GRUB boot loader stuffed up!!!!

**exploder** · 11-03-2005

I have updated few of the packages on my Debian Sarge and after restarting the pc I can't see the other operating systems on the GRUB boot loader menu I can olny see Debian o/s!!!!

I have Windows XP and SuSe9.3 running on the other partitions. How to re-install the GRUB boot loader so that I can see the other o/s? One more thing is how to go straight to the KDM login menu after system boots up? Presently the system goes straight to the text console & from there normally I type in startx(which goes to GNOME-as a default interface) or else I type in "kdm" as root to login to KDE desktop.

How to change the Xwindows system to KDE instead of GNOME? I am running Gnome2.8 & KDE 3.4.

**dylunio** · 11-03-2005

For GRUB, you'll need to edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf file, and add a stanza like this for SuSE:

Code:

title SuSE
    kernel &#40;hd0,1&#41;/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 vga=0x31a splash=silent desktop resume=/dev/hda1 showopts

though you should change root=hdev/hda2 to the suse root partition and you should change (hd0,1) to the GRUB equivelant for the same, see below table for equivelants:

/dev/hda1 (hd0,0) First hard disk on first IDE cable, first partition
/dev/hda2 (hd0,1) First hard disk on first IDE cable, second partition
/dev/hda3 (hd0,2) First hard disk on first IDE cable, third partition
/dev/hdb1 (hd1,0) Second hard disk on first IDE cable, first partition
/dev/hdb2 (hd1,1) Second hard disk on first IDE cable, second partition
/dev/hdb3 (hd1,2) Second hard disk on first IDE cable, third partition
/dev/hdc1 (hd2,0) First hard disk on second IDE cable, first partition
/dev/hdc2 (hd2,1) First hard disk on second IDE cable, second partition
/dev/hdc3 (hd2,2) First hard disk on second IDE cable, third partition
/dev/hdd1 (hd3,0) Second hard disk on second IDE cable, first partition
/dev/hdd2 (hd3,1) Second hard disk on second IDE cable, second partition
/dev/hdd3 (hd3,2) Second hard disk on second IDE cable, third partition

For windows you'll have to add a stanza like

Code:

title Windows
   map &#40;hd0&#41; &#40;hd2&#41;
   map &#40;hd2&#41; &#40;hd0&#41;
   rootnoverify &#40;hd2,0&#41;
   makeactive
   chainloader +1

This is if windows is on hda2, change it for your system.

As for booting, try editing your /etc/inittab file so the line that reads

Code:

id&#58;3&#58;initdefault

to

Code:

id&#58;5&#58;initdefault

**exploder** · 11-04-2005

When I typein "cfdisk" I get
My windows is on hda1.
hda2 has Linux swap.
hda3 Linux ReiserFS

But, I do remember that Debian is residing on hdb3. How to find out on which partition's the o/s are residing?? Because if i typein "cfdisk" its coming up with only contents of "hda"!!!!
And Suse & Debian are on ReiserFS.

**vamshi_krishna** · 11-04-2005

may be you can do this ....I think completely non-technical ..
mount all hda's in different folders ..go inside and see what is what ...
but wait for a technical answer

**drakebasher** · 11-04-2005

Originally Posted by dylunio

/dev/hda1 (hd0,0) First hard disk on first IDE cable, first partition
/dev/hda2 (hd0,1) First hard disk on first IDE cable, second partition
/dev/hda3 (hd0,2) First hard disk on first IDE cable, third partition
/dev/hdb1 (hd1,0) Second hard disk on first IDE cable, first partition
/dev/hdb2 (hd1,1) Second hard disk ...

I certainly don't want to take anything from the recognized Grub-meister of LFDO, but are you aware that this correspondence between Grub "address" to BIOS "address" shifts a bit when the boot device is other than /dev/hda? Apparently, Grub sees the boot device as (hd0,0) independent of IDE position. It's of course irrelevant to those who boot off their first hard drive, but for others, I think it has been a bane.

**exploder** · 11-04-2005

I am still waiting for the answer to my second post!!!!

**borromini** · 11-04-2005

cfdisk /dev/hdb

. Piece of cake, but you have to think of it

.

**exploder** · 11-04-2005

I fixed the Grub boot loader the Windows option is added in the menu.list & it boots up normally but still I cant get SuSE option to work properly. Anyways thanx for the help guys...

**dylunio** · 11-04-2005

Okay, can you tell us what partition SuSE is on?

**dylunio** · 11-04-2005

Originally Posted by drakebasher

/dev/hdaI certainly don't want to take anything from the recognized Grub-meister of LFDO, but are you aware that this correspondence between Grub "address" to BIOS "address" shifts a bit when the boot device is other than /dev/hda? Apparently, Grub sees the boot device as (hd0,0) independent of IDE position. It's of course irrelevant to those who boot off their first hard drive, but for others, I think it has been a bane.

Aye I did know this, also I think you can set which grub identifiers correspond with which linux devices with the use of /boot/grub/device.map, this of course makes sure you know what you are booting.

Grub's indentifiers are rather weird things, but at least it makes it OS inepentant.

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