"No operating system found." - Fresh 12.2 install.

I have two drives that I installed openSuse 12.2 on. One of them I installed KDE version, the other I installed Gnome version. Both of them were installed using the OpenSUSE Live CD (Gnome/KDE versions respectfully). After doing updates on both and rebooting, I can’t access either of them. “It tells me No operating system found.” It’s amazing that this same problem exists on both hard drives. This is an absolute FRESH install. I didn’t do anything else other than updates. I’m now using the LiveCD to get by. What steps do I need to take to get my operating systems back?

Start with the terminal command:

fdisk -l

And post the results here. You might want to read this Article on the subject:

https://forums.opensuse.org/content/128-re-install-grub2-dvd-rescue.html

You might want to get findgrub, download and run the bash script are a few things that come to mind and post the output here.

http://www.unixversal.com/linux/openSUSE/findgrub-4.4.1.tgz

Thank You,

Results for fdisk -l


Disk /dev/sdb: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15566 cylinders, total 250069680 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0000f834

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1            2048     4208639     2103296   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2         4208640   250068991   122930176   83  Linux

WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sdc'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.

Disk /dev/sdd: 64.0 GB, 64023257088 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7783 cylinders, total 125045424 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000d7c2f

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdd1   *        2048   125044735    62521344   83  Linux

WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sde'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.

Here is results of findgrub


linux:/home/linux/Downloads # ./findgrub
Find Grub Version 4.4.1 - Written for openSUSE Forums

 - reading MBR on disk /dev/sda                       ...
 - reading bootsector  /dev/sda1      (LINUX)         ...

 - reading MBR on disk /dev/sdb                       ... --> SUSE Generic MBR (Sig: 0xf83400)
 - skipping partition  /dev/sdb1      (swap)         
 - reading bootsector  /dev/sdb2      (LINUX)         ...

 - skipping protective MBR on disk /dev/sdc                       ...
 - reading MBR on disk /dev/sdd                       ... --> Grub2 (2.00) found in sdd MBR     => sdb2   0x83 (openSUSE)
 - reading bootsector  /dev/sdd1   *  (LINUX)         ... --> Grub2 (2.00) found in /dev/sdd1   => sdd1   0x83 (openSUSE)

 - skipping protective MBR on disk /dev/sde                       ...
 - reading MBR on disk /dev/sdf                       ...
 - searching partition /dev/sdf1      (FAT32)         ...

 - reading MBR on disk /dev/sdg                       ...
 - searching partition /dev/sdg1      (FAT32)         ...

********************************************************************************
WARNING: /boot/grub/device.map not found.
     Displayed BIOS device mapping may be incorrect!
********************************************************************************

Press <enter> to Exit findgrub...



No idea what to do next. Isn’t there a way to fix this from liveCD without having to burn and run another disk?

On which disks did you install?

/dev/sdd… /dev/sdb

How do you boot from them? Do you select them in BIOS boot menu?

Yes, I select from BIOS menu. Setting either one as the default boot drive results in the same message.

That’s strange. I can believe you get “No operating system found” for sdb which has generic MBR but no parttion is marked as active. But sdd has grub2 in MBR so you should at least see “GRUB” even if it was unable to load core.img.

Could you download http://sourceforge.net/p/bootinfoscript/code/ci/e7fc7064677c9cdc7bff12c315bb4944f99da37f/tree/bootinfoscript?format=raw and post results so that we can cross-check current boot configuration?

My wife’s PC, in the BIOS, can specify which drive boots by default (she has two hard drives: sda and sdb on her PC). Is there any chance there is a BIOS setting that would tell the BIOS to go to sdb instead of sda to boot ?

Here’s the result from bootinfoscript, results.txt which it generated. Quite a lot of data! I deleted all the grub code in the file, not sure if you were after that.


                  Boot Info Script 0.61      [1 April 2012]


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================

 => No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.
 => SUSE generic MBR is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb.
 => No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc.
 => Grub2 (v2.00) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdd and looks at sector 1 of 
    the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and uses an 
    embedded config file:
    
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    search.fs_uuid 385f6688-409c-415d-aefb-7dc07d4245ed root hd0,msdos2  
    set prefix=($root)/boot/grub2
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -----.
 => No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sde.
 => Syslinux MBR (3.61-4.03) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdf.
 => No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdg.

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info: 
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info: 

sdb2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info: 
    Operating System:  Welcome to openSUSE 12.2 "Mantis" - Kernel ().
    Boot files:        /boot/grub2/grub.cfg /etc/fstab 
                       /boot/grub2/i386-pc/core.img

sdc1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info: 
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

sdd1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  Grub2 (v1.99-2.00)
    Boot sector info:  Grub2 (v2.00) is installed in the boot sector of sdd1 
                       and looks at sector 54832320 of the same hard drive 
                       for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks 
                       in partition 1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub2.
    Operating System:  Welcome to openSUSE 12.2 "Mantis" - Kernel ().
    Boot files:        /boot/grub2/grub.cfg /etc/fstab 
                       /boot/grub2/i386-pc/core.img

sde1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info: 
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

sdf1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  Windows 7/2008: FAT32
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

sdg1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sda1               2,048 1,905,739,775 1,905,737,728  83 Linux


Drive: sdb _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15566 cylinders, total 250069680 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdb1               2,048     4,208,639     4,206,592  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2           4,208,640   250,068,991   245,860,352  83 Linux


Drive: sdc _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdc: 2000.4 GB, 2000398934016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243201 cylinders, total 3907029168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdc1                   1 3,907,029,167 3,907,029,167  ee GPT


GUID Partition Table detected.

Partition    Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors System
/dev/sdc1              34 3,907,029,134 3,907,029,101 Data partition (Windows/Linux)

Drive: sdd _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdd: 64.0 GB, 64023257088 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7783 cylinders, total 125045424 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdd1    *          2,048   125,044,735   125,042,688  83 Linux


Drive: sde _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sde: 1000.2 GB, 1000170586112 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121597 cylinders, total 1953458176 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sde1                   1 1,953,458,175 1,953,458,175  ee GPT


GUID Partition Table detected.

Partition    Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors System
/dev/sde1              34 1,953,458,142 1,953,458,109 Data partition (Windows/Linux)

Drive: sdf _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdf: 16.0 GB, 16008609792 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 15267 cylinders, total 31266816 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdf1                  32    31,266,815    31,266,784   c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


Drive: sdg _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdg: 7994 MB, 7994327040 bytes
16 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15490 cylinders, total 15613920 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdg1                  63    15,613,919    15,613,857   c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/cdrom                                              iso9660    openSUSE Live CD GNOME
/dev/loop0       009944ad-b8dc-4539-95e9-3040c38d2edb   ext3       
/dev/sda1        ee6d397e-c6c8-490b-a412-abdc3a4ec351   ext4       HD-1TB
/dev/sdb1        9ef26afe-0b79-4a21-8ec5-4dc9c48c235f   swap       
/dev/sdb2        385f6688-409c-415d-aefb-7dc07d4245ed   ext4       
/dev/sdc1        21b3001a-e29a-4651-b5b3-529e5f90da35   ext4       HD-2TB
/dev/sdd1        7ab788e1-f682-48a6-872a-46947763fd5e   ext4       
/dev/sde1        58536668-efce-4900-9c84-435b6add8406   ext4       1TB-Passport
/dev/sdf1        C846-E5EC                              vfat       
/dev/sdg1        1A7E-0C26                              vfat       EOS_DIGITAL

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/sda1        /run/media/linux/HD-1TB  ext4       (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,data=ordered,uhelper=udisks2)
/dev/sdb2        /run/media/linux/385f6688-409c-415d-aefb-7dc07d4245ed ext4       (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,data=ordered,uhelper=udisks2)
/dev/sdd1        /run/media/linux/7ab788e1-f682-48a6-872a-46947763fd5e ext4       (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,data=ordered,uhelper=udisks2)
/dev/sde1        /run/media/linux/1TB-Passport ext4       (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,data=ordered,uhelper=udisks2)
/dev/sdf1        /run/media/linux/C846-E5EC vfat       (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,uid=999,gid=100,fmask=0022,dmask=0077,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,showexec,utf8,errors=remount-ro,uhelper=udisks2)
/dev/sdg1        /run/media/linux/EOS_DIGITAL vfat       (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,uid=999,gid=100,fmask=0022,dmask=0077,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,showexec,utf8,errors=remount-ro,uhelper=udisks2)
/dev/sr0         /livecd                  iso9660    (ro,relatime)


=============================== sdd1/etc/fstab: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-OCZ-OCTANE_OCZ-533TI204I6762XC3-part1 swap                 swap       defaults              0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-KINGSTON_SV100S264G_08AB60084812-part1 /                    ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 1
proc                 /proc                proc       defaults              0 0
sysfs                /sys                 sysfs      noauto                0 0
debugfs              /sys/kernel/debug    debugfs    noauto                0 0
devpts               /dev/pts             devpts     mode=0620,gid=5       0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sdd1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

  26.131576538 = 28.058566656   boot/grub2/grub.cfg                            1
  26.146114349 = 28.074176512   boot/grub2/i386-pc/core.img                    1
  12.143276215 = 13.038743552   boot/grub/stage2                               1
   0.135742188 = 0.145752064    boot/vmlinuz                                   2
   0.135742188 = 0.145752064    boot/vmlinuz-3.4.6-2.10-default                2
   9.359981537 = 10.050203648   boot/initrd                                    1
   9.359981537 = 10.050203648   boot/initrd-3.4.6-2.10-default                 1

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

  No volume groups found
mdadm: No arrays found in config file or automatically




As it look like, booting from disk which is /dev/sdd should actually open up grub2 menu from system /dev/sdb2. I wonder why it not happens.

Hmm … could you upload full outpout to paste.opensuse.com?

Recover bootloader is not a problem, but you should be able to boot when you select disk in BIOS that is called /dev/sdd. If you cannot boot in this case, there is something wrong elsewhere and I am not sure that “fixing” bootloader will help. Could you once more test it making sure you select the correct disk?

SUSE Paste

And what happens when you select in BIOS disk corresponding to /devsdd?

Indeed as already noted/infered on this thread, that should read : " … tell the BIOS to go to sdd instead of sdb to boot ? … "

I assume that sdd is still marked as active partition ?

sdd has grub2 in MBR (as long as we can believe two different programs) and grub2 does not care about active partitions.

As stated in the first post I get the message “Operating system not found.”

BTW, there’s no indicator that I’m booting from /sdb or /sdd. In the bios it only calls out the hard drive by name, but those are the corresponding drives I installed on and am trying to boot from.

Try to reinstall grub2 following https://forums.opensuse.org/content/128-re-install-grub2-dvd-rescue.html

Followed everything to the tee (using liveCD method)… Applied it all to sdb (the main drive I want to work with). Restarted… same message: “Missing Operating System”.

It’s incredible that I’m stuck with this problem on a fresh install, fresh drive, fresh everything… and I have two drives with this exact same “fresh” problem.

Could it be something in the bios itself? What am I doing wrong here?

First su -

Next fdisk -l (looking for sdb)


Disk /dev/sdb: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15566 cylinders, total 250069680 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0000f834

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1            2048     4208639     2103296   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2         4208640   250068991   122930176   83  Linux

WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sdc'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.


Next do the repair (assuming it’s /sdb2)


linux:~ # mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
linux:~ # 
linux:~ # mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
linux:~ # chroot /mnt
linux:/> 
linux:/> grub2-install /dev/sdb
Installation finished. No error reported.
linux:/> 

… and for good measure.


linux:/> grub2-install /dev/sdb2
/usr/sbin/grub2-bios-setup: warning: File system `ext2' doesn't support embedding.
/usr/sbin/grub2-bios-setup: warning: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and their use is discouraged..
/usr/sbin/grub2-bios-setup: error: will not proceed with blocklists.
linux:/&gt; grub2-install /dev/sdb1
/usr/sbin/grub2-bios-setup: error: unable to identify a filesystem in hd1; safety check can't be performed.
linux:/&gt; 


Reboot… “Missing operating system.”

Is there any chance these are mislabled ?

GPT ?

ext2 ?

Someone who understands partitioning wrt GPT may need to step in here and help. That definitely excludes me.