splash vt.handoff=7
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic
}
menuentry 'Linux Mint 12 64-bit, 3.0.0-12-generic (/dev/sdb6) -- recovery mode' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd1,msdos6)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.0.0-12-generic ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74 ro recovery nomodeset 
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd1,msdos6)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd1,msdos6)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" --class windows --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ntfs
	set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 1832E12C32E11014
	chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows Recovery Environment (loader) (on /dev/sda4)" --class windows --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ntfs
	set root='(hd0,msdos4)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 60E25E26E25E00A8
	drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
	chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows Recovery Environment (loader) (on /dev/sdb3)" --class windows --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ntfs
	set root='(hd1,msdos3)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 32F88FA2F88F6349
	drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
	chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sdb6/etc/fstab: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    nodev,noexec,nosuid 0       0
# / was on /dev/sdc6 during installation
UUID=2916083f-be31-430f-861f-c120fc6cdc74 /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sdc7 during installation
UUID=393d20e8-be73-4fca-9c36-46ef72f91b6b none            swap    sw              0       0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sdb6: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

 173.819923401 = 186.637721600  boot/grub/core.img                             1
 191.808471680 = 205.952778240  boot/grub/grub.cfg                             1
  87.104492188 = 93.527736320   boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic               2
 173.815616608 = 186.633097216  boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic                  1
  87.104492188 = 93.527736320   initrd.img                                     2
 173.815616608 = 186.633097216  vmlinuz                                        1

=========================== sdc1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
	set gfxmode=auto
	insmod efi_gop
	insmod efi_uga
	insmod gfxterm
	terminal_output gfxterm
fi

set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray

menuentry "Start Linux Mint" {
	set gfxpayload=keep
	linux	/casper/vmlinuz  file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper quiet splash --
	initrd	/casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Start Linux Mint (compatibility mode)" {
	set gfxpayload=keep
	linux	/casper/vmlinuz  file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper xforcevesa ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw noapic noapci nosplash irqpoll --
	initrd	/casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Check the integrity of the medium" {
	set gfxpayload=keep
	linux	/casper/vmlinuz  boot=casper integrity-check quiet splash --
	initrd	/casper/initrd.lz
}

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

========================= sdc1/syslinux/syslinux.cfg: ==========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
default vesamenu.c32

menu background splash.jpg
menu title Welcome to Linux Mint
menu color border 0 #00eeeeee #00000000
menu color sel 7 #ffffffff #33eeeeee
menu color title 0 #ffeeeeee #00000000
menu color tabmsg 0 #ffeeeeee #00000000
menu color unsel 0 #ffeeeeee #00000000
menu color hotsel 0 #ff000000 #ffffffff
menu color hotkey 7 #ffffffff #ff000000
menu color timeout_msg 0 #ffffffff #00000000
menu color timeout 0 #ffffffff #00000000
menu color cmdline 0 #ffffffff #00000000

label live
  menu label Start Linux Mint
  kernel /casper/vmlinuz
  append noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true persistent file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash --
menu default
label xforcevesa
  menu label Start Linux Mint (compatibility mode)
  kernel /casper/vmlinuz
  append noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true persistent file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper xforcevesa initrd=/casper/initrd.lz ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw noapic noapci nosplash irqpoll --
label memtest
  menu label Memory Test
  kernel memtest
label local
  menu label Boot from local drive
  localboot 0x80 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sdc1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

            ?? = ??             boot/grub/grub.cfg                             1

================= sdc1: Location of files loaded by Syslinux: ==================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

            ?? = ??             ldlinux.sys                                    1
            ?? = ??             syslinux/gfxboot.c32                           1
            ?? = ??             syslinux/syslinux.cfg                          1
            ?? = ??             syslinux/vesamenu.c32                          1

============== sdc1: Version of COM32(R) files used by Syslinux: ===============

 syslinux/gfxboot.c32               :  COM32R module (v4.xx)
 syslinux/vesamenu.c32              :  COM32R module (v3.xx)

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

unlzma: Decoder error
unlzma: Decoder error

verdaz · 01-17-2012, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Disk /dev/sdc: 4083 MB, 4083351552 bytes

This suggests the USB was (still) present when grub-update (aka grub-mkconfig) was run.

I fell into an identical "trapped" situation when I performed Synaptic package updates to an instance of debian-based distroX which I had installed (installed, not "LiveCD") to a USB pendrive. Post-install for one of the packages apparently called grub-update, which "messed up" my ability to boot from the debian-based distroY residing on the hard drive.

For me, the "fix" was to boot via USB pen, choosing the HDD-resident O/S entry from its boot menu... then remove the USB pen. Launch Synaptic package manager, filter to view "installed" packages then search for "grub" and re-install (or, upgrade) the 4 packages (grub-common etc). Immediately after the installation completed, I shutdown. Upon restart, the HDD boot was back-to-normal.

gavin526 · 01-17-2012, 05:47 PM

Thanks for the help. I tried your suggestion. I was able to use the live USB key to boot into Mint on my local disk, remove the USB key, and update GRUB. I was then able to reboot (not shutdown) and GRUB functioned normally. However, upon shutting down and powering back on, I encountered the same grub rescue prompt. The UUID of the device it cannot find is the UUID of my Mint partition. If I shutdown, reinsert the USB key, and power on, GRUB works normally. Any ideas?

Update: I can reach the GRUB menu if I hold the shift key while powering on.

verdaz · 01-17-2012, 07:16 PM

Details are fresh in my mind b/c that hiccup just happened this week. At the end of the session in which I updated grub on the O/S installed to HDD, I'm certain I performed "shutdown" rather than reboot. I don't know whether reboot vs full shutdown at that point would have turned out differently. FWIW, I didn't/don't need to use the shift key during boot.

Had my attempt failed, my next step would have been to boot system rescue CD
http://www.sysresccd.org/
from a USB pen to try fixing the problem.

barnac1e · 01-17-2012, 09:27 PM

Sounds like you might have installed GRUB on the MBR of the USB inadvertently, when you meant your primary hard drive?