inode size, GRUB and mounting partitions

I installed 64 Studio 2.1 on a separate partition a day ago. During the installation the openSUSE GRUB menu was replaced with a Debian GRUB menu. I can boot into 64 Studio and Windows XP but not openSUSE. After posting on the 64 Studio forums I found out that openSUSE formats partitions with a default inode size of 256 whereas GRUB needs an inode size of 128 to work.

    1) Do I need to format the openSUSE partition with an inode size of 128 and re-install or is there some adjustment that can be made to the GRUB menu?


    2) If GRUB can only work with an inode size of 128 then why did it work with openSUSE before I tried to install 64 Studio?


    3) Is it possible to replace the Debian GRUB menu with the more stylish openSUSE GRUB without messing things up?


    4) Once I can boot back into openSUSE how do I mount the new partitions I made for 64 Studio so I can access them from openSUSE?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, it appears from a search that older GRUB versions couldn’t handle 256 byte inodes.

Probably the easiest way to proceed is to use the newer SUSE GRUB. First copy the menu.lst of the 64 Studio system to something like a flash key. Use the SUSE repair system to restore the SUSE GRUB, which should have no problems with either size of inode. Then you are back to where you were before you installed 64 Studio. Then add the relevant stanza to boot 64 Studio to SUSE’s menu.lst (I assume Windows is already in there).

Thanks ken_yap! I followed Swerdna’s GRUB multiboot guide GRUB Boot Multiboot openSUSE Windows (2000, XP, Vista) using the Grub bootloader. to repair the GRUB menu then cut ‘n’ pasted the relevant 64Studio stanzas to menu.lst like you said. Now I can boot into openSUSE 11.0 and Windows XP but unfortunately not 64Studio. I get the following error:

root (hd0,7)
 Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64 root=/dev/sda8 ro vga=791 splash=silent
 [Linux-bzImage, setup=0x1e00, size=0x184516]
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64
 [Linux-initrd @ 0x1f924000, 0x557fa7 bytes]
save default

Error 15: File not found

Here is my current openSUSE menu.lst :

# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Tue Aug 19 14:46:05 BST 2008
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,4)/boot/message

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 11.0
    root (hd0,4)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part5 resume=/dev/sda7 splash=silent showopts
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 11.0
    root (hd0,4)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part5 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off  x11failsafe
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae

title        64studio, kernel 2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64
root        (hd0,7)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64 root=/dev/sda8 ro vga=791 splash=silent 
initrd        /boot/initrd.img-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64
savedefault

title        64studio, kernel 2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64 (single-user mode)
root        (hd0,7)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64 root=/dev/sda8 ro vga=791 splash=silent single
initrd        /boot/initrd.img-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64
savedefault

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows XP Home Edition
    rootnoverify (hd0,4)
    chainloader (hd0,1)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
    rootnoverify (hd0,4)
    chainloader (fd0)+1

and this is the openSUSE /etc/fstab:

/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part7 swap                 swap       defaults              0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part5 /                    ext3       acl,user_xattr        1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part6 /home                ext3       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part8 /media/64Studio      ext3       defaults              0 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part9 /media/64Home        ext3       defaults              0 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part2 /windows/C           ntfs-3g    users,gid=users,fmask=133,dmask=022,locale=en_GB.UTF-8 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

this is the 64Studio menu.lst :

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default        0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout     5

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password '--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title        Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root        (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader    +1
#
# title        Linux
# root        (hd0,1)
# kernel    /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/sda8 ro vga=791 splash=silent

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,7)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##      lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(single-user) single
# altoptions=(single-user mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title        64studio, kernel 2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64
root        (hd0,7)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64 root=/dev/sda8 ro vga=791 splash=silent 
initrd        /boot/initrd.img-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64
savedefault

title        64studio, kernel 2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64 (single-user mode)
root        (hd0,7)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64 root=/dev/sda8 ro vga=791 splash=silent single
initrd        /boot/initrd.img-2.6.21-1-multimedia-amd64
savedefault

title        64studio, kernel memtest86
root        (hd0,7)
kernel        /boot/memtest86.bin

title        64studio, kernel memtest86+
root        (hd0,7)
kernel        /boot/memtest86+.bin

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title        Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title        Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
root        (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader    +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title        openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.11-0.1 (on /dev/sda5)
root        (hd0,4)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part5 resume=/dev/sda7 splash=silent showopts vga=0x31a 
initrd        /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title        Failsafe -- openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.11-0.1 (on /dev/sda5)
root        (hd0,4)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part5 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off x11failsafe vga=0x31a 
initrd        /boot/initrd-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae
savedefault
boot

and the 64Studio /etc/fstab :

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    defaults        0       0
/dev/sda8       /               ext3    defaults,errors=remount-ro 0       1
/dev/sda9       /home           ext3    defaults        0       2
/dev/sda5       /media/suse     ext3    defaults        0       2
/dev/sda6       /media/susehome ext3    defaults        0       2
/dev/sda7       none            swap    sw              0       0
/dev/hda        /media/cdrom0   udf,iso9660 user,noauto     0       0
/dev/hdb        /media/cdrom1   udf,iso9660 user,noauto     0       0
/dev/fd0        /media/floppy0  auto    rw,user,noauto  0       0

The original menu.lst files are backed up on a USB stick.

I followed this guide to editing the fstab files Fstab - openSUSE so I can access the files for each distro even if I can’t boot both of them :slight_smile:

Try taking out the savedefault lines.

Yes, taking out the savedefault lines worked, I can boot into both distros now. Thank you!

I also discovered how to get the suse splash screens back by adding vga=0x31a in menu.lst :

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.11-0.1-pae root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_ST3160023AS_5MT2RALL-part5 resume=/dev/sda7 splash=silent showopts **vga=0x31a**

Thanks again :slight_smile: