Problem booting: displays "grub loading stage1.5" & crashes

[AppSniper]

I have experience using linux, but this is my first time installing it. I am also new to debian. I did a network install, which seemed to work fine until it started to boot. I recieved the message "grub loading stage1.5" from grub just before it crashed. As far as I can tell, it seems that it may be because of my bios, AMI Bios, but I have no idea what might be wrong.

Info:
2.54GHz P4
512M
AMI Bios
Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.27-2-686

[smith88]

Have you installed any other distros on the computer before and what part of the hard disk did you install the boot loaded to? the MBR (master boot record)?

[AppSniper]

No, this system has never run any OS other than Windows Server 2003, and yes, I installed it to the MBR. I used one partition to simplify everything until I figure everything out.

Here is a copy of menu.lst as the installer set it up in case it helps:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 5

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specifiv kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## ## End Default Options ##

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.27-2-686
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.27-2-686 root=/dev/hda1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.4.27-2-686
savedefault
boot

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.27-2-686 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.27-2-686 root=/dev/hda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.4.27-2-686
savedefault
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

[drakebasher]

There are several varieties of stage 1.5, one for each filesystem type: one for ext3, one for reiserfs, etc. Are you sure you have the correct stage 1.5? What filesystem do you have?

Sounds to me like you ought to reinstall Grub. You can do that with a Grub boot floppy, or if you can boot your machine with a rescue CD and then chroot into your Debian system. I'm not sure, but maybe you just need to copy the correct stage 1.5 into your /boot/grub/ directory. I suppose Grub would hang if it couldn't find stage2, as well.

[msixRp]

Hi,

i had the same problem yesterday with the grub version that comes Ubuntu 6.06 (i guess it is 1.5xx). I had to repair the GPU cooler, therefore i removed the APG graphics card. After repairing i put it back (no further change was made to the PC!) but then grub crashed always after displaying "grub loading stage1.5" ...

Booting from the Ubuntu-CD still worked until i selected "boot from hard disk"

System: ASUS A7N8X Deluxe Rev.1.x (latest BIOS) , AMD XP2800, 1GB RAM, GF 6600GT, USB Keyboard/mouse

my solution was "fixmbr" (ubuntu was only installed for testing) but if anyone has an explanation: i am interested in it!