Grub fails to boot on new install

PolishHurricane · 2013-12-07 01:27:29

I'm a newb, so I'm playing with trying to install Arch on a KVM that I rented for dirt cheap (reading the Wiki Beginner Guide). At first, I tried using Syslinux, but it wouldn't boot, said something about the hard drive and just froze. Everything seemed to be going sooo good, I thought I had followed the guide perfectly, apparently not though.

So I installed Grub.

# pacman -S grub
# grub-install --target=i386-pc --recheck /dev/sda
# grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

It's just a really basic install, /dev/sda1 /dev/sda2 with 1 being root and 2 being home.

Anyway... I get this...

Last edited by PolishHurricane (2013-12-07 01:53:26)

dazemc · 2013-12-07 03:37:42

I can't see the picture but I'm going to make a guess...did it say no more memory syntax error line 164? or something like that?

If it did

nano /etc/default/grub

and add GRUB_DISABLE_SUBMENU=y

I literally just got done installing on a new machine and was having problems with grub

EDIT: Then re-run grub-mkconfig

Last edited by dazemc (2013-12-07 03:41:04)

karol · 2013-12-07 03:56:01

dazemc wrote:

I can't see the picture but I'm going to make a guess...

Do you mean you don't see the url? It's http://s29.postimg.org/800z2oz45/grub.png
I discovered it when I peeked at the code side of OP's post using the 'Quote' link.

dazemc · 2013-12-07 04:05:14

Thanks karol...still a newb myself...
PolishHurricane that should work
I was booting into that too

PolishHurricane · 2013-12-07 16:53:27

dazemc wrote:

...did it say no more memory syntax error line 164? or something like that?

Unfortunately it didn't. I think I'm just gonna go back to trying to use syslinux. I read some more things this morning that made Grub look even more complicated.

Thanks guys.

Amanda S · 2013-12-07 18:52:30

I came back from an one-month trip and got that sintax messages after trying to re-install Arch.

Right after "found initrd image..." (after entering "grub-mkconfig -o.......") it's displayed:

Error: out of memory
Error: syntax error
Error: incorrect command
Error: syntax error
Syntax error at line 150
Syntax error are detected in generated grub file.
Ensure that there are no errors in /etc/default/grub and /etc/grub.d/* files or please file a bug report with /boot/grub/grub.cfg/new file attached.

Is there another way of fixing it? I couldn't identify errors in the line 150 of /etc/grub.d/10_linux.

I'm installing (trying to, although the fix above works I don't trust it yet) on a 4 partition scheme, the first for boot and unencrypted, the others for /, swap and /home, all encrypted.

Last edited by Amanda S (2013-12-07 18:58:32)

timgreen · 2013-12-07 21:24:52

It seems grub doesn't load your settings. Try to reboot with arch live cd. Mount your boot partition. Create a /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg.bak. Rename /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cgf.new to /mount/boot/grub.cfg.

# cp /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg.bak
# mv /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg.new /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg

Now grub should recognize your custom grub.cfg.

Last edited by timgreen (2013-12-07 21:25:33)

Amanda S · 2013-12-07 21:36:29

@Timgree: To whom did you post?

timgreen · 2013-12-07 23:14:33

Amarildo wrote:

@Timgree: To whom did you post?

Sorry, @PolishHurricane.

Amanda S · 2013-12-08 00:57:35

I haven't used Arch for long, but it seems that most problems are solved in a few hours.
Does anybody know if it's going to be fixed soon and pushed to us? I'm not gonna re-install in 10 hours.

Last edited by Amanda S (2013-12-08 00:58:32)

x33a · 2013-12-08 06:55:13

@ Amarildo, take a look at the following link:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=173921

Amanda S · 2013-12-08 14:29:33

x33a wrote:

@ Amarildo, take a look at the following link:
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=173921

Thanks. You might be referring to post #2. I already did that "fix" where you add "GRUB_DISABLE_SUBMENUS=y", but I'm wondering it's possible side effects, and I'm also wondering when a fix is going to be pushed via update.

I know, I'm too paranoit with my motto: "It MUST work by default". Guess I'm not used to tweaking my system, even after months on Arch. Debian did this to me so it's not my fault =P

Last edited by Amanda S (2013-12-08 14:30:29)

¾ ™ · 2013-12-08 16:58:29

grub-mkconfig should be run BEFORE grub-install.

teateawhy · 2013-12-08 17:12:42

¾ ™ wrote:

grub-mkconfig should be run BEFORE grub-install.

I fixed this in the beginner's guide.

Amanda S · 2013-12-08 17:38:50

Yeah, I noticed that it was put AFTER the grub-install.

Does any one know if this fixes our problem?
I might test this in the next hour.

¾ ™ · 2013-12-08 17:45:39

Amarildo wrote:

Yeah, I noticed that it was put AFTER the grub-install.
Does any one know if this fixes our problem?
I might test this in the next hour.

It is not about fixing something this time, but doing it right.

Amanda S · 2013-12-08 19:16:06

Nope. The error persists. The order doesn't matter.

Last edited by Amanda S (2013-12-08 19:17:40)

¾ ™ · 2013-12-08 19:21:21

I hope you didn't expect THAT to fix YOUR problem? I was referring to the problem PolishHurricane is/was having, not yours.

For you - https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/38041.

Last edited by ¾ ™ (2013-12-08 19:21:38)

Amanda S · 2013-12-08 19:41:38

¾ ™ wrote:

I hope you didn't expect THAT to fix YOUR problem? I was referring to the problem PolishHurricane is/was having, not yours.
For you - https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/38041.

Not exactly. I was expecting this problem to be solved ASAP by the maintainers.
And thanks, but I already know about the fix you suggested, although I'm not sure if I'm sticking with it.

Amanda S · 2013-12-09 17:40:34

Still nothing. I just don't get the point of updating grub if the current version was working good. Didn't the maintainers test this before pushing it to us?

Last edited by Amanda S (2013-12-09 17:52:05)

2ManyDogs · 2013-12-09 18:00:31

So did "GRUB_DISABLE_SUBMENUS=y" fix your original problem, and you now have a booting system? Are you just waiting for something to change from upstream so you don't have to use GRUB_DISABLE_SUBMENUS=y? Or are you still unable to boot? I am confused.

Your sig says "If it ain't broke, you haven't tweaked it enough..." maybe you should change it.

You might also want to read all the comments in this bug: https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/37904

Last edited by 2ManyDogs (2013-12-09 18:04:31)

Amanda S · 2013-12-09 18:07:41

Yes, I'm able to boot with that command. I just don't see the point of pushing Grub-2.00.g5ae5c54 when 2.00 was working fine. Not that I don't like always having the newest software available (I love it), but the maintainers should at least test things more before deciding to push a newer version of something important like grub, specially when it's a beta version. Now I'm unable to install Arch because I'm too paranoid to use that line of code on /etc/default/grub. I'll just read the wiki to see if I can install an older version of grub.

2ManyDogs · 2013-12-09 18:16:24

You should be able to revert to an older version of Grub. I really wish you'd stop complaining about "the maintainers" -- if you think you could do a better job I'm sure you could submit patches or offer to help in some other way.

Amarildo wrote:

Now I'm unable to install Arch because I'm too paranoid to use that line of code on /etc/default/grub.

Do you even know what that code does? It's not a huge deal, and is probably much safer than trying to revert Grub.

Last edited by 2ManyDogs (2013-12-09 18:28:34)

Amanda S · 2013-12-09 18:37:36

So, I can't complain unless I do a better job?
I'm just talking in a logical way. Grub 2.00 was working fine. Then a beta was pushed and everybody's boot was compromised. See the logic? Me neither.
But I'll try syslinux, I enjoy learning more.

No, I won't stick with Debian. Even though it's my love, I have more control with Arch. Not to mention the lastest software on Debian (even the unstable branch) can be very outdated.

dazemc · 2013-12-09 21:02:28

using grub from source didn't give me this error and I didn't have to add the workaround...just saying

Arch Linux

#1 2013-12-07 01:27:29

Grub fails to boot on new install

#2 2013-12-07 03:37:42

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#3 2013-12-07 03:56:01

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#4 2013-12-07 04:05:14

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#5 2013-12-07 16:53:27

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#6 2013-12-07 18:52:30

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#7 2013-12-07 21:24:52

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#8 2013-12-07 21:36:29

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#9 2013-12-07 23:14:33

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#10 2013-12-08 00:57:35

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#11 2013-12-08 06:55:13

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#12 2013-12-08 14:29:33

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#13 2013-12-08 16:58:29

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#14 2013-12-08 17:12:42

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#15 2013-12-08 17:38:50

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#16 2013-12-08 17:45:39

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#17 2013-12-08 19:16:06

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#18 2013-12-08 19:21:21

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#19 2013-12-08 19:41:38

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#20 2013-12-09 17:40:34

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#21 2013-12-09 18:00:31

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#22 2013-12-09 18:07:41

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#23 2013-12-09 18:16:24

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#24 2013-12-09 18:37:36

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

#25 2013-12-09 21:02:28

Re: Grub fails to boot on new install

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