Question about editing grub.cfg

Steve W · 02-01-2013, 10:54 AM

On my laptop with Linux Mint 12 LXDE installed, if I select the default load option in the Grub bootloader, the laptop hangs. However, if I select the "safe mode" second option, it sometimes loads successfully but other times puts up a message: "fixing recursive fault but reboot is needed”, then hangs. However, on doing a power reset, I can (for that one time only) load up normally with the first option.

A Google search for this error brings up a page advising to add to the grub boot line "acpi=off nomodeset xforcevesa".

I presume this means editing /boot/grub/grub.cfg (with "Do not edit this file" in capitals at the top!), but where exactly in the file would I put that new line?

spiky0011 · 02-01-2013, 11:12 AM

Hi

This is my grub.cfg with nomodeset added

Code:

menuentry "CentOS release 6.3 (Final) (on /dev/sdd1)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd3,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root f6321353-2b1e-4e95-b48b-f5f229825152
	linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-279.19.1.el6.i686 root=/dev/sdd1 quiet nomodeset
	initrd /boot/initramfs-2.6.32-279.19.1.el6.i686.img

You will have to edit the file with sudo privlages or root

Steve W · 02-01-2013, 11:39 AM

Thanks. At that point in my grub it goes: quiet splash vt.handoff=7

Do I add "nomodeset" onto the end of that, or instead of "splash"?

spiky0011 · 02-01-2013, 11:44 AM

Hi

No add it after the handoff=7 nomodeset

Steve W · 02-01-2013, 12:04 PM

Thanks, I'll give it a go. If that doesn't work, I'll stick the rest of the "acpi=off nomodeset xforcevesa" in there...

TobiSGD · 02-01-2013, 12:30 PM

As the grub.cfg file warns you already, do not edit it. All changes will be lost the next time the system launches the update-grub command. Instead, add your options (by the way, I would try one at a time, so that you can see which one solves the problem) to the options that exist already for GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT in the file /etc/default/grub. After that, launch update-grub to apply your changes to the configuration.

Steve W · 02-03-2013, 04:37 PM

Yes, that did the job. No more hanging on startup. Thank you for your assistance, Spiky and TobiSGD.

Steve W · 02-06-2013, 03:07 PM

Actually, I spoke too soon. Today, it's refusing to go into Mint using the default selection at Grub, it only goes in using Recovery mode. Although it has not, yet, given me the "fixing recursive fault, but needs reboot" message.

I know that solving the overall problem of Mint hanging on boot is technically off-topic for the original request of this thread, but can you think of anything I could do with the Grub boot options that may permanently fix this problem? Or should I start a fresh thread requesting help with this problem?