Grub Fails to Start

[hovh03]

This machine has 256 Meg of RAM, 16 Meg is used by video. When installed, I had to create partitions 1st to have swap before continue onto the installation using Parted Magic.

When the computer restart, Grub doesn't start, the computer just stuck there. I use the installation disk, then go to repair installation. Then browse to the entry where I can run Linux from a partition on my hard drive (sda1). Then it works.

Either the boot sector get screwed up, or Grub is screwed up somehow. I reinstall the whole Linux, and exactly the same problem occurs. Other similar machines have more RAM and doesn't have this problem (but I didn't use Parted Magic to do the partitions).

So, it could be less RAM than required. How do I fix this problem, or try to override the RAM checking. The computer runs fine after started up. I am actually typing this on this machine.

I can't update the kernel though. If I do, then the Repair Installation method above won't be able to find the new kernel files.

Please help. Thanks.

[hovh03]

The Linux version is Open Suse 10.3
I think there is another possible problem is that the MBR maybe not there. My partitions go like this:

/dev/sda            WDC-xxxx                             0   4864
/dev/sda1           Linux Native         /               0   3190
/dev/sda2           Extended                          3191   4864
/dev/sda5           Linux Swap           swap         3191   3321
/dev/sda6           Linux Native         /home        3322   4864

I suspect because my first partition starts out at 0 version 1, the 1st sector was not used for MBR, and that is where the problem is. If that is the case, do I have to reinstall the whole thing, or maybe using Parted Magic to move the partition up?

[Jonathan183]

The Linux version is Open Suse 10.3
I think there is another possible problem is that the MBR maybe not there. My partitions go like this:

[code]
/dev/sda WDC-xxxx 0 4864
/dev/sda1 Linux Native / 0 3190
/dev/sda2 Extended 3191 4864
/dev/sda5 Linux Swap swap 3191 3321
/dev/sda6 Linux Native /home 3322 4864
[\code]

I suspect because my first partition starts out at 0 version 1, the 1st sector was not used for MBR, and that is where the problem is. If that is the case, do I have to reinstall the whole thing, or maybe using Parted Magic to move the partition up?

You can use SuperGrub CD to restore MBR and boot Windows or Linux. Suggest you get that first of all - you can check if the Linux will boot. It will also allow you to make Linux partition bootable.

You already have the root as the first partition on the drive but it does not appear to be bootable.

[hovh03]

Thank you for the suggestion. I thought that just re-install maybe quicker than waiting for a reply. So I did, but before I did that, I move the partition up a little bit to give room for the MBR. Everything works now. I think there are couple problem with the Linux installer here. 1st, it should help create the the swap partition if it show a menu showing a "Create Swap Partition" item, but doesn't do anything. 2nd, if it fails to find/write to MBR, it should say something about it. Strange is that I didn't find this information when looking to solve this problem (maybe I didn't search hard enough, but it's not easily out there).

[devils casper]

MBR is not stored in any Partitions and you dont have to create space for MBR. It stored in first sector of Hard Disk not in any partition.

[hovh03]

Yes, it's stored in the first sector of the hard drive. However, by not allocating spaces for other partitions using the 1st sector (leave it alone), I essentially allocate space for the MBR, and that's how it works now. It failed before because one of my partitions starts at 1st section. In summary, it doesn't need partition for MBR, but it must have its own space, which is the 1st sector, and cannot be shared by any thing else. Linux should notify users of this problem when trying to write to this area, and the install should have create the swap partition when it give users that option, and then ignore it when users select the option.

[gogalthorp]

Linux assumes you know what you are doing. If you don't need the drive to boot there is no reason not use that sector for partition space. Because you used Partition Magic to create partitions, why did it let you use it without warning??

[hovh03]

I used Parted Magic, not Partition Magic. I understand that drive which is not intended for booting, there is no need for MBR, so no warning is needed there. What I was saying is that when OpenSuse 10.3 installer write to this area (I assume it does which is part if the set up of the Grub boot loader), and it fails to write there, it should have detected there is no available 1st sector for me to write, and let me know that this area was not writable, and the drive is not bootable. It should also tell me the setup for the boot loader failed. I am a developer myself. I just don't know about the Linux code, or this code. If I do, I fix it instantly. This is a bug.

[gogalthorp]

The code is available most likely written in c or c++. Have at it. That is what open source is all about. It is most likely one of those things that the developers never considered. After all who would overwrite a boot sector on a drive they wanted to boot from.

I'm not sure why you had to create the partitions in the first place since the installer normally will do this just fine. Also FYI it is normal but not necessary to have three partitions in Suse swap,root, and home. This allows keeping personal data safe if you reinstall, upgrade or change distos