I have lost OpenSuse 11 beta 3 ???

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi all,

I have had OpenSuse 10.3 64 bit installed and running faultlessly for about a year. Yesterday I downloaded and installed OpenSuse 11 beta 3. I obviously made a bad job of it, and managed to mess up grub. I was able to repair grub with the supergrubdisk.

OpenSuse is definatly on the hard drive (scc) and is running, as after the install I was on the new desktop, but before I went further I wanted to check what grub said. I restarted the computer and much to my relief it gave the usual Windows, Opensuse 10-3, Failsafe, Floppy, and the newly installed OpenSuse 11 beta 3. On selecting this option it gave a grub error 22 No Such Partition.

I have copied the details (from OpenSuse 10.3 which has now mysteriously lost its ethernet connection) into a document and then onto a pen drive, and posting this from WindowsXP Pro.

menu.lst

Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Mon Oct 27 14:24:59 UTC 2008

default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,5)/boot/message

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part6 vga=0x31a resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-default

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)###
title openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)
root (hd2,1)
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,5)
chainloader (hd0,0)+1

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
rootnoverify (hd0,5)
chainloader (fd0)+1

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe – openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part6 vga=normal showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume edd=off 3
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-default

fstab

/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part6 / ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part3 /data_1 ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part7 /home ext3 defaults 1 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part5 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST380013AS_3JV21SVR-part1 swap swap 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
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy auto noauto,user,sync 0 0

fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0bed0bed

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 6374 51199123+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 6375 16301 79738627+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda3 16302 38913 181630890 83 Linux
/dev/sda5 6375 6629 2048256 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 9817 13003 25599546 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 13004 16301 26491153+ 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe1f0e1f0

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 1 0 0 Empty
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.

Disk /dev/sdc: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00019b4f

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 1 255 2048256 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc2 256 3518 26210047+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdc3 3519 9729 49889857+ 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdd: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000ef053

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 * 1 1 0 0 Empty
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.

OpenSuse 11 is on /dev/sdc.

could some kind soul help me out, as I would not like to start all over again.

Best regards Keith

2

From 10.3, first post back the output of:

cat /boot/grub/device.map

Then, mount the 11.1 root partition, something like:

mkdir /mnt/suse11
mount -t ext3 /dev/sdc2 /mnt/suse11

And then post back the output of (assuming a mount at /mnt/suse11):

cat /mnt/suse11/boot/grub/device.map
cat /mnt/suse11/boot/grub/menu.lst
cat /mnt/suse11/etc/grub.conf

Your 10.3 menu.lst was modified to boot 11.1 using the grub “configfile” command which calls the 11.1 menu.lst.

By the way, how do you want this to end up? That is, what do you want to control the booting?

3

Mingus725

keith@ip35:~> su
Password:

ip35:/home/keith # cat /boot/grub/device.map
(hd3) /dev/sdd
(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd2) /dev/sdc
(hd1) /dev/sdb

ip35:/home/keith # mkdir /mnt/suse11
ip35:/home/keith # mount -t ext3 /dev/sdc2 /mnt/suse11

ip35:/home/keith # cat /mnt/suse11/boot/grub/device.map
(hd2) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST380013AS_3JV21SVR
(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd1) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD1600JD-00HBB0_WD-WMAL81036660
(hd0) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi_HDT725032VLA360_VFH201R80Z0PBT
(hd3) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi_HDP725032GLAT80_GE2330RC0H3EGB

ip35:/home/keith # cat /mnt/suse11/boot/grub/menu.lst

Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Mon Oct 27 11:42:27 UTC 2008

default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd2,1)/boot/message

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2
root (hd2,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.1-2-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST380013AS_3JV21SVR-part2 resume=/dev/sdb5 splash=silent showopts vga=0x346
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.27.1-2-default

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe – openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2
root (hd2,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.1-2-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST380013AS_3JV21SVR-part2 showopts ide=nodma apm=off noresume edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 x11failsafe vga=0x346
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.27.1-2-default

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: openSUSE 10.3 (/dev/sdb6)###
title openSUSE 10.3 (/dev/sdb6)
root (hd0,5)
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
rootnoverify (fd0)
chainloader +1
ip35:/home/keith # cat /mnt/suse11/etc/grub.conf
setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 --force-lba (hd0) (hd2,1)
quit

I do not know if you can tell from the above, but two of the hard drives are empty with the whole hard drive “unallocated”.

what I would like to happen is to have a grub menu from which I have the option to boot

OpenSuse 10.3
OpenSuse 11.1
WindowsXP
OpenSuse Failsafe 10.3
Opensuse Failsafe 11.1
Floppy

if that is possible.

thank you for taking the time and trouble to understand my problem, which to me appears to monumentally complicated (obviously I know nothing of Linux), and to offer advice.

Best regards Keith

4

It may be that you are actually booting from 11.1 . . . on the grub boot menu, which list below do you see?

10.3
11.1
Windows
Floppy
Failsafe 10.3

or

11.1
Failsafe 11.1
10.3
Windows
Floppy

And in your preferred boot list, which do you want to be the default?

5

mingus725

I see the number one menu, and would be happy to have this as the one to use. When I select OpenSuse 10.3 or Windows, they both work, but when I select the second option (OpenSuse 11.1 it does not).

I do not know if it has any relevance but here is my fstab

/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part6 / ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part3 /data_1 ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part7 /home ext3 defaults 1 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part5 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST380013AS_3JV21SVR-part1 swap swap 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
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy auto noauto,user,sync 0 0

the top four entries are OpenSuse 10.3 and the fifth one is the swap on the OpenSuse 11.1 which is on another hard drive designated as /dev/sdc. Swap is part1, root is part2 and home is part3

I hope that this helps.

many thanks Keith

6

I see the number one menu . . .

That’s the menu from 10.3, not 11.1. But when 11.1 installed, it tried to point grub in the MBR to the 11.1 menu. So something is not right. Need to ask for several more pieces of data . . .

First, please post back here from 10.3:

cat /etc/grub.conf

Then open your 10.3 file manager, navigate to /etc/grub.conf, right-click on the file, click on Properties, and find the Modified date; post that back here.

Second, please enter the bios setup. I need to know if sda and sdc are set up with an Access Mode of “LBA”. If not, what is it? And is there an option to use LBA? (Usually this is under the page where the detected disks are displayed, typically you highlight the drive and hit Enter which changes the page to detailed disk settings; that’s where Access Mode usually is.)

Third, is it alright to use 10.3 to control the boot loader installation and menu.lst, at least for now?

Fourth, you used YaST to modify the 10.3 menu.lst after you had finished installing 11.1. What was it you did?

Fifth, please run YaST Boot Loader in 10.3. Click on Other (bottom right), then click on Propose New Configuration. It may take a few minutes; let it finish. When its done, again click on Other, click on Edit Configuration Files. The screen will change, with a pull-down at top and file contents displayed below. In the pull-down, choose menu.lst, right-click below, click on Select All, right-click again and click Copy; now paste that contents back here. Do the same with grub.conf from the pull-down. (These files are only proposed, not real files.) Then click Abort (don’t do OK or Finish!).

would be happy to have this as the one to use

We can make the menu look however you want; that’s simple. With the data above we should be able to get this all fixed.

7

mingus725
*
Point 1*

ip35:/home/keith # cat /etc/grub.conf
setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0) (hd0,5)
quit

Point 1

/etc/grub.conf last modified 27/10/2008 at 14-24
*
Point 2*

I have just looked in bios (Phoenix Awardbios), and with regards to the hard drives I have found the following
sata channel 1 Hitachi HDT725032VLA
sata channel 2 WDC WD1600JD-00HBB0
sata channel 3 TSST CORPCD/DVDW SH-S
sata channel 4 ST380013AS
sata channel 5 and sata channel 6 are both “none”
they are all set to access = auto. By clicking on each drive and then on the auto I have the ability to select
CHS
LBA
LARGE
AUTO
as I have no idea what they are or what they do I have left them all on auto for the time being.
*
Point 3*

It is perfectly OK to use OpenSuse 10.3 to control the boot loader installation and menu.lst. I will be sticking with OpenSuse 10.3 until about February or March and then making the switch over.
*
Point 4*

Did I use Yast to modify the 10.3 menu.lst after I had finished installing 11.1 and what was it I did. Well I do not remember making any such alteration and I would not know how to or why, so I do not think I did.

Point 5

menu.lst

Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Tue Oct 28 21:26:28 GMT 2008

default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,5)/boot/message

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part6 resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-default

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)###
title openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)
root (hd3,1)
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,5)
chainloader (hd0,0)+1

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
rootnoverify (hd0,5)
chainloader (fd0)+1

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe – openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part6 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume edd=off 3
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-default

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: Kernel-2.6.22.5-31-default###
title Kernel-2.6.22.5-31-default
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDT7250_VFH201R80Z0PBT-part6 resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-default

grub.conf

setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0) (hd0,5)
quit

mingus725, by now you are aware that I have no clue as to what all of this means and I get a bit nervous when accessing bios etc, but I hope that I have covered all of your suggestions, and I hope that you will continue with your patience.

Best regards Keith

8

Not too worry. And you’ve done well with getting the data.

I think I may have gotten to the bottom of the problem: It looks like 10.3 and 11.1 are seeing the disks in a different order; perhaps the 10.3 device.map is based on how the disks were at a previous time which is different than now. In any event, please repeat the 5th step above that you did in YaST Boot Loader - when you get to the end with the pull-downs, there is also one for device.map. Please post its contents back here (like you did for the proposed menu.lst and grub.conf). And again, don’t hit OK or Finish!

9

mingus725

(hd1) /dev/sdd
(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd3) /dev/sdc
(hd2) /dev/sdb

In your previous post, point 4 you asked, “Did I use Yast to modify the 10.3 menu.lst after I had finished installing 11.1”, and I said NO. Well lying in bed last night trying to get to sleep I remembered that after I had installed OpenSuse 11.1, I finished up on the new desktop of 11.1 with one open folder containing “my computer, firefox, Office etc, but decided before I explored anything I would re-boot the computer and see if grub menu was still OK. It was not and I got an error and could not boot. I have a supergrubdisc and so booted from that, selected OpenSuse 10.3, pressed return and was back on my old 10.3 desktop. I restarted again and this time my grub menu had OpenSuse 11.1 as an option, but it did not work. Could this be the answer you needed.

many thanks again

Best regards Keith

10

Yes, I knew that the 10.3 grub menu.lst was regenerated and that grub was reinstalled to the MBR pointing to 10.3, after 11.1 was installed.

The may be more than one problem. The first is that there is a misalignment with the bios boot device sequence (compare your device.map on disk post #3 above with what YaST proposed yesterday post #11; sdc changed from grub’s hd2 to hd3). While we could work around this, the next time you upgrade the kernel (which will regenerate the grub control files) the boot will break again. So device.map needs to be verified and if necessary fixed. Please enter the bios setup again, and post back here exactly what the boot disk order is.

11

mingus725

I have just had a look in bios for the boot disk order and it is as follows

first boot device =sata cdrom
second boot device =hard drive
third boot device =floppy
boot other device =enabled
boot up floppy seek =disabled

the options that I have on these devices are

Floppy
LS120
Hard Disk
Sata Cdrom
ZIP100/250
USB-FDD
USB-ZIP/LS
USB-Cdrom
Legacy Lan
Disabled

I hope that this is the information that you requested ?

Best regards Keith.

12

Something is missing . . . there has to be a way to specify which hard disk. Typically the way that’s done is another choice on that screen or under the “hard disk” choice itself, which goes to another screen where all of the disks recognized by the bios can be sequenced as desired. If there were only the one “hard disk” choice, how would the system know which one? Please check again.

By the way, what is the make/model of the machine?

13

mingus725

apologies for my ignorance concerning bios. I have had another better look and I have found the following

Hard Disk Boot Priority

1=Sata1 Hitachi HDT725032VLA36
2=Sata3 WDC WD1600JD-00HBB0
3=Sata4 ST380013AS
4=SCSI Hitachi HDP72503

The computer is built by myself.

Computer Case: Antec 900
Motherboard: Abit ip35 Pro
CPU: Intel Q6600
Cooler: Tunic Tower 120
PSU: Zippy PSL-6720P (720 watts)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix (2 x 1 Gb)
BL12864AA804 8FD3 DDR2 PC2-6400
Hard Drive: Hitachi 320 Gb Sata + WDC 160 Gb Sata + Seagate Barracuda 80 Gb Sata + Hitachi 320 Gb IDE
DVD Writer: Samsung Sata
Graphic Card: XFX 7300GS 256 Mb PCE-i

thank you once again

Best regards Keith

14

No problem. Nice gear, btw.

OK, let’s try this fix: In 10.3 open /boot/grub/menu.lst in a text editor as root. This is probably easy for you but just in case, here is one way - press Alt-F2 to bring up a run dialog, then do:

kdesu kwrite /boot/grub/menu.lst

Now very carefully change the following stanza from this:

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)###
title openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)
root (hd2,1)
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

to this (4th line changed, 5th line added):

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)###
title openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)
root (hd2,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc2 vga=0x31a resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd

Cross your fingers and reboot.

15

mingus 725

I followed your instructions carefully and this is my new menu.lst entry referring to OpenSUSE 11.1.beta 3

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)###
title openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)
root (hd2,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc2 vga=0x31a resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd

compared to your proposed change

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)###
title openSUSE 11.1 Beta 3 - 2.6.27.1-2 (/dev/sdc2)
root (hd2,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc2 vga=0x31a resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd

they appear to be the same but it still does not boot into OpenSUSE11.3 beta.

I see in post #9 that the device map shows the following
(hd1) /dev/sdd
(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd3) /dev/sdc
(hd2) /dev/sdb

it looks as if the Seagate Barracude of 80 GB where my OpenSUSE 11.1 Beta is installed looks to be (hd3) /dev/sdc, with swap as part1, root as part2 and home as part3. In my menu.lst in the line that refers to the 11.1 install it points to root (hd2,1) should it not be (hd3)???, as (hd2) in the above is for a drive that has just an unallocated space on it.

I think I will make this change and try and re-boot the computer. If I get it wrong then hopefully the computer will simply not boot and it will not mess anything up. If it does not work then I will start OpenSUSE 10.3 and change the /boot/grub/menu.lst back again.

I will let you know how this goes.

Well I changed the menu.lst to be hd3,1, hd3,2 and also hd2,2. You will not be surprised to learn that none of them work so I changed menu.lst to be your proposed change.

apologies for interfering with something I know nothing about.

Best regards Keith.

16

Re sdc as (hd2) vs (hd3). Yes, you’re right, the post #9 showed a device.map with sdc as the 4th boot drive (hd3). Note in post #3 that the device.map shows sdc as the 3rd boot drive (hd2). The first device.map (in #3) is what was used when grub was installed; the latter (in #9) is what YaST proposed, but it was not actually used.

That’s why I asked you to check your bios configuration - and the Seagate is the 3rd drive, so sdc (the 3rd drive in bios disk order) is also 3rd in the bios boot sequence. The fundamental problem is that the OS can only guess what the boot drive sequence is - this data is not in the hardware map that the bios passes. This is where the function of device.map comes in; the user in effect instructs grub what the boot sequence is; device.map is only used when grub is installed to the MBR or a partition boot sector. (As an aside, this is why Windows just always requires it be booted from the first drive, regardless; that is very rigid and makes multi-booting quite difficult, but it does work.) So we’re going to have to do some diagnostics (don’t worry, can’t hurt anything; just be precise):

At the grub boot menu, press the Escape key; a pop-up will inform that you are going into text mode, click OK. You’ll see the menu entries listed. Press the “c” key; you will be dropped into the grub shell with a “grub>” prompt. Now type this:


find /boot/grub/stage2

Grub will return (hd0,5) which is from the 10.3 partition. It should return another line for 11.1, such as (hd2,1) but we can’t be sure. Whatever it is, at the prompt then type:

root (hdx,x)

where x,x is whatever was returned from the find command. So if find returned (hd2,1) you would type “root (hd2,1)”. Grub should then return this message:


Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type is 0x83

This acknowledges that the partition was found and that the file system can be read. Then type the following at the prompt:

kernel /boot/vmlinuz

Grub should then return a message something like this:

[Linux-bzImage, setup=0x3000, size=0x25b5b0]

The numbers will not be exactly the same. This indicates that the kernel file has been found. Then type:

initrd /boot/initrd

Grub should then return a message something like this:


[Linux-initrd @ 0x3737a5d000, 0x5924b3 btyes]

This indicates that the initrd file was found. Then type:

boot

Somewhere in this process it is going to fail and/or return a message entirely different. That is what we are looking for. Report back what happened, including whatever messages are returned that are different than the above. If the find command does not return anything other than (hd0,5) or the root command fails entirely (e.g., partition not found), don’t bother continuing; everything thereafter will fail, too.

17

mingus725,

this is taking me on a whole voyage of discovery. I have saved all of this thread and even made a copy to a USB pen for reference.

in answer to your request
*
point 1 *

find /boot/grub/stage2
(hd0,5) no other line
*
point 2*

root (hd0,5)
filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83

point 3

kernel /boot/vmlinuz
[linux-bzimage, setup=0x1e00, size= 0x1832e8]
*
point 4*

inititrd /boot/initrd
[linux-initrd @ 0x37ba4000, 0x44b6d4 bytes]
*
point 5*

boot
this starts OpenSuse 10.3

Best regards Keith

18

Yes, sorry that it’s taking so long. But there is something strange or fundamentally wrong with the 11.1 installation. Please do this in the command window as root (this presumes that /mnt/suse11 still exists ref post #3; if it doesn’t create it again):

mount -t ext3 /dev/sdc2 /mnt/suse11
ls -l /mnt/suse11/boot
ls -l /mnt/suse11/boot/grub

Second, repeat the previous posted steps getting into the grub shell from the boot menu. At the grub> prompt, do this:

find /boot/vmlinuz
find /boot/initrd

Did that return anything besides (hd0,5)? Also do this:

e2fsck -f /dev/sdc2

Finally, do this as root in the command window:

grub   ##this will start the grub shell
setup (hd2,1) (hd2,1)
quit

Report back.

19

mingus725
*
point 1*

I have checked in /mnt and suse11 is still there

point 2

mount -t ext3 /dev/sdc2 /mnt/suse11
ls -l /mnt/suse11/boot
ls -l /mnt/suse11/boot/grub

keith@ip35:~> su
Password:
ip35:/home/keith # mount -t ext3 /dev/sdc2 /mnt/suse11

ip35:/home/keith # ls -l /mnt/suse11/boot

total 14304
-rw------- 1 root root 512 2008-10-27 11:42 backup_mbr
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 1 2008-10-27 11:28 boot → .
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 87676 2008-10-17 01:58 config-2.6.27.1-2-default
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2008-10-27 11:42 grub
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 25 2008-10-27 11:42 initrd → initrd-2.6.27.1-2-default
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 6404361 2008-10-27 11:42 initrd-2.6.27.1-2-default
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 422912 2008-10-27 11:42 message
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 141044 2008-10-17 02:02 symsets-2.6.27.1-2-default.tar.gz
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 394214 2008-10-17 02:02 symtypes-2.6.27.1-2-default.gz
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 139129 2008-10-17 01:58 symvers-2.6.27.1-2-default.gz
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 1399909 2008-10-17 01:44 System.map-2.6.27.1-2-default
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 3024594 2008-10-17 01:58 vmlinux-2.6.27.1-2-default.gz
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 2008-10-27 11:33 vmlinuz → vmlinuz-2.6.27.1-2-default
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 2564000 2008-10-17 01:44 vmlinuz-2.6.27.1-2-default

ip35:/home/keith # ls -l /mnt/suse11/boot/grub

total 216
-rw------- 1 root root 253 2008-10-27 11:42 device.map
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 252 2008-10-27 11:20 device.map.old
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 8144 2008-10-14 12:00 e2fs_stage1_5
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 7328 2008-10-14 12:00 fat_stage1_5
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 6604 2008-10-14 12:00 ffs_stage1_5
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 6600 2008-10-14 12:00 iso9660_stage1_5
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 8184 2008-10-14 12:00 jfs_stage1_5
-rw------- 1 root root 1291 2008-10-27 11:42 menu.lst
-rw------- 1 root root 1867 2008-10-27 11:42 menu.lst.old
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 6832 2008-10-14 12:00 minix_stage1_5
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 9228 2008-10-14 12:00 reiserfs_stage1_5
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 512 2008-10-14 12:00 stage1
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 106234 2008-10-27 11:42 stage2
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 6864 2008-10-14 12:00 ufs2_stage1_5
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 6204 2008-10-14 12:00 vstafs_stage1_5
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 9028 2008-10-14 12:00 xfs_stage1_5
ip35:/home/keith #

point 3

Second, repeat the previous posted steps getting into the grub shell from the boot menu. At the grub> prompt, do this:
Code:
find /boot/vmlinuz
find /boot/initrd

find /boot/vmlinuz= (hd0,5)
find /boot/initrd= (hd0,5)

e2fsck -f /dev/sdc2
error 27 unrecognised command
*
point 4*

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> setup (hd2,1) (hd2,1)
Checking if “/boot/grub/stage1” exists… no
Checking if “/grub/stage1” exists… no

Error 2: Bad file or directory type

grub>

Best regards Keith

20

This command needs to be executed as root from the command line in a terminal window:

e2fsck -f /dev/sdc2

Then try this, again as root in a terminal window:

grub   ##starts the shell
setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 --force-lba (hd2,1) (hd2,1)
quit

Report back.