GRUB not booting

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi everyone, I downloaded a openSUSE-11.4-GNOME-LiveCD, made a LiveUSB out of it and seemed to have successfully installed it besides my primary WinXP partition. However, when I reboot, GRUB does not show up. Windows starts normally. (It may be important that before installation I see a message about that I may get a GRUB error 18 because installation partition is not in first 128GB of my HDD. I don’t remember exactly, I might be misquoting. Also, I never actually see that error). Why could this be? Is there some way to install/fix GRUB from windows? Thanks for your help.

2

Take a look at these install guides and compare with what you have done

DVD Install: https://picasaweb.google.com/107564133608385811033/114_DVD_Install

CD Install: https://picasaweb.google.com/107564133608385811033/114_Install

If you boot the suse live cd again and run it live
Post us the result of:

sudo fdisk -l

3

fdisk -l gives me

Disk /dev/sda: 8455 MB, 8455200768 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1027 cylinders, total 16514064 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: 0xf325733c

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 16450559 8225248+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 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: 0x33463346

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 63 102398309 51199123+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2 102398310 312560639 105081165 f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 102398373 278743876 88172752 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb6 278745088 282953727 2104320 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb7 282955776 295901183 6472704 83 Linux
/dev/sdb8 295903232 312559615 8328192 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdc: 7971 MB, 7971274752 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 7602 cylinders, total 15568896 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: 0xe7e27a80

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 0 1423359 711680 83 Linux
/dev/sdc4 1423360 15568895 7072768 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdc1: 728 MB, 728760320 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 695 cylinders, total 1423360 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: 0xe7e27a80

 Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sdc1p1 * 0 1423359 711680 83 Linux
/dev/sdc1p4 1423360 15568895 7072768 83 Linux

As for setup screens, in Installation Settings screen, Boot section looks like this:

Booting
The bootloader is installed on a partition that does not lie entirely below 128 GB. The system might not boot if BIOS support only lba24 (result is error 18 during install grub MBR).
• Boot Loader Type: GRUB
• Status Location: /dev/sda (MBR)
• Change Location:
• Boot from MBR is enabled (disable)
• Boot from “/” partition is disabled (enable)
• Sections:

  • openSUSE 11.4 (default)
  • windows 1
  • windows 2
  • Linux other
  • Floppy
  • Failsafe – openSUSE 11.4
    • Order of Hard Disks: /dev/sda, /dev/sdb, /dev/sdc
4

Apparently GRUB was installed in a wrong HDD. That’s silly of me. I can live like this, but still, it would be good to know if I can move it to the other one.

5

Very odd partitioning if you ask me

6

The “128 GB” warning is just that some older BIOS may have a problem newer ones do not.

You can install grub MBR to any drive.

But I agree very strange partitioning.