Arch Linux

alreadygone

Member

Registered: 2009-12-10

Posts: 3

GRUB Error 17

Hello

When I try to install Archlinux while booting from my USB stick, I get this:

------------------------
GRUB Loading...
Error 17
------------------------

I downloaded archlinux-2009.08-core-i686.img from http://www.archlinux.org/download/.
My system has no SATA hard drive, so my hard disk is hda, and my USB stick is sda.

I used this command to write the image on my USB stick:
dd if=archlinux-2009.08-core-i686.img of=/dev/sda

It did not work.

I checked the MD5 checksum using the command:
sha1sum --check sha1sums.txt archlinux-2009.08-core-i686.img
It said OK.

'copper' on #linux asked me to use the command:
dd if=/dev/sda bs=512 count=744973 iflag=direct 2>/dev/null | md5sum
and the result was:
4850d533ddd343b80507543536258229  -

The result is still the same. Error 17 when I boot from that USB stick.

What is the problem?

kYd

Member

Registered: 2009-01-20

Posts: 78

Re: GRUB Error 17

I had this error just with my HD, managed to solve it by formatting the HD to EXT4.
Give that a try or try some other filesystem types.

alreadygone

Member

Registered: 2009-12-10

Posts: 3

Re: GRUB Error 17

thanks for the reply. My hd is already formatted in ext4.

In any case, that sounds like a stupid reason for GRUB to be
pissed about.

tripbr

Member

Registered: 2009-10-15

Posts: 5

Re: GRUB Error 17

In my computer, when I have some pendrive pluged in, my grub also give error 17.
Try to unplug your pendrive...

apaige

Member

Registered: 2008-06-15

Posts: 96

Re: GRUB Error 17

Try to unplug your pendrive...

And how exactly is he supposed to boot his ArchLinux "pendrive" if he removes it?

Mr.Elendig

#archlinux@freenode channel op

From: The intertubes

Registered: 2004-11-07

Posts: 4,094

Re: GRUB Error 17

17 : Cannot mount selected partition
    This error is returned if the partition requested exists, but the filesystem type cannot be recognized by GRUB.

There can be several reasons for this, depending on when you get the error. Do you get the grub menu at all?

---

Evil #archlinux@libera.chat channel op and general support dude.
. files on github, Screenshots, Random pics and the rest

SECProto

Member

Registered: 2009-12-13

Posts: 2

Re: GRUB Error 17

17 : Cannot mount selected partition
    This error is returned if the partition requested exists, but the filesystem type cannot be recognized by GRUB.

There can be several reasons for this, depending on when you get the error. Do you get the grub menu at all?

Although I am not the original poster, I am having the identical issue: I copied the usb Arch image to my ext2 formatted usb stick (although I am using x86_64 not i686) using win43diskimager. Booting from the usb stick (with the bios boot order properly configured), I get the same error. I have installed linux other times, although only from CD, and have never had this issue.

I have a few ideas to try, if any work ill post them here. otherwise, i am open to suggestions

alreadygone

Member

Registered: 2009-12-10

Posts: 3

Re: GRUB Error 17

There can be several reasons for this, depending on when you get the error. Do you get the grub menu at all?

Mr. Elendig, After the BIOS messages, the first thing I get is this:

GRUB Loading stage 1.5.
GRUG loading
Error 17

SECProto

Member

Registered: 2009-12-13

Posts: 2

Re: GRUB Error 17

Although I didnt solve this issue, I did work around it: I burned the isolinux version of Arch onto a CD, and booted it instead. No issues. Arch now installed.

simuru

Member

Registered: 2008-07-13

Posts: 15

Re: GRUB Error 17

I used this command to write the image on my USB stick:
dd if=archlinux-2009.08-core-i686.img of=/dev/sda

If I remeber correctly the command should be

dd bs=8M if=FILE.img of=/dev/sd[x]

the 'bs' flag set the bytes to be read and written at a time, i am not sure if this helps but in arch wiki they mention using the bs=8M flag.
Cheers.

[Edit]: and it worked out fine for me a few days ago

Last edited by simuru (2009-12-29 15:07:35)