[SOLVED] Having problems getting GRUB to display a boot image

Warren Watts · 2007-09-09 03:41:52

I am having problems getting GRUB to display a boot image.

I followed the instructions in the Wiki (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Graphical_GRUB) for installing grub-gfx, but pacman tells me that it can't update because the files are already there. I got the same response from pacman whether I built the package or ised the one in the repositories. I assume that Arch now comes with the patch already installed?

Ok, assuming the patch for a graphical GRUB is installed, I still can't seem to get it to work for me.
I have a valid splash.xpm.gz file in the grub folder (I opened it with sqeeze and displayed it in Gimp)

The Wiki suggests the menu.lst syntax is :

splashimage /boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

I previously had Ubuntu installed on the computer, and GRUB displayed my splash with no problem; but the syntax in menu.lst was different:

splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

I have tried both flavors, and neither one seems to work.

Am I missing something?

Last edited by Warren Watts (2007-09-10 00:55:23)

luciferin · 2007-09-09 10:03:44

The patch came installed with grub for me, yes.

What happens when grub runs? Garbled output or anything like that?

Try making sure the code is added under the "Pretty Colors" section, which is commented out for me.

Here's what I use:

splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splashimages/31236-rhel.xpm.gz

Also, make sure you have the right device number, copy them from the 'root' line at the bottom of the menu.lst if you're unsure.

Finally, try running the following once your menu.lst is good. (edit for your installation)

install-grub /dev/sda

Last edited by luciferin (2007-09-09 10:04:17)

Warren Watts · 2007-09-09 10:16:51

The patch came installed with grub for me, yes.

Cool.. Then it's safe to assume since I just installed Arch last night, it should be patched for me as well.

What happens when grub runs? Garbled output or anything like that?

Grub runs just fine, all my entries are shown, etc.. Just no splash image.

Try making sure the code is added under the "Pretty Colors" section, which is commented out for me.

It is. (I'm at work right now or I would post the entire menu.lst)

Also, make sure you have the right device number, copy them from the 'root' line at the bottom of the menu.lst if you're unsure.

Yes, I have the correct device number, it's the same partition as Arch is on: hda1 (hd0,0)

Finally, try running the following once your menu.lst is good. (edit for your installation)
install-grub /dev/sda

Tried that too!

When I get home here in five hours or so, I'll post the entire menu.lst
Maybe that will shed some light on the issue.
Excellent suggestions, tho...Thanks!

Warren Watts · 2007-09-09 14:40:25

Here is a copy of my menu.lst file:

# Config file for GRUB - The GNU GRand Unified Bootloader
# /boot/grub/menu.lst

# DEVICE NAME CONVERSIONS 
#
#  Linux           Grub
# -------------------------
#  /dev/fd0        (fd0)
#  /dev/hda        (hd0)
#  /dev/hdb2       (hd1,1)
#  /dev/hda3       (hd0,2)
#

#  FRAMEBUFFER RESOLUTION SETTINGS
#     +-------------------------------------------------+
#          | 640x480    800x600    1024x768   1280x1024
#      ----+--------------------------------------------
#      256 | 0x301=769  0x303=771  0x305=773   0x307=775
#      32K | 0x310=784  0x313=787  0x316=790   0x319=793
#      64K | 0x311=785  0x314=788  0x317=791   0x31A=794
#      16M | 0x312=786  0x315=789  0x318=792   0x31B=795
#     +-------------------------------------------------+

# general configuration:
timeout   5
default   0

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground 1A1B19
background E7EDEF
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
#splashimage /boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

# boot sections follow
# each is implicitly numbered from 0 in the order of appearance below
#
# TIP: If you want a 1024x768 framebuffer, add "vga=773" to your kernel line.
#
#-*

title         Wolvix Cub 1.1.0
root        (hd1,0)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hdb1 ro vga=791

# (0) Arch Linux
title  Arch Linux
root   (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/hda1 ro vga=791
initrd /boot/kernel26.img

# (1) Arch Linux

title  Arch Linux Fallback
root   (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/hda1 
initrd /boot/kernel26-fallback.img


title        FreeDOS 
rootnoverify     (hd0,2) 
makeactive 
chainloader     +1 
boot

Jack B · 2007-09-09 19:29:41

I'm a bit of a newb too, but my understanding was that the standard grub package did not include the patch, and that you need the grub-gfx (or grub-gfxmenu) package. That's how I got it working anyway.

Try uninstalling grub before installing grub-gfx:

# cp /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/menu.lst.bak
# pacman -R grub
# pacman -S grub-gfx
# install-grub
# cp /boot/grub/menu.lst.bak /boot/grub/menu.lst

I suggest copying your menu.lst to a backup and back as it will otherwise disappear with grub when you remove the package (actually it will get backed up anyway, but let's be sure). It probably goes without saying but as this is the newbie forum, I'll say it: make sure you understand the above commands before using them; mistakes with grub could make a mess.

Hope this is helpful.
Jack

Warren Watts · 2007-09-10 00:53:25

Issue Solved!

When I originally installed the grub-gfx package, I assumed the errors about the files already existing meant that the files were up-to-date.

No. The error meant just that: the files already existed; so pacman refused to overwrite them with the updated files. If I had been paying closer attention (and maybe bothered to RTFM about pacman) when I tried to install grub-gfx the first time, I probably would have realized what was happening.

I removed grub first (as Jack B suggested), then installed grub-gfx and reinstalled grub, and now my grub splash works!

Thanks!

Arch Linux

#1 2007-09-09 03:41:52

[SOLVED] Having problems getting GRUB to display a boot image

#2 2007-09-09 10:03:44

Re: [SOLVED] Having problems getting GRUB to display a boot image

#3 2007-09-09 10:16:51

Re: [SOLVED] Having problems getting GRUB to display a boot image

#4 2007-09-09 14:40:25

Re: [SOLVED] Having problems getting GRUB to display a boot image

#5 2007-09-09 19:29:41

Re: [SOLVED] Having problems getting GRUB to display a boot image

#6 2007-09-10 00:53:25

Re: [SOLVED] Having problems getting GRUB to display a boot image

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