Installing simple GRUB loader on floppy?

e-buzz · 07-03-2005, 04:42 PM

I just installed RHEL WS 4.0 (testing different dists) and choosed not to install a boot loader in MBR of hda1 because i have a non standard MBR (pre-boot login) with an encrypted XP on that drive. I wanted to install the GRUB loader on a floppy instead, as i did with Xandros, Suse and Debian. But i never get the opportunity to make a GRUB loader floppy during installation and therefore my system is not bootable.

How can i make a boot loader floppy after installation is done when i cant access the installed RHEL WS system? Can the rescue console be of any help?

stefan_nicolau · 07-04-2005, 04:21 AM

Try http://www.linuxselfhelp.com/gnu/gru...r/grub_3.html:

Code:

# mke2fs /dev/fd0
# mount -t ext2 /dev/fd0 /mnt
# grub-install --root-directory=/mnt '(fd0)'
# umount /mnt

Have a look at
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4622 and
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...ot-floppy.html
and http://www.openbg.net/sto/os/xml/grub.html
for another method

To access the redhat partition, just mount it to any working linux system. You may want to get a live cd.

e-buzz · 07-04-2005, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by stefan_nicolau
Try http://www.linuxselfhelp.com/gnu/gru...r/grub_3.html:

Code:

# mke2fs /dev/fd0 # mount -t ext2 /dev/fd0 /mnt # grub-install --root-directory=/mnt '(fd0)' # umount /mnt

Have a look at
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4622 and
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...ot-floppy.html
and http://www.openbg.net/sto/os/xml/grub.html
for another method

To access the redhat partition, just mount it to any working linux system. You may want to get a live cd.

Sweet thanks, i´ll give it a try asap

e-buzz · 07-04-2005, 10:36 AM

I think i have been semi-successful so far, i´ve managed to make a boot floppy that boots into GRUB with no problem, using the method described here but from there it seems i bit more difficult. When i type the command "boot" at the GRUB prompt i get error "kernel must be loaded first". When trying to load the kernel with the command "kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-5.ELsmp root=/dev/hdb3 ro vga=ask" i get error message "wrong device" something. I have my RHEL installation on hdb3. I have been reading the manuals to the best of my knowledge but i seem to be stuck? Can anyone pinpoint what i am doing wrong?

stefan_nicolau · 07-04-2005, 06:05 PM

Have you given the root(1,2) command before loading the kernel and/or ramdisk?

e-buzz · 07-05-2005, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by stefan_nicolau
Have you given the root(1,2) command before loading the kernel and/or ramdisk?

Hi Stefan. Yes, good question, i issued the command "root (hdb3)" but all i get is error message 23: "Error while parsing number". I also tried "root (hdb,3), same error. I´ll check the GRUB manual today to see what that error means......

EDIT:

"23 : Error while parsing number
This error is returned if GRUB was expecting to read a number and encountered bad data."

Does not make me any smarter

e-buzz · 07-05-2005, 07:38 AM

Fixed it, had to reinstall and install the boot loader on the hdb drive where RHEL was installed, then create a GRUB boot floppy that took me right into the operating system.......thanks for help Stefan

stefan_nicolau · 07-05-2005, 06:20 PM

Quote:

root (hdb,3)

the command is root(hd1,2)

hda = hd0
hdb = hd1
...
hda1 = hd0,0
hda2 = hd0,1
...