After Install, possibly dodgy, Grub menu appears

[Kevin Jones]

Hello all,
I am very new to suse 10.2
I tried to install suse 10.2 and followed the advice on partitions etc. I believe I created a new partition for it.
The system did not install properly. At some point an application was unavailable and I told it to 'ignore'. I am not sure if this is the root of my problems.
After switching off the machine and switching on again their is a black screen with a grub menu. (Grub is I think connected to Linux, so something good may have happened.) I have done some web searching for grub menus but I do not know what commands to enter into the grub menu to make anything happen.
If I any one can advise me on where to go from here I should very grateful.

Thanks for the help

Kevin Jones

[vengeance]

well GRUB is the bootloader of linux.actually when u install opensuse 10.2 properly grub will come up with a GUI which lets you go to opensuse or windows in case of dualboot.
BTW about the installation did the installation fail after complaining about some missing package ???

[Dapper Dan]

So is it just a black screen with "grub:" and that's it? Or are there items to choose from like "SuSE?"

[Kevin Jones]

WOW! thanks for the super prompt reply.
To begin with yes a package was missing. I think it was some sort of media package that was unavailable on the disk. I set it to ignore.
The current screen has no options. I am not at my pc now so I cannot say what exactly is on the screen, but it has a line marked grub, and then a cursor which blinks and I can type into it. I am sure the screen is waiting for a grub command.
The top of the screen has information about grub and says that if I type a few letters and then hit tab it will complete the word or command.
There are no options on the screen.

kevin Jones

Thanks!!!

[valemon]

Boot from the suse cd and select "other options" and "repair installed system". Then "expert tools" and "install new bootloader". This should get you going. Otherwise you can download supergrub live-cd and install the bootloader from there.

[Kevin Jones]

Thanks,
I will try this when I get home later.
The problem is that no matter how I adjust the boot sequence the grub menu appears. I have set the bios to boot from CD with the suse CD in the machine. As I recall no matter what I do I always end up at the grub menu.
I will confirm this in a few hours when I am close my pc.
Thanks, if I do a get it to boot from cd I will do the 'other options' and 'repair installed system' and then 'expert tools' and finally 'install new bootloader"
Thanks for the info on the Super grub live-cd I will look at that

kevin Jones

[Kevin Jones]

There is no option marked 'other options' I have tried 'rescue, and was asked for a 'rescue' log in. I tried my original log in, I use the same password and stuff for most items of this sort.
I was unable to log into the rescue part of the program.
I am now back at the grub> menu.
This screen says the following:
GNU GRUB version 0.97 (633k lower / 2094407K upper memory)

[ minimal BASH- like editing is supported. For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions. Any where esle TAB lists the possible completions of a device/filename.]
grub> (flashing cursor)


That is as far as I can get at the minute.
Is it possible to put commands into the grub menu to get me going

Kevin Jones

[gogalthorp]

I believe you need to put in the root password.

In your set up you are asked to enter a root password as well as a user name password combo. Think of root as Administrator in Windoz

[Kevin Jones]

thanks,
user name I usually use the same user name for all my internal pc stuff
Same with password.
I am trying to remember if I changed my normal practice on this procedure/
I may have used a stray upper case letter somewhere in the process. I am continuing to try all the likely combinations.
thanks for the help

Kevinjones

[valemon]

There is no option marked 'other options' I have tried 'rescue, and was asked for a 'rescue' log in. Kevin Jones

You should choose installation , hit next, next and in "installation mode" select "other options" -> repair installed system