Error loading operation system

Snoop1990 · 2009-01-10 14:04:32

I have difficulties with installing ArchLinux on my Macbook Pro (2,33ghz), also I got it working before.

I am using refit for managing the different boots and here is the partition Inspector output :

*** Report for internal hard disk ***

Current GPT partition table:
# Start LBA End LBA Type
1 40 409639 EFI System (FAT)
2 409640 42352679 Basic Data // Linux
3 42614824 178929703 Basic Data // Shared
4 179191848 200163367 Basic Data // Windows
5 200425512 213008423 Basic Data // Swap
6 213270568 286670887 Mac OS X HFS+ // Mac Os X
7 286933032 297418791 Basic Data // the rest does not matter
8 297680936 312319623 Mac OS X HFS+

Current MBR partition table:
# A Start LBA End LBA Type
1 1 409639 ee EFI Protective
2 409640 42352679 83 Linux // Linux
3 42614824 178929703 0c FAT32 (LBA) // Shared
4 * 179191848 200163367 0c FAT32 (LBA) // Windows

MBR contents:
Boot Code: Unknown, but bootable

// the EFI Partition
Partition at LBA 40:
Boot Code: None (Non-system disk message)
File System: FAT32
Listed in GPT as partition 1, type EFI System (FAT)

// Archlinux, with grub installed on the same partition
Partition at LBA 409640:
Boot Code: GRUB
File System: ext3
Listed in GPT as partition 2, type Basic Data
Listed in MBR as partition 2, type 83 Linux

// Shared drive to exchange files between windows, Mac OS X and Linux
Partition at LBA 42614824:
Boot Code: None (Non-system disk message)
File System: FAT32
Listed in GPT as partition 3, type Basic Data
Listed in MBR as partition 3, type 0c FAT32 (LBA)

// Windows xp
Partition at LBA 179191848:
Boot Code: Windows NTLDR
File System: FAT32
Listed in GPT as partition 4, type Basic Data
Listed in MBR as partition 4, type 0c FAT32 (LBA), active

// Linux Swap, placed here as MBR only lists four drives and windows only reads the drives inside MBR
Partition at LBA 200425512:
Boot Code: None (Non-system disk message)
File System: FAT32
Listed in GPT as partition 5, type Basic Data

// Mac OS X
Partition at LBA 213270568:
Boot Code: None
File System: HFS Extended (HFS+)
Listed in GPT as partition 6, type Mac OS X HFS+

// The rest does not matter

Partition at LBA 286933032:
Boot Code: None (Non-system disk message)
File System: FAT32
Listed in GPT as partition 7, type Basic Data

Partition at LBA 297680936:
Boot Code: None
File System: HFS Extended (HFS+)
Listed in GPT as partition 8, type Mac OS X HFS+

I added the comments ( // ) to make it easier to understand.

What changed compared to the previous setup (which worked).
- Swap was the first partition (after the hidden EFI partition) , Linux second, windows third
But I thought the position of Swap is not a problem ...

As far as what I read so far there seems to be an error with the "Bios" which is only emulated through refit does not recognize the partition, but I do not get that ... Is this cause by be trying to use swap outside the MBR ? because I have no idea whatelse I changed compared to my previous setups (yes I did around five).

But I need a shared partition, for data exchange ... and I can not image the position of swap causing this issue (as swap was not mounted or anything). But what else changed ? - I basically have no idea ... Please help.

Snoop1990 · 2009-01-10 19:50:21

Ok I tried booting using the livecd (the same I used to install). I ran grub in CLI and typed:
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26
boot

and it works I get some lines of code (to fast to be written down) but then it stuck at:
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(254,4)

Basically I have no idea what this means but it sounds to me like an interrupted sector on the hard disk or something like that. Please help me!

Last edited by Snoop1990 (2009-01-10 23:08:03)

Snoop1990 · 2009-01-10 23:27:14

I added in the grub CLI the following line:
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/d6784bcf-2796-4ee2-b7b5-67a7dfda0fea ro
initrd /boot/kernel26-fallback.img

and I got it working, archlinux booted. But when I try it without an extra live cd I just get:
"Error loading operation system"

Last edited by Snoop1990 (2009-01-10 23:32:26)

.:B:. · 2009-01-11 07:18:56

Why do you use (0,1) in the last trial and (0,2) before? The partition should still be the same...

Snoop1990 · 2009-01-11 09:29:33

oh sorry that is because I misstyped in the post before ... it is always root (hd0,1), as grub showed my the right partition when pressing tab. But I mixed up that partitions start counting with 0 and not with 1 like the mounting points do. archlinux is on /dev/sda2 which is root (hd0,1).

But never the less that is not the problem now. I guess it more likely has something to do with active partitions and handling Linux to boot within refit.

Snoop1990 · 2009-01-13 11:46:03

Got it all fixed, the problem was that refit forced the MBR to change so Archlinux and especially grub was unable to launch. The trick is simple to formate the hard disk then reset the MBR and then install Archlinux. That is what worked for me, so now I am the happy owner of a triple booting mac that not only boots one system at a time but up to three using the virtualization from vMware

Arch Linux

#1 2009-01-10 14:04:32

Error loading operation system

#2 2009-01-10 19:50:21

Re: Error loading operation system

#3 2009-01-10 23:27:14

Re: Error loading operation system

#4 2009-01-11 07:18:56

Re: Error loading operation system

#5 2009-01-11 09:29:33

Re: Error loading operation system

#6 2009-01-13 11:46:03

Re: Error loading operation system

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