Grub2 vanishes after cloning. OpenSuse 12.3 plus WinXp

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Linux beginner (but proficient with WinXp) trying to get a system to learn on - but…
Laptop with WinXp
Originally had OpenSuse 11.4 but recently upgraded to 12.3
Installed from iso dvd and “eventually” got to the full function with the following -
Networked with other WinXp machine
Network printing via Cups
Scanner, email, browser and so forth.
Sharing across network with XP files/folders and with Win partition on same machine.
Needed more space for work so …
Cloned the drive with Acronis. New drive in main bay with old drive in caddy.
Did “As Is” clone and the new WinXp part is now fully functional on new drive.
Old drive put into a near identical laptop as main drive.
But WinXp booted straight up without Grub. WinXp working as expected.
And new drive does the same - straight to WinXp without Grub.

Now I can understand that the new cloned drive may have a problem with Grub but why has the original one got the same problem?

Have attempted re-installing with iso disc and selected update existing - but this has failed three times.
“The partitioning on disk /dev/sda is not readable…”
Have to click “show all partitions”
openSUSE 12.3 is shown on /dev/sda6 (i386) Linux Native (ext4)
Unknown Linux is shown on /dev/sda7 Unknown Linux Native(ext4)
Then a line abount mount point not existing and I see that it refers to the disc identity of the old drive.
There is a “mount options dialogue” - can I do anything with that to substitute the new disc identity?

Also tried following advice from Article by “caf4926” dated 12 Sept 2012
DVD rescue to login = Failed to start System Logging service
-then “root” then “fdisk” =
This is for the “new” cloned drive.
dev/sda1 * 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
dev/sda2 12 Compaq diagnostics
dev/sda3 5 Extended
dev/sda5 82 Linux swap/Solaris
dev/sda6 83 Linux
dev/sda7 83 Linux

Partition table … not in disk order.

Then “mount /dev/sda3 /mnt”
= unknown file system type ‘(null)’
But same for sda1 gets cursor back - so continued
But “mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev”
= mount point /mnt/dev does not exist
“chroot /mnt” fails with ?/bin/bash? No such file or directory.
Further attempts with lines after this fail or “xx is already mounted on xx”

As it took a lot of time and effort to get the 12.3 installation functioning I dont want to drop it and do a fresh one unless all else fails.

Or - can I just put a fresh install alongside the old one (have enough room) and get at it that way? Should I be able to reinstate Grub2 and get back into the original 12.3 install - then just delete the second one?
Best regards - Paul

2

Windows XP is your active partition; you did not explain your bootloader configuration so either you had grub installed in partition or Acronis replaced MBR during cloning.

And new drive does the same - straight to WinXp without Grub.

I won’t be surprised if Acronis decided to silently “fix” it for you on original drive as well.

dev/sda1 * 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
dev/sda2 12 Compaq diagnostics
dev/sda3 5 Extended
dev/sda5 82 Linux swap/Solaris
dev/sda6 83 Linux
dev/sda7 83 Linux

Then “mount /dev/sda3 /mnt”
= unknown file system type ‘(null)’
But same for sda1 gets cursor back - so continued

You cannot mount /dev/sda3 - it is extended partition; nor do you need to mount /dev/sda1 - it is Windows XP partition. To recover bootloader you need to mount your Linux partitions which are /dev/sda6 and /dev/sda7. Which one is root and what is another one we cannot tell - not enough information. Try to mount each in turn and check whether there is /etc/fstab file on partition. Paste content of this file in tags code (like I did above).

3

Thank you arvidjaar.

sda6 worked and went all the way to “Installation finished. No error reported”
Reboot went to a Grub 12.3 screen - but different to the standard version.
Selected Opensuse and got the first standard 12.3 boot screen image but without any further activity.
Had popped the dvd so reinserted -

doing fast boot
Creating device nodes with udev
Welcome to emergency mode!

tried the default reboot which returned to same place.

journalctl -b

Went through list to red lines -

Timed out waiting for…the main drive…backslash x2dpart1.device
Dependency failed for /windows/c
Dependency failed for Local File Systems
Dependency failed for Remote File Systems (Pre)

So rebooted and went to advanced opensuse and recovery mode.
This failed and went to emergency mode again.
Went to “Installation” from DVD.
Gets to System Probing and results in

The partitioning on /dev/sda is not readable by the partitioning tool parted, …

Continued anyway - to “Update existing system” and nothing shows in “Select for Update - Partition or System to Update” unless “Show all” is ticked.
Chose /sda6 and get same old result -

…disc identity from original drive (not current drive) …61ASB047B-part7 does not exist

Had a go at substituting correct disc identity but no luck - part7 still does not exist.
Continued to error -

grub>setup --stage2=/boot/grug/stage2 --force-lba (hd0) (hd0,5)
Error 21: Selected disk does not exist

So still stalls at “Plymouth” screen.

Trying to get at /etc/fstab - dont know how.
tried various ways after the rescue:/> prompt but either get “Permission denied” or “does not exist”.
Nearest was

kdesu kwrite /etc/fstab
which gave
cannot connect to X server

Cannot find the correct syntax after a good bit of searching.

So am now doing a fresh full install alongside dead version.
Do I stand any chance of getting any settings / setups across the divide ?
Or do I have to just start from scratch?

Best regards - Paul

4

Timed out for edit

Fresh install fails - partitions (wrote all this out but the admin says I took too long…)

Is my only option to delete the Linux partitions from windows and chuck away 12.3 ?
Lots of time wasted if I do - so would like to give one last attempt.

5

Swapping around drives means that drive IDs have changed these have to be fixed in the /etc/fstab file. Depending on if grub was installed in the MBR or generic boot code was. With generic you need to be sure the boot flag is set on the root partition. If grub code then you need to reinstall grub. This is usually done via live boot and a chroot to run the grub2_mkconfig

6

Thank you gogalthorp.

I have already been following the advice from “caf4926” on this forum that includes “mkconfig” and “chroot”.
All of that is detailed in https://forums.opensuse.org/content/128-re-install-grub2-dvd-rescue.html
It is these stages that I have been recounting (without total success.
I realise that the drive identities have changed and had asked the question “can I alter this in the mount options”.
Tried and failed to do that - detailed in the “part7” does not exist line - tried replacing original disc identity with new one.

Also - do not know how to get to see the /etc/fstab - tried and failed because I do not know the correct language or syntax or even the correct method if I cannot boot into Linux.

But - surely Linux is able to read a corrupted partition - is that not one if its features that it can get inside when the others have failed? - cannot I create a “new” install and look inside the old stuff?
Tried that and failed - the iso DVD put up a red text saying that if I continued with the partitions as they are the install will fail.

Puzzled and using WinXp.

7

boot a Linux live disk (note can be any Linux does not have to be openSUSE) and mount the root partition and then simply edit the file /etc/fstab

You may try the rescue CD from openSUSE It should have all the tools you need

8

Thank you again gogalthorp.

But am a beginner with this system and have been using the iso dvd which includes rescue.
This is what worked to get a version of grub (but this would still not boot)

Courtesy “caf4926” of this forum.
“login” - root
fdisk -l to check what is there
mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
chroot /mnt
prompt changes to: Rescue:/>
mount /proc
mount /sys
grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg
grub2-install /dev/sda
‘exit’

reboot

And I got the same outcome as per the example image from caf4926.

As a beginner - I simply dont know what to type and when and where in order to -

and then simply edit the file /etc/fstab

But thanks for response -
Paul

9

UPDATE:

Using 12.3 KDE live on disc - now - to type this.
Can use Dolphin to see all original folders and files - seem to have access to the sda6 (20Gb) and sda7 (80Gb).
Cannot “see” sda5 which I believe is the 2Gb swap.
I can open and view sda6/boot
Can see all files within including “grub2-efi/boot.readme” and backup_mbr.

What would be the correct procedure now to re-instate or re-configure Grub2 ?

Regards
Paul