Problem installing GRUB

Retrospekt · 2008-07-16 02:34:58

I checked the config file and everything seemed to be fine. Added vga=773 after the kernel line and saved.

It then asked me for the boot device where GRUB would be installed. I read at ArchWiki that If I planned to Dual boot, I should install it in my boot. My boot partition is /dev/sda1, so I tried that. It then asked me for my root device, and I put /dev/sda. I got this message: "Error installing GRUB".

I automatically thought that maybe I should just install in my MBR instead of my boot partition, so I chose /dev/sda as my boot device, and /dev/sda as my root device. Same message. I tried many combinations of this and all of them seemed to fail. I don't know what else to do...

_nalle · 2008-07-16 09:12:24

Please attach your grub.conf to this thread.

If grub is asking for your root device chances are that your kernel line is wrong.

Retrospekt · 2008-07-16 16:10:46

Well I was finally able to install GRUB. I reboot the system and I see this in the GRUB main menu:

Arch Linux [/boot/vmlinuz26]

When I press Enter, I get Error 15: File not Found

So I thought to myself....Hmm....I probably have to edit the Arch Linux boot. So when I go to edit it says this:

root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/hda3 ro
initrd/kernel26.img

What's wrong here?

Retrospekt · 2008-07-16 16:31:22

I'm pretty sure I did something wrong in the config file. How do I export that and post it here?

I booted into Ubuntu liveCD and found the config file for GRUB. Here it is:

# 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
color light-blue/black light-cyan/blue

# 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.
#
#-*

# (0) Arch Linux
title  Arch Linux  [/boot/vmlinuz26]
root   (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/hda3 ro
initrd /kernel26.img

# (1) Windows
#title Windows
#rootnoverify (hd0,0)
#makeactive
#chainloader +1

I don't know why I have Windows in there, since I do not have windows installed yet.

I'm pretty sure I see something wrong already. My Arch install is on my first partition of my hard drive, so wouldn't that be (hd0,1)? If so, how can I go back and modify this config file. It won't let me in Arch Setup anymore since GRUB is already installed.

Last edited by Retrospekt (2008-07-16 17:00:48)

kclive18 · 2008-07-16 17:23:34

The Windows section is commented out, so don't worry about it.

And GRUB recognizes your first partition (/dev/hda1 or /dev/sda1) as (hd0,0), since it starts counting from 0 instead of 1.

And that's really weird how it doesn't let you into Arch setup...is it booting from the CD or just going straight to your hard drive?

Mr Green · 2008-07-16 17:58:05

Have you got a seperate /boot partition ?

Retrospekt · 2008-07-16 20:32:57

Mr Green wrote:

Have you got a seperate /boot partition ?

No I do not.

And @ the guy that said it's weird that it's not letting me in to Arch setup:

It's letting me in, but I can't go to the "Install BootLoader" part. It says "Is GRUB already installed?"

Retrospekt · 2008-07-16 21:33:01

I just noticed that in my kernel line it says "hda3". Why the 3, and why "hda". I thought "sda" was for sata hard drives. If it's asking where the kernel is, than that would be in /dev/sda1, which is my 18gb Arch Partition, correct?

clu · 2008-07-16 22:14:10

We can finish this up if you post the output of "cfdisk"
This should show you your partitions (and allow you to figure out which one to put on your kernel line in grub config).

The 3 shows you which partition you are pointing at on hda.

loosec · 2008-07-17 18:00:07

Error 15: file not found is typical if you point to the wrong partition or harddrive.
You probably need to have (hd0,0) since your boot partition is the first partition on the harddrive grub is installed on.
You also want root=/dev/sda1 if your root partition is the first partition on this disc and you only have one disc or is sure the disc is the first one found by the system.
Additionally you want to point to /boot/vmlinuz26 and /boot/kernel26.img since you do not have /boot on a separate partition.

Sum this up and this should work:

title  Arch Linux  [/boot/vmlinuz26]
root   (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda1 ro
initrd /boot//kernel26.img

I might have confused some of what you said thou so please post your complete /etc/fstab to clear things up.

Last edited by loosec (2008-07-18 11:24:05)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-07-16 02:34:58

Problem installing GRUB

#2 2008-07-16 09:12:24

Re: Problem installing GRUB

#3 2008-07-16 16:10:46

Re: Problem installing GRUB

#4 2008-07-16 16:31:22

Re: Problem installing GRUB

#5 2008-07-16 17:23:34

Re: Problem installing GRUB

#6 2008-07-16 17:58:05

Re: Problem installing GRUB

#7 2008-07-16 20:32:57

Re: Problem installing GRUB

#8 2008-07-16 21:33:01

Re: Problem installing GRUB

#9 2008-07-16 22:14:10

Re: Problem installing GRUB

#10 2008-07-17 18:00:07

Re: Problem installing GRUB

Board footer