GRUB/MBR issue

[whittler]

My Linux woes continue.

This time I attempted to install Fedora Core 3. As I want to run a dual boot system (XP on the other partition), I installed GRUB to the MBR as part of the installation process. The installation seemed to go without a hitch. I successfully created a root partition and a SWAP partition and I got the big congratulations on the last screen where it tells you to reboot.

Upon reboot, all I get is the word GRUB in the top left hand corner of a black screen followed by a blinking cursor. Not the usual graphic interface. It was non-responsive to anything I attempted to type. After a couple of minutes, it initiated another reboot, and so on in a loop.

I re-installed Fedora Core 3 twice from a bootable CD-R, to no avail.

I could not even access Windows. I managed to restore my original MBR by entering "fdisk /mbr" from a dos boot disk. That is how I managed to get back into Windows to type this post.

Is this a common problem, or am I Linux-jinxed?

[dylunio]

I'm not 100% sure what the problem is, but I would have a look at Nerderello's great GRUB Tutorial

dylunio

[whittler]

Thanks dylunio.

I will have to print that out at a mate's place. I'll then give it a try.

[whittler]

Whoa, that was close. If it weren't for loft306's Windows rescue advice in this post, I would have had to have reformatted my drive and reinstalled Windows.

State of play. I have Fedora 3 installed, but I can't get to it. GRUB just takes my computer hastage and leaves me with the word GRUB and a blinking curser. Nothing in Nerderello's great GRUB Tutorial worked.

Any ideas?

[dylunio]

So now you can boot into Window$?

As for Fedora, try and install it without a bootloader, and use a bootdisk instead?

I don't know if FC asks you during install ti create a boot disk, if it does, creat one and don't bother with GrUB or LILo,

If it doesn't ask to creat one at install, there is plenty of info on the subject if you google it.

dylunio

[whittler]

dylunio, I can only boot into Windows because I replaced the boot sector and then restored the MBR. GRUB is now gone from my MBR.

Re: boot disks, the installation does not prompt you to make a boot disk. My understanding is that you can't make one for Fedora Core 3, because the kernal is too big for a floppy.

[dylunio]

I'm not realy sure, but you can try LILO bootloader instaed of GRUB, you've always got fixmbr if it doesn't work...

[whittler]

Nothing I have tried works.

New state of play. I reinstalled Fedora Core, installing GRUB to the beginning of the Linux partition. I then amended boot.ini in Windows so the Windows boot manager allows me to choose XP or Linux. If I choose Fedora, it gives me the blank GRUB screen with blinking cursor.

I made another GRUB boot disk which worked this time. But when I ran the command find /boot/grub/stage1, it gave me Error 15 file not found.

Does anyone know what is going on? Has this got something to do with the fact that GRUB is not installed in the first 1024 cylinders (I read that somewhere)? If so, why haven't the good people at Fedora or GRUB addressed this?

[whittler]

I was right. I finally got it working by creating a separate /boot partition at the very start of my hard drive. I am also using the Windows boot manager to give me the choice between XP and Fedora.

I've now run into a new problem for which I will start a new thread.

[duffman1429]

whittler

i have been having the exact same problem as you. i guess there is one difference. i am using fc2 instead of fc3. anyway, i created a /boot partition at the beginning of my windows(primary bootable) drive. then i installed fc2 on a second drive. i put GRUB in the /boot partition and edited my boot.ini file in Windows to give me the choice between Windows and Linux. when i choose linux, i get the same black screen you spoke of. any thoughts?

-duffman