question about GRUB

[Dyte]

Hello there. I recently installed SUSE on an external hard disk.
I have the following problem now:
Every time I boot my laptop without this external drive present and running, it freezes on the GRUB screen. So my laptop now needs this external disk to start up in windows (which is installed on my internal drive). Once it's started up, I can easily disconnect the external disk.
Is there a way to install some kind of GRUB on my internal hard drive as well, so my laptop can start up in windows without the external disk?

Also, since I installed Linux on it, I can only access my whole external hard drive from Linux itsself, while it's only installed on a partition. Windows simply doesn't recognise the hard disk anymore, not the basic partition, nor the Linux partition.

Thanks a lot for any help !!

[yuorz]

Grub is installed on the MBR of the boot drive but the files for it are on the linux partition, which is why it needs to be plugged it to boot properly. As for the other partition of the removeable HD is the partition set up as something that windows can read (such as NTFS not ext2/3 or linux types), if not try partition magic on windows or the partitioner in your linux distro.

[devils casper]

hi Dyte !

Welcome to the Forums !

if your lappy's BIOS support boot up from External HardDisk, then install GRUB in External and remove it from internal disk. in case, BIOS doesn't support, create /boot partition in internal disk.

Also, since I installed Linux on it, I can only access my whole external hard drive from Linux itsself, while it's only installed on a partition. Windows simply doesn't recognise the hard disk anymore, not the basic partition, nor the Linux partition.

post the output of 'fdisk -l' command.





Casper

[rong]

I'm having trouble figuring out what you are saying so instead of guessing I'll ask some specific questions and see if we can help.

When you boot with the external drive attached are you able to run both Windows and Linux or are you saying that you can no longer boot into Windows regardless of whether or not the external drive is attached?

Also, since I installed Linux on it, I can only access my whole external hard drive from Linux itsself, while it's only installed on a partition. Windows simply doesn't recognise the hard disk anymore, not the basic partition, nor the Linux partition.

What drives and partitions are you 'specifially' talking about? What do you mean by 'basic partition' and 'linux partition'. Are you familiar with the linux drive and partitioning nomenclature? E.g. hda, hda1, sda, and so forth? If so it would help to use these terms to describe what you mean.

[Dyte]

Hi guys! Thanks for the welcoming and the quick response.
devils_casper, this is the output of fdisk -l :

-----------
Disk /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9728 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 4865 39078071 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 4866 9729 39070080 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5 4866 7945 24740068+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda6 7946 9729 14329948+ b W95 FAT32

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059390016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 19408 155894728+ 1c Hidden W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 * 19473 30401 87787192+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 19409 19472 514080 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order
-----------

rong,
I'm quite new to Linux, that's probably why I sound so confused =).
But...

When you boot with the external drive attached are you able to run both Windows and Linux or are you saying that you can no longer boot into Windows regardless of whether or not the external drive is attached?

With the external drive attached, I can start up both. When it's not, neither of them works, and it freezes on the GRUB screen.

What drives and partitions are you 'specifially' talking about? What do you mean by 'basic partition' and 'linux partition'. Are you familiar with the linux drive and partitioning nomenclature? E.g. hda, hda1, sda, and so forth? If so it would help to use these terms to describe what you mean.

I'm not familiar with what you mentioned, but I'll just describe what I've done.
In PartitionMagic, I chose for install a new operating system. I followed the wizard, and it created two partitions for me on my external drive, the main partition for linux, and a 'swap' partition.
Then something funny happened with this external hard drive. Though I'm able to access it in Linux (graphically: it's labeled as Windows (/dev/sda1) ), I can't access it anymore in Windows, not even on another computer. Windows recognizes it, but it doesn't appear in 'my computer'.
When I open Partitionmagic again, I see that the whole external drive is colored yellow and labeled as 'BAD'.
It seems like something has gone wrong in the installation of Linux? Should I backup the files on my external drive, format it, and install Linux again perhaps?

Thanks again, and if I was unclear at a part, or if you need further information, let me know

[gogalthorp]

Hi guys! Thanks for the welcoming and the quick response.
devils_casper, this is the output of fdisk -l :

-----------
Disk /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9728 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 4865 39078071 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 4866 9729 39070080 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5 4866 7945 24740068+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda6 7946 9729 14329948+ b W95 FAT32

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059390016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 19408 155894728+ 1c Hidden W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 * 19473 30401 87787192+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 19409 19472 514080 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order
-----------

rong,
I'm quite new to Linux, that's probably why I sound so confused =).
But...

With the external drive attached, I can start up both. When it's not, neither of them works, and it freezes on the GRUB screen.



I'm not familiar with what you mentioned, but I'll just describe what I've done.
In PartitionMagic, I chose for install a new operating system. I followed the wizard, and it created two partitions for me on my external drive, the main partition for linux, and a 'swap' partition.
Then something funny happened with this external hard drive. Though I'm able to access it in Linux (graphically: it's labeled as Windows (/dev/sda1) ), I can't access it anymore in Windows, not even on another computer. Windows recognizes it, but it doesn't appear in 'my computer'.
When I open Partitionmagic again, I see that the whole external drive is colored yellow and labeled as 'BAD'.
It seems like something has gone wrong in the installation of Linux? Should I backup the files on my external drive, format it, and install Linux again perhaps?

Thanks again, and if I was unclear at a part, or if you need further information, let me know

I'm guessing since you made the partitions with Partion Magic it has labled the partions as windows.

It would be best when install Linux to let the installer create the partions rather then some other "windows" based program. Also Suse likes to install in 3 partions - swap root and home. This is the best way since all your personal setting and data are in home you get to keep them if you reinstall or even if you change distros.

[monday90]

If its any help, after using partition magic one of my hard drives came up bad and was no longer accessable under windows. I found that if you run the suse installation disk again when you get to the partitioning part yast was able to correct the table. Alternatively try booting off the partition magic cd with the drive attached (its hardware detection works slightly differently and it may be able to correct your partition table).

[rong]

Partition Magic and similiar tools often as not make things worse rather than working as they should. It is likely that that is the root cause of the issues.

Yes, I think the best thing for you to do would be to reinstall Linux BUT this time, as suggested by another poster, let SUSE to the partitioning for you and it's a good bet that the outcome will be favorable. When you get to the partitioning 'options' take some time to learn what each option means and does. As an added benefit you get more experience each time you do an installation and in your case the 'partitioning' portion should be a good way to gain more knowledge re: the jargon of linux partitions. Doing installations over and over again is a great way to get comfortable with some important Linux components. Patience goes a long way in working with linux!

Hope this helps.

ron

[Dyte]

It certainly did!
I know what to do now =) I'll do what you said and I'll let you know how it went.
*bows in gratitude to everyone*

-Dyte

[devils casper]

WAIT A Minute !! Linux re-install wont work. nothing is wrong with installation or Partition Magic or anything else.

/dev/sda1 1 19408 155894728+ 1c Hidden W95 FAT32 (LBA)

Partition Magic created a Windows based Extended Partition and Logical Linux partitions. therefore its listed as Windows FAT32.

Problem is, GRUB is installed in MBR of internal disk but its files are in External Disk. if you boot up without External disk, GRUB couldn't find its files.

as i suggested earlier, if your machine supports booting up from External Harddisk, remove GRUB from internal Harddisk and install it in MBR of External disk. in case, machine doesn't support External boot up, create /boot partition in internal harddisk.
if you going to re-install, install GRUB in MBR of External Harddisk. BUT problem is, if your machine doesn't support boot up from External Harddisk, you wont be able to boot up Linux.





Casper