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- - Booting my new ubuntu install = "GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB" etc. (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/ubuntu-63/booting-my-new-ubuntu-install-%3D-grub-grub-grub-grub-grub-etc-518849/)

Booting my new ubuntu install = "GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB" etc.

I've got 4 hard drives. 2x 160gb SATA drives, 2x 300gb ATA drives. All 4 drives were formatted, and I installed ubuntu on one of the 300 gig drives (the IDE master, drive 0 as the installer recognized).

When i boot up after the install, i just get "GRUB" looping over and over.

I've reinstalled honestly a dozen times a least (trying different configurations with these drives), with no luck. I've followed instructions on this board to reinstall grub to the MBR, which didn't change anything.

menu.lst

Code:

title          Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.17-10-generic

root            (hd0,0)

kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17-10-generic root=/dev/hda1 ro quiet splash

initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.17-10-generic

quiet

savedefault

boot



title          Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.17-10-generic (recovery mode)

root            (hd0,0)

kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17-10-generic root=/dev/hda1 ro single

initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.17-10-generic

boot



title          Ubuntu, memtest86+

root            (hd0,0)

kernel          /boot/memtest86+.bin

quiet

boot

device.map (my install is on /dev/hda)

Code:

(hd0)  /dev/hda

(hd1)  /dev/hdb

(hd2)  /dev/sda

(hd3)  /dev/sdb

/etc/fstab

Code:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.

#

# <file system> <mount point>  <type>  <options>      <dump>  <pass>

proc            /proc          proc    defaults        0      0

# /dev/hda1

UUID=56ef1b08-6e5b-4a1d-9741-c7000e107eba /              ext3    defaults,errors=remount-ro 0      1

# /dev/hda5

UUID=dcd8634b-85d6-4425-a013-85b5f96877a0 none            swap    sw              0      0

/dev/hdc        /media/cdrom0  udf,iso9660 user,noauto    0      0

What am I doing wrong? This is starting to become very frustrating.

edit: I did some google searching and found that a possible cause for this may be having the BIOS auto-detect hard drives, and the solution is to turn that feature off and specify what they are so it doesn't need to detect them. My bios (my mobo is DFI ultra infinity) either allows auto detect to be on, or no drive to be specified. So, basically, if I have auto detect off I have no hard drives.

Anyone have any ideas?

We need to know what the BIOS thinks is the first HD. (I suppose it is possible that the Linux installer had a different opinion)

One clue: Is there any way that GRUB could be on one of the other 3 drives?---eg if any of then ever had Linux installed.

Another thing to try is to boot from the Ubuntu install CD and either go from there to the Ubuntu install--or just ctrl-alt-F1 to get to a terminal.
From any terminal:

Code:

fdisk -l        to see what partitions are in place and to confirm Ubuntu is on hda1

then, put GRUB on a floppy:

grub        starts the grub shell

root (hd0,0)   This tells grub where "home base" is.  It must be the partition containing /boot.  When you issue this command, grub tells you what the partition type is and what filesystem is there.  Make sure it is the right thing.  If not try different drive and partition #s--remember that grub counts from zero and ALL drives are hd

setup (fd0)  installs grub to a floppy

More options:
disconnect the SATA drives
try installing on one of the SATAs

Well, I figured out the problem... figured I'd post it in case someone else comes across the same problem.

Auto detect in my BIOS didn't need to be off. I turned that back ON. In the same section (right below "auto detect") in my bios was a field called "Access Mode". It was set at the default "CHS" for both drives. I changed both of them to auto. Problem solved.

:)