Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

linkmaster03 · 2009-03-12 01:08:35

I have Ubuntu's GRUB installed currently. My Ubuntu partition is /dev/sda3, and I think that's where GRUB is installed. From the Arch installer (2009.02) I installed GRUB to /dev/sda, because that's where it recommended I install it. (MBR) It successfully installed GRUB, and I rebooted. My old Ubuntu GRUB started up. If I installed the new GRUB to the MBR I don't see why the Ubuntu GRUB booted instead of the new one, because Arch said it installed successfully and I didn't get any errors. Where should I go from here? Try to reinstall GRUB?

(Yes, I would just put Arch on the Ubuntu GRUB, but Arch is on ext4)

Wintervenom · 2009-03-12 02:49:00

linkmaster03 wrote:

(Yes, I would just put Arch on the Ubuntu GRUB, but Arch is on ext4)

You could make a separate ext2 partition for Arch's /boot.

bernarcher · 2009-03-12 02:56:16

Don't know if this helps, but I boot Arch from my Debian grub install on MBR here. The corresponding lines in this menu.lst are (Note, I do not chain load):

title  Arch
root   (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sdb3 ro vga=794
initrd /boot/kernel26.img

Gen2ly · 2009-03-12 03:02:52

The correct place to install Grub is on the first blocks of the disk (not partition) so I hope that Ubuntu didn't do this. Are you sure you installed Grub? Because I would Think that Grub would read from the first sectors of the disk by default rather than looking at individual partitions. Try to install Grub again from /arch/setup. If that doesn't work you could try to do it yourself.

To install Grub you'll have to chroot into the arch partition:

mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
mount -t proc none /mnt/proc
mount -o bind /dev /mnt/dev
chroot /mnt /bin/bash

Replace sda3 with whatever you partition is. Then "grub-install" can be used to install grub to the first boot sectors:

grub --no-floppy /dev/sda
exit
umount /mnt/proc /mnt/dev /mnt
reboot

Of course make sure your /boot/grub/menu.lst is done correctly.

Last edited by Gen2ly (2009-03-12 03:04:31)

lemonshark10 · 2009-03-12 03:28:38

Hello,

I am very new to arch. i was using a triple boot of Windows 7 beta, Windows Vista, and ubuntu 8.04. Ubuntu took care of grub for me initially; however, i decided to try arch and put it in the partion windows 7 lived in. So i ran the installer but i decided not to install overwrite my current grub setup. So then i rebboted after the install and began to work trying to properly configure grub. I have been workin at it for quite a while now still to no avail. I have tried:

title Arch Linux
uuid 770bf718-ad2f-441c-adf2-c375fa53a558
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda7 ro
initrd /boot/kernel26.img

but i get the error

Boot from (hd0,6) 770bf718-ad2f-441c-adf2-c375fa53a558
Error 17: could not mount slected partition
Pressany key to continue...

then i tried

title Arch Linux
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/770bf718-ad2f-441c-adf2-c375fa53a558 ro
initrd /boot/kernel26.img

Still to no avail however i noticed that if i use the (hd*,*) notation instead of the uuid it still gives me error 17 but it leaves out the first line leading me to believe it doesn't get as far

Gen2ly · 2009-03-12 04:23:04

Yeah, lemonshark. You've got the right thought. Likely its the Ubuntu Grub is ext4 uncapable. You could try Winter's advice or could use Arch's Install and overwrite Grub with a grub that's capable of using ext4.

Last edited by Gen2ly (2009-03-12 16:57:42)

linkmaster03 · 2009-03-12 21:03:13

I checked TTY7 (something I would've done the first time but forgot) and found that the install was actually failing with "Input/output error". I reloaded the CD a few times (my drive is flaky) and it finally worked. I got GRUB installed! It boots to Arch and Ubuntu perfectly. Thanks all.

lemonshark10 · 2009-03-12 23:27:40

Wouldn't it not matter that Ubuntu's grub is ext4 incapable i chose to use ext3 for my main partition its trying to boot off of. I don't know i'm very confused though :-? thanks for the help again.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-03-12 01:08:35

Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

#2 2009-03-12 02:49:00

Re: Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

#3 2009-03-12 02:56:16

Re: Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

#4 2009-03-12 03:02:52

Re: Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

#5 2009-03-12 03:28:38

Re: Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

#6 2009-03-12 04:23:04

Re: Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

#7 2009-03-12 21:03:13

Re: Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

#8 2009-03-12 23:27:40

Re: Installing GRUB over existing Ubuntu GRUB?

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