[solved] Grub Legacy freezing while loading vmlinuz26

elifarley · 2009-08-06 17:24:43

I tried to install ArchLinux using the standard (Grub-based) FTP ISO image (i686), but the boot process would always freeze at the same point (just after leaving the initial Grub screen).

So I tried the isolinux-based FTP ISO (x86_64), and it worked.

After booting the newly installed system, the same freezing problem happened, at the exact same point as before.

I went to Grub's command line (by typing 'c') and tried this:

grub> fstest
Filesystem tracing is now on

grub> root (hd0,0)
Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83

grub> kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda7 ro
[7401,0,10][7401,0,512][7402,0,512], (...) [7416,0,512] [Linux-bzImage, setup=0x3600, size=0x1c4980]
[7417,0,512][7418,0,512], (...) [7431,0,512][7432,0,512]

At this point, the system hangs.

My setup:

Dell OptiPlex 320
BIOS 1.1.10 (09/13/07)
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E4400 @ 2.00 GHz
Bus speed: 800 MHz
L2 Cache: 2 MB
Processor ID: 000006FD
Hyperthreading Capable: No
64-bit Technology: Yes (Intel EM64T)
1 GB RAM 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Memory channel mode: Single

SATA-0: Samsung HD161HJ 160 GB
PATA-0: HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8164B

Partitions:
/dev/sda1 /boot
/dev/sda5 swap
/dev/sda6 /var
/dev/sda7 /

menu.lst:
title Arch Linux
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda7 ro
initrd /kernel26.img

Freeze message:
Booting 'Arch Linux'

root (hd0,0)
Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda7 ro
[Linux-bzImage, setup=0x3600, size=0x1c4980]

Last edited by elifarley (2009-08-10 18:27:40)

elifarley · 2009-08-08 00:34:58

It seems to be a known incompatibility between Dell OptiPlex 320 machines and Grub legacy.
Sigh...

References:

http://lists.us.dell.com/pipermail/linu … 00469.html

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p= … ostcount=4

djszapi · 2009-08-08 00:44:11

Hello elifarley!

Did it work with other distribution/livecd?

elifarley · 2009-08-10 18:21:38

djszapi wrote:

Hello elifarley!
Did it work with other distribution/livecd?

Haven't tried other distros...

But I bet they would only work if they didn't use Grub Legacy.

elifarley · 2009-08-10 18:26:38

To be able to boot, I had to boot using the installation CD and then install Grub 2, like this:

mkdir /mnt/local
mount /dev/sda7 /mnt/local

cd /mnt/local
pacman --root . --cachedir var/cache/pacman/pkg --dbpath var/lib/pacman -S grub2

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

grub-install /dev/sda

Arch Linux

#1 2009-08-06 17:24:43

[solved] Grub Legacy freezing while loading vmlinuz26

#2 2009-08-08 00:34:58

Re: [solved] Grub Legacy freezing while loading vmlinuz26

#3 2009-08-08 00:44:11

Re: [solved] Grub Legacy freezing while loading vmlinuz26

#4 2009-08-10 18:21:38

Re: [solved] Grub Legacy freezing while loading vmlinuz26

#5 2009-08-10 18:26:38

Re: [solved] Grub Legacy freezing while loading vmlinuz26

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