Cannot boot - grub prompt - linux only box no windows

[dwella80]

Dear Linux community,

I've had a fantastic time with my debian box, it was running really well on an old Pentium 233MMX. I know linux itself well, but I do not have enough experience with grub version 0.95.

I'm not sure wether it was a power on/off/on/off/on thing that caused the computer not to boot, but I do remember upgrading my linux box and cautioning me about ef2progs or something to that effect. I had to do it to install tomcat. Whatever it was, I can't boot anymore, it comes up with the 'grub >' prompt

I've read a lot of posts on forums and I follow the following replys:

They read like this

root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)

Wether that is enough to get my box to boot i'm not sure, beacuase I type boot and it says I need to load the kernel.

When I type root (hd0, and then Tab the following appears
Possible partitions are:
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x02

I've assumed that the right linux partition is 0 so I type root (hd0,0) then enter and the following appears:
Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Then I type setup (hd0) and enter then the following appears:
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"... 16 sectors are embedded. succeeded
Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+16 p (hd0,0)/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done.

I try boot, says I need to run the kernel first, I reset, hard reset and still it comes back to the grub > prompt. I have got the important data off the disk, but I would really like to get this great debian box running again.

I know there is a lot of great linux gurus out there, will you help?

Thank you very much for reading and thank you in advance,
Jared

[Juan Pablo]

Once you have set "root(hd0,0)"
Do "kernel /boot/vm hit tab" If you don't have a boot partition
Or "kernel /vm hit tab" If you have a boot partition

Then just hit enter
ps: Omit the quotes

[devils casper]

did you try reinstallaing GRUB?





casper

[dwella80]

Dear Juan Pablo and devils_casper,

Thank you for your speedy reply.

I think I have a boot partition as when I try

kernel /boot/vm

I don't get anything, as the only directory under boot is grub (/boot/grub ...)
But when I did try your line

kernel /vmlinuz

Error 15: file not found

grub>

There seems to be /vmlinuz directory but thats it, nothing under it, a empty directory

I'm not sure if I can install grub again devils_casper as I don't know how to do it from the grub> prompt.

I have grave concerns that my kernel is missing/corrupted.

What should I try next? If the kernel is busted, is it possible to rebuild/repair.
I can plug my HDD up to a linux box and mount it, or perhaps load a live CD. But I'm not sure what to do.

Thank you again for you posts, and thank you for reading my post.

Kind regards,
Jared

[devils casper]

boot up in rescue mode and chroot the file system. execute 'grub-install'.




casper