Arch Linux

us499

Member

Registered: 2011-08-08

Posts: 11

[SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

I am trying to install Arch Linux. I have tried installing it for 7 times now. I had Ubuntu on the computer before, and the first couple of times I could not successfully set up GRUB after the installation. This was most likely related to some Ubuntu files still remaining on certain partitions. So I removed everything from the hard drive and tried again. The first time Arch installed fine, but when I tried to load it, a message came up that told me that I had invalid partition tables. So deleted all data again, and tried again. Now the installation went fine but when I try to boot GRUB does not even come up. Before GRUB is displayed, the screen goes blank with just a cursor blinking, and no response whatsoever. I can load the Live USB and try again, but have already installed it twice and got the same black screen.

Any idea anyone?

Thanks!

Last edited by us499 (2011-08-09 03:28:16)

Mihasi

Member

Registered: 2010-07-24

Posts: 10

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

Can you check the hard disk with a Live USB? It could be that everything installed right and all the folder and partitions are there, but GRUB is just broken. In that case you can simply reinstall it from within the Live USB by following these instructions.

us499

Member

Registered: 2011-08-08

Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

Thanks, but this did not work. I tried to do this but got:

root(hd1,1) -> Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x82

I tried anyway:

setup (h1) -> Error 17: cannot mount selected partition...??

lolilolicon

Member

Registered: 2009-03-05

Posts: 1,722

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

Type 0x82 is Solaris/Linux swap. If you mean first partition then it's (hd1,0).
If you want better help, post output of `fdisk -l /dev/sd?` and menu.lst.
You may also try changing boot priorities in your BIOS configuration.

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us499

Member

Registered: 2011-08-08

Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

Thanks! I now could install grub but still something is wrong. Now Grub appears but it gives an error 17: Can Not Mount Selected Partition.

I post the info requested:

FDISK:

Disk /dev/sdb: 32.3 GB, 32279224320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 3924 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *           1          13      104391   83  Linux
/dev/sdb2              14          46      265072+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3              47        1003     7687102+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb4            1004        3924    23462932+  83  Linux

MENU.lst:

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

# DEVICE NAME CONVERSIONS 
#
#  Linux           Grub
# -------------------------
#  /dev/fd0        (fd0)
#  /dev/sda        (hd0)
#  /dev/sdb2       (hd1,1)
#  /dev/sda3       (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
#     +-------------------------------------------------+
#  for more details and different resolutions see
#  [url]http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB#Framebuffer_Resolution[/url] 

# 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
root   (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/00fa417e-dbb6-431a-bd6c-bcf2788560f3 ro
initrd /kernel26.img

# (1) Arch Linux
title  Arch Linux Fallback
root   (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/00fa417e-dbb6-431a-bd6c-bcf2788560f3 ro
initrd /kernel26-fallback.img

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

Last edited by us499 (2011-08-08 14:36:40)

Inxsible

Forum Fellow

From: Chicago

Registered: 2008-06-09

Posts: 9,183

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

us499, please use BBCode [code ] tags when pasting files/outputs.

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lolilolicon

Member

Registered: 2009-03-05

Posts: 1,722

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

@us499
Try replacing `root (hd1,0)' with `root (hd0,0)'.

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Inxsible

Forum Fellow

From: Chicago

Registered: 2008-06-09

Posts: 9,183

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

@us499
Try replacing `root (hd1,0)' with `root (hd0,0)'.

His device is sdb, so (hd1,0) should be correct. Wouldn't that mean that you have an sda somewhere, but fdisk is not showing it?

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lolilolicon

Member

Registered: 2009-03-05

Posts: 1,722

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

@Inxsible, the disk was /dev/sdb when he was booting from the Live USB. I'm suspecting the BIOS now identifies the internal disk as the first one, hence (hd0).
(Edit: grammar)

Last edited by lolilolicon (2011-08-08 15:10:08)

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Inxsible

Forum Fellow

From: Chicago

Registered: 2008-06-09

Posts: 9,183

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

@Inxsible, the disk is /dev/sdb when he was running on the Live USB. I'm suspecting the BIOS gives the internal disk as the first one, hence (hd0).

Bah !! I didn't realize the guy was on a Live CD. Sorry.

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us499

Member

Registered: 2011-08-08

Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

Here is the different output:

root (hd0,0)
Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x83

setup (hd0)
Error 17: cannot mount selected partition

root (hd1,0)
Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83

setup (hd1)
works fine... until I actually boot and then it also gives me a 'cannot mount partition' error.

Any idea what can be done? I am very willing to reformat or anything but I've done this several times and things do not work...

lolilolicon

Member

Registered: 2009-03-05

Posts: 1,722

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

@us499, I'm sorry I didn't make it clear. By `root (hd0,0)' I meant to edit the menu.lst, not reinstall GRUB.
So... now you should have GRUB installed fine (again), pick either of the following:

* Edit the menu.lst from the Live USB replacing `root (hd1,0)' with `root (hd0,0)'.
* Boot from the internal HDD, when the GRUB menu comes up, type e, edit the root line, and boot. This is a temporary edit, so make sure you edit menu.lst after you get it all running.

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us499

Member

Registered: 2011-08-08

Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Black screen after install before GRUB

Thanks for the explanation, it's working now!