"Booting from local disk... GRUB"

English Hardware
#1

This is what I get if I shutdown the Workstation and remove the MD1000 box and the PERC6/E raid card. It does not show GRUB loading, only GRUB. How comes?

Hardware:
Dell Precision T7400
One SAS internal card for local disks.
Perc6e connected to MD1000 with drives configured to one volume 8 TB. Filesystem NTFS.
64 GB RAM

Workstation is configured for dual boot; windows xp and Opensuse 11.0.

Below is different output from menu.lst, device.map and fstab before removing the hardware.

(hd0) /dev/sda is the MD1000 box.
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f013a6a200ff00001101492cb7-part1 /media/disken is the diskarray (hd0).

cat /boot/grub/device.map

(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb

cat /etc/fstab

/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part5 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 / ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part2 /windows/C ntfs-3g users,gid=users,fmask=003,dmask=002,locale=en_US.UTF-8 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f013a6a200ff00001101492cb7-part1 /media/disken ntfs-3g users,gid=users,fmask=003,dmask=002,locale=en_US.UTF-8,exec 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/usb-ST1000DL_002-9TT153_f4018d9a7e4e21024b000000-0:0-part1 /media/Lasse1TB ext3 defaults 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs noauto 0 0
debugfs /sys/kernel/debug debugfs noauto 0 0
usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs noauto 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts mode=0620,gid=5 0 0

cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Wed Oct 21 17:34:51 CEST 2009

default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd1,2)/boot/message
##YaST - activate
###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.11-0.1
root (hd1,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 resume=/dev/sdb5 splash=silent showopts vga=0x31a
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-default
###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe – openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.11-0.1
root (hd1,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume edd=off x11failsafe vga=0x31a
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-default
###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd1,2)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader (hd1,1)+1
###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
rootnoverify (hd1,2)
chainloader (fd0)+1

How should I do to remove the hardware?

Best regards Magnus

#2

Please use CODE tags around computer output to make it better readable/interpretable: http://forums.opensuse.org/english/information-new-users/advanced-how-faq-read-only/451526-posting-code-tags-guide.html

#3

Can I edit the original thread in order to make it look better?
Regards Magnus

#4

Ok! Here is the post in a better format!

“Booting from local disk… GRUB” is what I get if I restart after I have shutdown the Workstation and removed the MD1000 box and the PERC6/E raid card. It does not show GRUB loading, only GRUB. How comes?

Hardware:
Dell Precision T7400
One SAS internal card for local disks.
Perc6e connected to MD1000 with drives configured to one volume 8 TB. Filesystem NTFS.
64 GB RAM

Workstation is configured for dual boot; windows xp and Opensuse 11.0.

Below is different output from menu.lst, device.map and fstab before removing the hardware.

(hd0) /dev/sda is the MD1000 box.
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f013a6a200ff00001101492cb7-part1 /media/disken is the diskarray (hd0).

# cat /boot/grub/device.map
(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb

# cat /etc/fstab
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part5 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 / ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part2 /windows/C ntfs-3g users,gid=users,fmask=003,dmask=002,locale=en_US.UTF-8 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f013a6a200ff00001101492cb7-part1 /media/disken ntfs-3g users,gid=users,fmask=003,dmask=002,locale=en_US.UTF-8,exec 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/usb-ST1000DL_002-9TT153_f4018d9a7e4e21024b000000-0:0-part1 /media/Lasse1TB ext3 defaults 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs noauto 0 0
debugfs /sys/kernel/debug debugfs noauto 0 0
usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs noauto 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts mode=0620,gid=5 0 0

# cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Wed Oct 21 17:34:51 CEST 2009
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd1,2)/boot/message
##YaST - activate
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.11-0.1
root (hd1,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 resume=/dev/sdb5 splash=silent showopts vga=0x31a
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-default
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.11-0.1
root (hd1,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume edd=off x11failsafe vga=0x31a
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-default
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd1,2)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader (hd1,1)+1
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
rootnoverify (hd1,2)
chainloader (fd0)+1

How should I do to remove the hardware?

Best regards Magnus

#5

To me it seems that GRUB’s hd0 is Linux /dev/sda is scsi-36001e4f013a6a200ff00001101492cb7.
and GRUB’s hd1 is Linux /dev/sdb is scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183.

When you remove the first one, the situation will be: hd0 is /dev/sda is scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183.
That is no problem for the fstab becasue it mounts by-id.
It is also no problem in finding the root and swap partitions in menu.lst because of the same by-id.

But everywhere were it says hd1 in menu.lst it should now be hd0.

This is caused by the fact the the BIOS now detects your erstwhile second disk as the first disk.
You could change in menu.lst, but that is not a solution when you are removing/adding at a regular base.

BTW openSUSE 11.0 is allready long out of support! It is apperently your choice of not getting any security patches any more. But knowledge of people here about special tricks in old levels might be scanty.

#6

Ok Henk!

It is a permanent move I am planning to do but it may occure that I have to reinstall the Perc6e card and the diskarray but I hope not.
If I understand you correct the way to do it is to

edit menu.lst
replace all hd1 with hd0 for exemple gfxmenu (hd1,2)/boot/message will be gfxmenu (hd0,2)/boot/message
Turn of the workstation
Remove the hardware and start it up

No needs to do any changes to device.map or is that automatically changed by the system? No needs to change elsewhere?

Could I have done something afterward at the “GRUB” line, in order to access menu.lst, instead of attach the perc6e card and the md1000 box and do the changes in menu.lst before removal?

Thank and all the best Magnus

#7

Sorry, I was away a few days and thought that my post would give you enough information to give you a start and that others would have helped you with new questions that might arise.

In those days. did you try things, or are you stil wating for more information?

#8

Hi Henk!

No, I have not tested anything yet. Will do it at the end of the week. Waiting for some input on my last post dated 10 okt.

Best regards Magnus

#9

If it is stuck on GRUB, it means it cannot load enough of itself to even try to access menu.lst, so changing menu.lst (alone) does not really help. One possibility is to boot live CD/DVD/USB after unplugging disk and simply reinstall bootloader from within chroot. It is useful to know where grub tries to find itself. You may try to use findgrub script (http://forums.opensuse.org/english/other-forums/development/programming-scripting/447138-looking-grub-windows-bootloader-all-partitions-17.html#post2493514) or bootinfoscript (SourceForge.net: Boot Info Script - Project Web Hosting - Open Source Software) to get this information. Paste output here (in tag code please :slight_smile: )

#10

Voila!

 ./bootinfoscript

                 Boot Info Script 0.61      [1 April 2012]

============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
 => Grub Legacy0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 
    345979139 on boot drive #2 for the stage2 file.  A stage2 file is at this 
    location on /dev/sdb.  Stage2 looks on partition #3 for 
    /boot/grub/menu.lst..
 => Grub Legacy is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector 
    541273245 on boot drive #1 for the stage2 file, but no stage2 files can be 
    found at this location..
 => No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc.
 => Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdd.
 => Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sde.
sda1: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows XP: NTFS
    Boot sector info:  The info in the boot sector on the starting sector of 
                       the MFT Mirror is wrong. According to the info in the 
                       boot sector, sda1 has 3219914684 sectors, but 
                       according to the info from fdisk, it has 6441140156 
                       sectors.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        
sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  Dell Utility: FAT16
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /DELLBIO.BIN /DELLRMK.BIN /COMMAND.COM
sdb2: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows XP: NTFS
    Boot sector info:  According to the info in the boot sector, sdb2 has 
                       104704880 sectors, but according to the info from 
                       fdisk, it has 107217809 sectors.
    Operating System:  Windows XP
    Boot files:        /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM
sdb3: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       ext3
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:     Operating System:   Welcome to openSUSE 11.0 
                       (X86-64) - Kernel ().
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/menu.lst /etc/fstab
sdb4: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info: 
sdb5: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  Unknown
    Boot sector info: 
sdc1: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       
    Boot sector type:  Unknown
    Boot sector info:     Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type ''
sdc2: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       
    Boot sector type:  Unknown
    Boot sector info:     Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type ''
mount: unknown filesystem type ''
sdd1: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       ext3
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:     Operating System:  
    Boot files:        
sde1: __________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows XP: NTFS
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        
============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================
Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sda: 8245.6 GB, 8245666119680 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1002478 cylinders, total 16104816640 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe65de65d
Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System
/dev/sda1                   1 4,294,967,295 4,294,967,295  ee GPT

GUID Partition Table detected.
Partition    Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors System
/dev/sda1              34 6,441,140,190 6,441,140,157 Microsoft Reserved Partition (Windows)
Drive: sdb _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sdb: 292.3 GB, 292326211584 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 35539 cylinders, total 570949632 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0ecab17e
Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System
/dev/sdb1                  63       144,584       144,522  de Dell Utility
/dev/sdb2    *        144,585   107,362,394   107,217,810   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sdb3         107,362,395   489,002,534   381,640,140  83 Linux
/dev/sdb4         489,002,535   529,968,284    40,965,750   5 Extended
/dev/sdb5         489,002,598   529,968,284    40,965,687  82 Linux swap / Solaris

Drive: sdc _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sdc: 2199.0 GB, 2199023255552 bytes
256 heads, 63 sectors/track, 266305 cylinders, total 4294967296 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6b538888
Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System
/dev/sdc1                   1 4,294,967,295 4,294,967,295  ee GPT

GUID Partition Table detected.
Partition    Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors System
/dev/sdc1              34       262,177       262,144 Microsoft Reserved Partition (Windows)
/dev/sdc2         262,178 2,639,362,081 2,639,099,904 Data partition (Windows/Linux)
Drive: sdd _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sdd: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x48ed901d
Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System
/dev/sdd1                  63 1,953,520,064 1,953,520,002  83 Linux

Drive: sde _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sde: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
1 heads, 63 sectors/track, 31008336 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00ee8bfe
Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System
/dev/sde1    *             63 1,953,520,127 1,953,520,065   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS

"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________
Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL
/dev/sda1        70E1244E066B7E44                       ntfs       
/dev/sdb1        07D8-011D                              vfat       DellUtility
/dev/sdb2        C8426F10426F0314                       ntfs       OS
/dev/sdb3        6ccd5459-2ba7-4c66-9371-12606dd4a128   ext3       
/dev/sdb5        11d0718a-ad91-448f-b6c7-6090cbdb6d59   swap       SWAP-sda5
/dev/sdd1        5edaa72f-4dff-40b1-97ad-cf74aa3a36ee   ext3       
/dev/sde1        925C91C55C91A50F                       ntfs       Expansion Drive
================================ Mount points: =================================
Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options
/dev/sda1        /media/disken            fuseblk    (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_permissions)
/dev/sdb2        /windows/C               fuseblk    (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_permissions)
/dev/sdb3        /                        ext3       (rw,acl,user_xattr)
/dev/sdd1        /media/Lasse1TB          ext3       (rw)

================================ sdb2/boot.ini: ================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional x64 Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=========================== sdb3/boot/grub/menu.lst: ===========================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Wed Oct 21 17:34:51 CEST 2009
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd1,2)/boot/message
##YaST - activate
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.11-0.1
    root (hd1,2)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 resume=/dev/sdb5 splash=silent showopts vga=0x31a
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-default
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.11-0.1
    root (hd1,2)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume edd=off x11failsafe vga=0x31a
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-default
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
    rootnoverify (hd1,2)
    map (hd0) (hd1)
    map (hd1) (hd0)
    chainloader (hd1,1)+1
###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
    rootnoverify (hd1,2)
    chainloader (fd0)+1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=============================== sdb3/etc/fstab: ================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part5 swap                 swap       defaults              0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part3 /                    ext3       acl,user_xattr        1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f017d565000f31097606365183-part2 /windows/C           ntfs-3g    users,gid=users,fmask=003,dmask=002,locale=en_US.UTF-8 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-36001e4f013a6a200ff00001101492cb7-part1 /media/disken   ntfs-3g    users,gid=users,fmask=003,dmask=002,locale=en_US.UTF-8,exec 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/usb-ST1000DL_002-9TT153_f4018d9a7e4e21024b000000-0:0-part1 /media/Lasse1TB  ext3 defaults 0 0
proc                 /proc                proc       defaults              0 0
sysfs                /sys                 sysfs      noauto                0 0
debugfs              /sys/kernel/debug    debugfs    noauto                0 0
usbfs                /proc/bus/usb        usbfs      noauto                0 0
devpts               /dev/pts             devpts     mode=0620,gid=5       0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=================== sdb3: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)
            ?? = ??             boot/grub/menu.lst
            ?? = ??             boot/grub/stage2
            ?? = ??             boot/initrd
            ?? = ??             boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-default
            ?? = ??             boot/vmlinuz
            ?? = ??             boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-default
======================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc: ========================
Unknown BootLoader on sdb5
00000000  00 78 30 30 00 78 30 30  00 78 30 30 00 78 30 30  |.x00.x00.x00.x00|
*
00000200
Unknown BootLoader on sdc1

Unknown BootLoader on sdc2
 
========= Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive: =========
No RAID disks 
=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================
./bootinfoscript: line 2680: 31537 Segmentation fault      blkid -g
hexdump: /dev/sdc1: No such file or directory
hexdump: stdin: Bad file descriptor.
hexdump: /dev/sdc1: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/sdc1: Bad file descriptor
hexdump: /dev/sdc2: No such file or directory
hexdump: stdin: Bad file descriptor.
hexdump: /dev/sdc2: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/sdc2: Bad file descriptor
  No volume groups found
mdadm: No arrays found in config file

Anything interesting from the output?
Regards Magnus

#11

Pretty much. You have GRUB boot sector on sdb MBR which tries to load GRUB itself from the first HDD at sector 541273245. When you remove sda, then sdb becomes the first HDD. But it does not even have this sector, it is too small. So GRUB hangs here.

Please try the following (I just verified this procedure with 2 HDDs on VM):

  1. Create temporary device.map which maps /dev/sdb to the first BIOS drive:
echo '(hd0) /dev/sdb' > /tmp/device.map
  1. Install GRUB on /dev/sdb using this temporary device.map so GRUB believes that /dev/sdb is the first drive. This should not impact your existing bootloader on /dev/sda in any way! Here is example session. You will need to use (hd0,2) as you have Linux on third partition:
linux-t986:~ # grub --no-floppy --device-map=/tmp/device.map
  GNU GRUB  version 0.97  (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)
   Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported.  For the first word, TAB
     lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
     completions of a device/filename. ] 
grub> root (hd0,1)
  Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83 
grub> setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 --prefix=/boot/grub (hd0) 
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"...  17 sectors are embedded. succeeded
Running "install --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+17 p (hd0,1)/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done. 
grub> quit
  1. Verify with bootinfoscript again! If in doubt, post here. Here is example:
    Before running grub setup:
============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
  => Grub Legacy (v0.97) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on boot
      drive #2 in partition #2 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.
  => No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb.

After running grub setup:


============================= Boot Info Summary: =============================== 
  => Grub Legacy (v0.97) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on boot 
       drive #2 in partition #2 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.
  => Grub Legacy (v0.97) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks on the
       same drive in partition #2 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.

Now you can change hd1 => hd0 in menu.lst. Also replace all occurrences of /dev/sdb with /dev/sda (you have resume=/dev/sdb5). power off, remove first disk, boot. As long as GRUB stage2 loads, you can always manually boot later and fix menu.lst.

#12

Excelent help Arvidjaar!

I just followed your steps and have now no problems starting the system up without the diskarray.

I appreciate the help from you and Henk!

Best regards Magnus