I seem to be having an issue with loading SUSE with GRUB. I recently installed Mandriva on my Windows/SuSE dual boot machine. I shared the same linux swap, and created another ext. 3 filesystem for my Mandriva. Apparently, Mandriva installed its GRUB over my SuSE GRUB. Now when I try to load SuSE from the Mandriva GRUB, my SuSE GRUB opens. When I try to open SuSE from that grub, or my Windows from that GRUB, it gives me an Error 18 and says something about I have too many cylinders or something like that for BIOS. I’m not sure how to fix this, and I want to keep the SuSE GRUB as my primary GRUB, but I’m not quite sure how to go about doing this. Can somebody please give me a simple walkthrough as to how to fix this error 18 as well as how to add Mandriva to my SuSE GRUB, and make it so I only have one GRUB? It’s frustrating and I really like SuSE’s GRUB a lot. It’s the best by far! 
Thanks
You mean like this:
18 : Selected cylinder exceeds maximum supported by BIOSThis error is returned when a read is attempted at a linear block address beyond the end of the BIOS translated area. This generally happens if your disk is larger than the BIOS can handle (512MB for (E)IDE disks on older machines or larger than 8GB in general).
from here GNU GRUB Manual 0.97
Not sure what you need to do. I would like to see
fdisk -l
from a su terminal, if you can boot mandriva - use that.
There’s an article for booting into Suse when Suse’s Grub is broken. One of the methods is a two step process:
Step 1: boot the installed Suse from the installation dvd
Step 2: use the Yast bootloader module to recalcultae a new Grub for openSUSE and install it as the master boot menu menu.
Both steps are described in the following tutorial: step 1 is the first of the five options listed there and step 2 is the article’s appendix.
HowTo Boot into openSUSE when it won’t Boot from the Grub Code on the Hard Drive
Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x01c601c6
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 16856 135395788+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 16857 19457 20892532+ f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 16857 19457 20892501 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdb: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x048b69e8
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 33430 268526443+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 33431 38913 44042197+ f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 33431 38652 41945683+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 38653 38913 2096451 82 Linux swap / Solaris
The fdisk looks OK. At least nothing stands out, except to say you don’t seem to have used separate /home partitions for either suse or madriva. But no matter.
If suse grub is what you want - re-install it. I would make a copy of the info from the two menu.lst files
In suse it is at /boot/grub/menu.lst
Mandriva may be the same (but don’t worry if you can’t find it)
It should be possible read the info from the suse side from within mandriva, which is what you are using- yes?
I’m going to hazzard a guess that you put grub on the MBR of sda - it would be good if you know which really. If the sda drive is first in BIOS and in the SATA sockets, then it surely will be.
You need the install DVD to repair the bootloader and @swerdna has a good guide: GRUB Boot Multiboot openSUSE Windows (2000, XP, Vista) using the Grub bootloader.
I have a guide which may help your understanding:
Partitioning/Install Guide - openSUSE Forums
What you should have done, was not install a bootloader in Mandriva, then we could manually add a entry in the suse menu. We may have to do this anyway (which is why it would be helpful to see the current entry in the mandriva menu.lst) Or, at the least we need to know which partition is Mandriva?!
I installed SuSE first so perhaps it is first, but the mandriva GRUB overwrote the SuSE GRUB or something of the sort… sda6 is SuSE, but im not sure how to find the others… Volume and DRV5 VOL1 is also my windows… Volume (ntfs) is my actual windows installation whereas I think SuSE is installed on the backup drive (DRV5). I think I even partitioned this drive further and added my installation of Mandriva. Sorry if it seems complicated, but hopefully you understand…
sdb5 then must be Mandriva.
You could try super grub disc Super Grub Disk Homepage to boot any of your OS partitions.
You have not said if you have the install dvd, or did you install with a live cd? I’m not sure where you up to.
Im sure I used the Live CD because I tested out Mandriva before I began to actually installed it.
No. I’m asking about how you installed SUSE not Mandriva - It’s SUSE you want to use to re do your grub not Mandriva.
I think i used the live cd because I didn’t burn it on a DVD, however, I used a normal CD-R… Also, I tested it out on the live CD also. 
The use super grub disk to boot suse and repair your bootloader from there.
OK!!! I got SuSE to work with the Super Grub Disk!! Thank you very much!! Except for now, how do I add the Mandriva Distro into my SuSE GRUB? Thanks again 
So ar you just booting suse with super grub disk or are you booting with grub?
You can add the Mandriva to the boot menu via Yast - Bootloader
remember sda5 is Mandriva
Yes, I got it to work without the disk. I’m so happy! I thought my precious SuSE was gone for good.
Now I’m having trouble getting Mandriva to add on here though. I’m not sure about what my kernel or anything is. I put the name as “Mandriva” and put the root on sda5, but it stil doesn’t show when I restart and go to GRUB
GNU GRUB Manual 0.97 This will give the structure you need…
If you press esc on the green grub screen, leave graphical grub.
Then use command line. Then type in exactly as you would for menu.lst minus a title. The bonus about command line is tab works abuse it and use it.
So you need a
root line
kernel line
initrd line
then press b when it is correct you’ll get mandriva then edit menu.lst with the same except add a title to.
The other way is to mount mandriva and look at the menu.lst and merge bits but you’ll need to tweak/check the disk layout i.e may not be hd0,* but hd1,*.
Edit
Also think you have an option in boot loader to merge existing menu.lst iirc.