Multi-boot Fedora Ubuntu and XP

[conradinsf]

Hi all

I have a dual boot system with Ubuntu and XP, which is working fine. I tried to install Fedora 8 for multi-boot, but I can't seem to boot up into Fedora, and I get an error with Ubuntu boot (File system check failed), but Ctrl-D gets out of it, and I haven't tried yet if XP is working.

I am wondering if it is because I did not properly edit grub. I have Ubuntu (/) on sda5 and (/home) on sda6. I tried to install Fedora (/) on sda8 and (/home) on sda9. I will be installing OpenSUSE on sda10 and sda11 for the (/) and (/home), respectively. I need assistance, please?!

Here is the fdisk -l output:

sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000b7c30

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 16517 132672771 5 Extended
/dev/sda2 16518 68734 419433052+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 68735 120951 419433052+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda5 1 2550 20482812 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 2551 5737 25599546 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 5738 5868 1052226 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8 5869 7929 16554951 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 7930 11193 26218048+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda10 13255 16517 26210016 83 Linux
/dev/sda11 11194 13254 16554951 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 250.0 GB, 250000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30394 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x41ab2316

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 5 40131 de Dell Utility
/dev/sdb2 * 6 30392 244083577+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Here is my current grub configuration:

title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=eceacaa7-6d8c-4d96-92cf-1f4c0c92e9cd ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=eceacaa7-6d8c-4d96-92cf-1f4c0c92e9cd ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic

title Ubuntu 7.10, memtest86+
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

title Fedora
rootnoverify (hd0,6)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1

title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd1,1)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1

Thank you, in advance.

[dirk_diggler]

I have the same problem. I had Ubuntu installed on a pc, then I changed the partitions (changed size of some partitions, and also changed the number of partitions) with PartedMagic, and I think I may have changed the site of ubuntu /root and /home installation sites. Now, I get the same error message when I try to boot up with Ubuntu (ie. file system check failed), and I can get out (or bypass?) with Ctrl-D and boot normally to Ubuntu. I've checked the grub config, but to be honest, I don't really know what I am looking for.

If you find an answer, please post?! I would love to hear how you solved this one.

[devils casper]

Which distro's GRUB are you using right now? Did you change anything in Boot Loader section during Fedora installation?

I tried to install Fedora 8 for multi-boot, but I can't seem to boot up into Fedora,

What error message does it throw?

[conradinsf]

Which distro's GRUB are you using right now?

I am using Ubuntu's GRUB. I did go into the grub menu.lst to change the Fedora info to point to the correct partition(?!).

I got Fedora to finally boot by making the following change:
Under "Title Fedora"
I changed
"rootnoverify (hd0," to "rootnoverify (hd0,7)"
and removed
"map (0,1) (1,0)
map (1,0) (0,1)"

so now it reads:

title Fedora
rootnoverify (hd0,7)
# map (hd0) (hd1)
# map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1

Afterwards, it goes into Fedora grub, where I can then choose Ubuntu, Fedora, or XP. I think I will be disabling one or the other.

Did you change anything in Boot Loader section during Fedora installation?

I created custom layout for the Fedora install, and installed / on sda8 and /home on sda9. I think I also added Ubuntu (/dev/sda5) and XP (/dev/sdb2). I configured advanced boot loader, to install boot loader record on the root partition of Fedora (sda. I haven't tried to boot up to Ubuntu (or XP) from Fedora grub. But, I have booted up fine to XP with Ubuntu grub, and now I can boot to Fedora with Ubuntu grub.

What error message does it throw?

When I try to boot up Ubuntu, I get an error message "file system check failed" but I can get out with Ctrl-D and boot normally to Ubuntu.

The grub setting for Ubuntu is:

title Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=UUID=eceacaa7-6d8c-4d96-92cf-1f4c0c92e9cd ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
quiet

I am wondering if I should change "root=UUID=eceacaa7-6d8c-4d96-92cf-1f4c0c92e9cd" to "root=/dev/sda5" for Ubuntu?

[dirk_diggler]

Which distro's GRUB are you using right now? Did you change anything in Boot Loader section during Fedora installation?
What error message does it throw?

"Error 15: File not Found"

[devils casper]

Afterwards, it goes into Fedora grub, where I can then choose Ubuntu, Fedora, or XP. I think I will be disabling one or the other.

Set timeout value to zero in Fedora's grub.conf file. Mapping code is for Windows OSes only.

When I try to boot up Ubuntu, I get an error message "file system check failed" but I can get out with Ctrl-D and boot normally to Ubuntu.

Soemthing is wrong in /etc/fstab file. Post the contents of fstab file here.

"Error 15: File not Found"

Have you tried SuperGRUB CD to re-install GRUB? In case it doesn't work, I would suggest you to start a new thread. Post the output of fdisk -l command and contents of grub.conf file in that thread. Send me Link of your thread via PM. It will post there definitely.

[conradinsf]

Set timeout value to zero in Fedora's grub.conf file. Mapping code is for Windows OSes only.

You are correct. Once I removed, those, and fixed the drive settings (to hd0,6 for fedora, which is on sda7) now I can boot into Fedora.

Soemthing is wrong in /etc/fstab file. Post the contents of fstab file here.

Here are the contents of my fstab:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/sda5
UUID=eceacaa7-6d8c-4d96-92cf-1f4c0c92e9cd / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /dev/sda6
UUID=9793d642-20e2-465f-b7e3-cad59e115801 /home ext3 defaults 0 2
# /dev/sda2
UUID=139B15E6147CB728 /media/sda2 ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0
# /dev/sda3
UUID=2F757E9A7E506B2A /media/sda3 ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0
# /dev/sda8
UUID=f6e9cb28-3fbb-4058-be29-5ec55473e562 /media/sda8 ext3 defaults 0 2
# /dev/sda9
UUID=728b782c-11c7-4bfc-be60-d00588b3925e /media/sda9 ext3 defaults 0 2
# /dev/sda7
UUID=d4b7b11a-2b7c-4d2e-842c-47215030ed0c none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec 0 0
/dev/scd1 /media/cdrom1 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto,exec 0 0

The error I was getting in the boot-up prompt is something like "Duplicate or bad block in use... /dev/sda6... Multiply-claimed blocks" sda6 is /home for ubuntu (sda5 is /). And I saw two more erros in sda6. The log for it is below:

Log of fsck -C -R -A -a
Mon Jan 28 10:00:59 2008

fsck 1.40.2 (12-Jul-2007)
/dev/sda6 contains a file system with errors, check forced.
/dev/sda6: Inode 2600216, i_blocks is 1416, should be 720. FIXED.
/dev/sda6: Duplicate or bad block in use!
/dev/sda6: Multiply-claimed block(s) in inode 2600561: 5239254
/dev/sda6: Multiply-claimed block(s) in inode 2600686: 5239254
/dev/sda6: (There are 2 inodes containing multiply-claimed blocks.)

/dev/sda6: File /conrad/.mozilla/firefox/2qkzhkv5.default/prefs.js (inode #2600561, mod time Fri Jan 25 19:36:24 200
has 1 multiply-claimed block(s), shared with 1 file(s):
/dev/sda6: /conrad/.mozilla/firefox/2qkzhkv5.default/sessionstore.js (inode #2600686, mod time Fri Jan 25 19:36:24 200
/dev/sda6:

/dev/sda6: UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY; RUN fsck MANUALLY.
(i.e., without -a or -p options)
fsck.ext3: Unable to resolve 'UUID=f6e9cb28-3fbb-4058-be29-5ec55473e562'

/home: clean, 362/3286752 files, 152593/6554512 blocks (check in 2 mounts)
fsck died with exit status 12

[dirk_diggler]

Have you tried SuperGRUB CD to re-install GRUB? In case it doesn't work, I would suggest you to start a new thread. Post the output of fdisk -l command and contents of grub.conf file in that thread. Send me Link of your thread via PM. It will post there definitely.

Fixed the Fedora issue. I followed what conradinsf did with his grub setting, so thank you conradinsf. But, I still have the same problem as conradinsf regarding booting up with Ubuntu. I have duplicate/bad block use in the /home partition of Ubuntu. Should I use the Ubuntu LiveCD to try to fix this? I wouldn't know what to do anyway.

[conradinsf]

Fixed the Fedora issue. I followed what conradinsf did with his grub setting, so thank you conradinsf. But, I still have the same problem as conradinsf regarding booting up with Ubuntu. I have duplicate/bad block use in the /home partition of Ubuntu. Should I use the Ubuntu LiveCD to try to fix this? I wouldn't know what to do anyway.

dirk_diggler

I don't know how my "fix" resolved my problem, but why don't you give this a try. I'll try to post as much as I can, and it may not be exact (since I will not be posting my mistakes).

sudo gedit /etc/fstab

go to the drive where you are getting errors. in my case, it was not mounting the proper partition. ubuntu was trying to mount its /home partition to fedora's /home partition. in other words, ubuntu /home was mounted on sda6 (I also verified the UUID on fstab) but the error message was that it could not resolve UUID=xxx (which was the UUID of fedora /root mount on sda.

copy UUID of ubuntu /home mount
hide old UUID (by adding # before it)

reboot, and see if it works.

Good luck!!!

[dirk_diggler]

dirk_diggler

I don't know how my "fix" resolved my problem, but why don't you give this a try. I'll try to post as much as I can, and it may not be exact (since I will not be posting my mistakes).

sudo gedit /etc/fstab

go to the drive where you are getting errors. in my case, it was not mounting the proper partition. ubuntu was trying to mount its /home partition to fedora's /home partition. in other words, ubuntu /home was mounted on sda6 (I also verified the UUID on fstab) but the error message was that it could not resolve UUID=xxx (which was the UUID of fedora /root mount on sda.

copy UUID of ubuntu /home mount
hide old UUID (by adding # before it)

reboot, and see if it works.

Good luck!!!

For some reason, this seemed to have worked. I had to verify that the UUID was the proper one in the fstab file. I did what you suggested, and now Ubuntu boots up with no errors. THANKS!!!!