How to Fix an Error 13

[nujinini]

Hello everybody,

Everytime I encounter an error 13 in grub which prevents me from booting system of choice, I would get to do a fresh reinstall of my problematic system. I used to enjoy it since I took the opportunity provided me a chance to learn and practice installations and updates etc.

Now, I feel I am prepared to learn how to repair such without me having to go through the hassles of a fresh reisntall. BUT I need the help of my colleagues in the Forum since this will be the first time I will attempt to do it. So to make the long story short, help please? Thank you!

By the way, it is the CentOS partition that is giving me the error 13 report.

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific 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_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/sda5 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,4)

## 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

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##      lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

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

## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
##      indomU=true
##      indomU=false
# indomU=detect

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

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false
## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title           Linux Mint 7 Gloria, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
root            (hd0,4)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=/dev/sda5 ro quiet splash
initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

title           Linux Mint 7 Gloria, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
root            (hd0,4)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=/dev/sda5 ro single
initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

title           Linux Mint 7 Gloria, memtest86+
root            (hd0,4)
kernel          /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title           Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title           Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify    (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader     +1

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda6.
title           CentOS release 5.4 (Final) (on /dev/sda6)
root            (hd0,5)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-164.11.1.el5xen root=/dev/sda6
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda6.
title           CentOS release 5.4 (Final) (on /dev/sda6)
root            (hd0,5)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-164.el5xen root=/dev/sda6
savedefault
boot

[oz]

The best online tutorials that I've found for GRUB are here:

GRUB bootloader - Full tutorial

GRUB 2 bootloader - Full tutorial

Error 13 message, according to the GRUB Manual means the following:

13 : Invalid or unsupported executable format
This error is returned if the kernel image being loaded is not recognized as Multiboot or one of the supported native formats (Linux zImage or bzImage, FreeBSD, or NetBSD).

This means that you'll need to correct the kernel listed in the kernel line of your grub configuration file before GRUB will be able to boot your machine.

[nujinini]

Thanks Oz!