Triboot problem

[ctlphd]

Triboot problem with Grub
I just installed a triboot of Fedora Core 3, Windows XP, and added Fedora Core 4 64-bit, and now I cannot boot into either Fedora Core 3 or Fedora Core 4_64.

Grub menu:

Fedora Core 3
root(hd0,2)
kernel/boot/vmlinux-2.6.11-1.1369.FC4 ro root LABEL/rgb quiet
initrd/boot/initrd - 2.611-1.1369-FC4.img

Fedora Core 4_64
rootnoverify(hd0,5)
chainloader +1

__________

With Fedora Core 4_64, I simply get a:
rootnoverify(hda5)
chainloader +1

Error 13: Invalid or unsupported executable format


_______


but with Fedora Core 3, I get much more concerning messages:

Decompressing Linux...done
Booting the kernel
Red hat hash version 4.2.15 starting
ismod: can't read '/lib/scsi/mod.ko'.no such file or directory
ERROR:/bin/ismod exited abonormally with value!! (pid 370)
ismod: can't read 'lib sd.mod.ko':no such file or directory
...
no mount: error: mounting ext 3
...
ERROR openening /dev/console!!!!2
Kernel Panic-not syncing: Attempted to kill...



_________


Is there somethinng I can do, maybe with the Rescue Disk, to correct these problems?

[Sulblk27]

Grub menu:

Fedora Core 3
root(hd0,2)
kernel/boot/vmlinux-2.6.11-1.1369.FC4 ro root LABEL/rgb quiet
initrd/boot/initrd - 2.611-1.1369-FC4.img

Fedora Core 4_64
rootnoverify(hd0,5)
chainloader +1

__________

With Fedora Core 4_64, I simply get a:
rootnoverify(hda5)
chainloader +1

Error 13: Invalid or unsupported executable format


_______


but with Fedora Core 3, I get much more concerning messages:

Decompressing Linux...done
Booting the kernel
Red hat hash version 4.2.15 starting
ismod: can't read '/lib/scsi/mod.ko'.no such file or directory
ERROR:/bin/ismod exited abonormally with value!! (pid 370)
ismod: can't read 'lib sd.mod.ko':no such file or directory
...
no mount: error: mounting ext 3
...
ERROR openening /dev/console!!!!2
Kernel Panic-not syncing: Attempted to kill...



_________


Is there somethinng I can do, maybe with the Rescue Disk, to correct these problems?

Not sure this will help...but I think the chainloader+1 is for windows booting, I tried that with RH9 and recieved just about the same error....I also wound up taking the /boot/ out of kernel and initrd...hope that helped a little. With FC3 not booting on mine---I used the linux rescue accepted the defaults...till I was at the prompt...then typed chroot /mnt/sysimage
then typed grub-install/dev/hdX (whatever hard drive you are using) rebooted and it was at least able to get me into FC3...hope that helps...

[Ethyriel]

I'd boot to the distro that installed the bootloader (if it doesn't work use a live CD or that distro's installation CD) and mount the / or /boot partitions of the failing distros. There, usually in /boot/grub but sometimes in /etc, you'll find grub's config: menu.lst

Read:
ethyriel@demerzel# info grub
if it exists in your distro, otherwise see the grub web page

Basically you want to copy the FC3 section of it's own menu.lst to the menu.lst of the distro's grub you're actually booting with. Just remember default entry, hard drive, and partition all start with 0 rather than 1.

[ctlphd]

I think I found the correct grub.conf and edited it directly using Emacs as root with a Recue boot of Disc 1. If you notice the FC3 had been switched with FC4 and vice versa. Furthermore, when I did the rescue boot, it showed that FC4 was on, or at least started on, the SDA2 partition, which previously the boot partition; and, FC3 was on the SDA3 partition, where it had always been. There was a warning on the grub.conf that there was 'no boot partition per say and that all would be handled by the individial OS'. Apparently this is a problem, because the OSs still won't boot.

The grub.conf is:

title Fedora Core (2.6.11-1.35_FC3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.35_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.11-1.35_FC3.img
title Fedora Core (2.6.11-1.1369_FC4)
root (hd0,5)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4.img

Previously when I tried to install FC4 it indicated too many partitions and wouldn't let me install, but this last time it let me install, apparently overwriting my boot partition for some reason. Is there something I can do to regain a boot partition? For example, I have a large swap partition. Or can I, in fact boot from the OS partition with some modifications?

[ctlphd]

Well, it was worse than I thought, as on further inspection, it looked like the original boot titles were correct: The installation software evidently UPGRADED my old FC3 to FC4 AND installed a new PARTIAL non-working version of FC4. I don't know why it did this, as I requested a new install specifically when it gave the option of an UPGRADE OR a NEW INSTALL.
What I found were my old data and other files in their original location, along with a /boot/ directory containing, among other things vmlinuz-2.6.11-1369_FC4 and initrd-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4.img. I reconstructed my Title to contain these two files and got the original series of errors reported. Neither system works. Otherwise, I only get 'File not found'.
The good news is my irreplaceable data was still present.

So maybe it ONLY attempted an upgrade and not a new install, because I also can't find evidence of an installation on /dev/sda6 (see below), but maybe you can help me there too...

My partition configuration is as as follows:

/dev/sda
/dev/sda1 ntfs 70002 (Windows XP Pro)
/dev/sda2 ext3 259 (boot)
/dev/sda3 ext3 85000 (FC3)
/dev/sda4 Extended 83212
/dev/sda5 swap 4095
/dev/sda6 ext3 79117 (Free - to become FC4)

I chose new installation, chose /dev/sda6, had to re-choose /dev/sda3 for root, and started installation.

I reinstalled FC4_64, and got an error at the end of the installation which really worried me (I saved it to disk, but now the disk doesn't want to open, of course). It said something to the effect of sda4 not being a viable directory...(it's the extended path to sda6), and I got the same thing when I tried to boot the OS. However, it did go ahead and boot into my old file system, and here I am! I'm running FC4_64 and have all my old files! The only problem remains is that I need a 32-bit system to run certain programs that are not yet ready for 64-bit.

So, now, how can I go backwards...?

The questions I have now are, in the (very near) future, can I set up a reasonable triboot system for these systems without risking losing my data? (although I think I'll back it up first anyway to be safe) and, if so, what's the best way to go about doing so? Why can't I get into sda4? Can I get into sda6? Can I work from the partition configuration that I have now, or do I need to start over?

I want a good stable 32-bit system that will do EVERYTHING I want without a hitch, and a 64-bit system that will do most things fast and well, knowing that it's state-of-the art, and there will be some sacrifices at the 'bleeding edge'.