Grub dies on every reboot

kleptophobiac · 2010-07-31 00:58:27

I have a fresh installation of Arch Linux on an Acer Aspire One netbook. Every time I reboot, the MBR gets hosed and I need to reinstall grub manually. Is there a way to diagnose this?

By hosed, I mean that grub repeats "Loading stage1.5" endessly.

Thanks!

Last edited by kleptophobiac (2010-07-31 01:56:52)

lilsirecho · 2010-07-31 02:10:12

Perhaps you need to install grub in /etc/boot/grub to stop the merry-go-round.

kleptophobiac · 2010-07-31 02:22:29

So, I can try that - but could you explain why that might help? I have a pretty standard arrangement right now:

/dev/sda1 - / - reiserfs
/dev/sda2 - /home - reiserfs
/dev/sda3 - swap
/dev/sda4 - /boot - ext2

Grub works for the first reboot after I install it to the MBR, but then fails the second. Is there some reason why having the configuration and such in /etc instead would fix things?

Thanks!
-Sasha

lilsirecho · 2010-07-31 02:38:22

I am assuming you are changing grub at the boot prompt. This only applies for one boot-up and will fail on the next.

.:B:. · 2010-07-31 07:00:33

Lilisrecho: I don't understand at all why you would recommend GRUB to be installed in /etc somewhere, while it is typically installed either at the start of a partition or in the MBR of a HD, and the actual boot files reside in /boot/grub. Furthermore, if his GRUB configuration would be messed up (and thus in need of fixing), he wouldn't be able to boot into his OS altogether.

Kleptophobiac: It's not of much help, but have you tried googling your specific problem? Have you tested whether e.g. Lilo does work fine?

kleptophobiac · 2010-07-31 14:49:14

Googling led me to people that had the problem once and fixed it by reinstalling GRUB, but not people who had this problem after every single boot cycle.

My inclination was also to try LILO, but my time ran out to get something working in time for a departure so I just installed XP and left. I'll try and give this another shot tomorrow when I come back.

Thanks,
Sasha

lilsirecho · 2010-07-31 15:40:32

Perhaps you misconstrue my suggestion.

I am not suggesting to install grub which the user has done and I assume he corrects the grub failure at boot prompt in order to boot. If he does this, the grub will be corrected for that boot-up only and will fail when rebooting.

My advice was to fix the /etc/boot/grub entry while he is booted to reflect the same fixes he made in order to boot.

Perhaps I have misinterpreted what the user meant when he skipped all the details and reported that grub would fail upon reboot every time.

Thus, grub repair entries at prompt do not become permanent until /etc/boot/grub has been modified accordingly.

Last edited by lilsirecho (2010-07-31 15:41:27)

schuay · 2010-07-31 19:28:38

lilsirecho wrote:

My advice was to fix the /etc/boot/grub entry while he is booted to reflect the same fixes he made in order to boot.

As B already posted above, GRUB configuration is in /boot/grub/menu.lst, not in /etc/boot/grub

lilsirecho · 2010-08-01 21:39:37

My oops!

Arch Linux

#1 2010-07-31 00:58:27

Grub dies on every reboot

#2 2010-07-31 02:10:12

Re: Grub dies on every reboot

#3 2010-07-31 02:22:29

Re: Grub dies on every reboot

#4 2010-07-31 02:38:22

Re: Grub dies on every reboot

#5 2010-07-31 07:00:33

Re: Grub dies on every reboot

#6 2010-07-31 14:49:14

Re: Grub dies on every reboot

#7 2010-07-31 15:40:32

Re: Grub dies on every reboot

#8 2010-07-31 19:28:38

Re: Grub dies on every reboot

#9 2010-08-01 21:39:37

Re: Grub dies on every reboot

Board footer