Disclaimer: relative Solaris n00b here

Problem:

I have a (x86) PC that I use for playing around with various Linux distros, BSDs etc. It also has Solaris on it. The HDD layout is thus (please forgive the Linux-centric nomenclature):

80GB IDE HDD:

10GB /dev/hda1 (or /dev/rdsk/c0d0 in Solaris): Solaris
--/dev/rdsk/c0d0s1 = /
--/dev/rdsk/c0d0s2 = overlap (whatever that is)
--/dev/rdsk/c0d0s7 = /export/home
(this is how Solaris 'autolayouts' c0d0 on installation)
10GB /dev/hda2: FreeBSD
10GB /dev/hda3: unused (awaiting another *BSD)
/dev/hda4: Logical partition containing 4 or 5 Linux distros (10GB ish per)

Today I installed Kubuntu on /dev/hda9 (one of the logical partitions within /dev/hda4). Despite telling it not to install GRUB, it did (grrr). This installation of GRUB (along with the other Linuxes') will not recognise Solaris' partition/slices and thus I cannot boot Solaris.

I can boot from CD1 of the Solaris 10 install CDs and get a single-user console, run the install-grub command, but cannot mount any of the solaris partitions/slices (from which to source stage-1 stage-2 and menu.lst).

So, my question is: how the heck can I restore Solaris' GRUB (which happily boots all the Linux distros (unless they're on XFS) as well as itself)?

Appreciation in advance,

odevans

If the Kubuntu installation hasn't touched the Solaris partition, you can chainload it from the current boot grub and get Solaris grub from there.

Add this to the menu.lst file:
If that works, you can then just make the Solaris partition bootable.

Thanks for the reply jlliagre. Unfortunately, that wont work as Solaris installed GRUB to the MBR (where it was replaced by Kubuntu's GRUB), so there's nothing to 'chainload'.

AFAIK, Solaris doesn't install GRUB on the MBR but on its own partition.

Did you try to chainload ?