grub-install problem

**chelmite** · 02-16-2007

I'm trying to install SuSe 10.2. Everything worked except for loading grub.

I get the message:

Code:

GNU GRUB version 0.97 (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)

[Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB
lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
completions of a device/filename.]
grub> setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0) (/dev/hda,7)

Error 23; Error while parsing number
grub>quit

Based on http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=462538#post_message_2328003
I did the following, but still can't get grub-install to install grub.

Boot from suse dvd and chose "rescue system".

Code:

Rescue:/ # cd /mnt/
Rescue:/ # mkdir suse
Read-only file system.
Rescue:/ # cd /var
Rescue:/ # mkdir suse
Rescue:/ # mount /dev/hda6 suse (/dev/hda6 is my root partition)
Rescue:/ # mount -t proc /proc suse/proc
Rescue:/ # chroot suse
Rescue:/ # grub-install /dev/hda
/dev/hda: Not found or not a block device.
Rescue:/ # grub-install /dev/hda8
/dev/hda8: Not found or not a block device.
Rescue:/ # cat /proc/partitions
major minor  #blocks  name
   7     0      28920 loop0
   7     1      28920 loop1
   3     0  156290904 hda
   3     1   41985846 hda1
   3     2          1 hda2
   3     3   22073310 hda3
   3     5      24066 hda5
   3     6   87032106 hda6
   3     7     658633 hda7
   3     8    3020188 hda8
   8     0  390711384 sda
...

My disk is set up as:

Code:

Device      size  Type          Mount         Start     End
/dev/hda  149.0G                                 0   19.456
/dev/hda1  40.0G HPFS/NTFS    /windows/C         0    5,226
/dev/hda2  86.5G Extended                    5,413   16,708
/dev/hda3  21.0G Linux native /hda3         16,709   19,456
/dev/hda5  23.5M Linux native /hda5          5,413    5,415
/dev/hda7 643.1M Linux swap   Swap           5,416    5,497
/dev/hda6  83.0G Linux native /              5,498   16,332
/dev/hda8   2.8G Linux native /boot         16,333   16,708

**44139** · 02-16-2007

which partition is active? structure looks ok, though It may not have picked up hda8 properly. use fdisk CAREFULLY in Windows from MS-DOS prompt-just view it, You'll see a big "A" to indicate THE active partition, you MUST have ONE!!! -don't change anything-yet!!!!-or you'll be re-installing what you change from scratch!!

**devils casper** · 02-16-2007

hi chelmite !!

boot up from SuSe installation CD/DVD and select Installation. select 'Upgrade' option in Next screen. dont select any new package. just click next, next and next. Installer will re-install GRUB.
if it doesn't work, post the output of 'fdisk -l' command and contents of /boot/grub/menu.lst file.

Casper

**chelmite** · 02-16-2007

devils_casper: Did you mean "Update"?
44139: What seems wrong with hda8? I'll add the other columns.

I edited the config files /boot/grub/menu.lst to make references to /dev/hda,6 instead of /dev/hda,7 to match the /dev/hda6 entries and to match the partition numbers shown by the Partition Tool.

I also changed /etc/grub.conf from
setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0) (/dev/hda,7)
to
setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0) (/dev/hda,6)

Boot from Master Boot Record
Set active Flag in Partition Table for Boot Partition (wasn't checked before)

/boot/grub/device.map contents:
(fd0) /dev/fd0

After I click "Next", I get the error:
grub> setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0) (/dev/hda,7)
Error 23: Error while parsing number
grub> quit

Why does the partition number change from "6" to "7"?

**devils casper** · 02-17-2007

Originally Posted by chelmite

Did you mean "Update"?

yes. but i think it wont work now coz you have edited menu.lst file.
post the output of fdisk -l command and contents of menu.lst file.

Casper

**chelmite** · 02-19-2007

The only way I can get to fdisk is through the rescue system.
The resulting report is too long & tedious to copy by hand.
What services do I need to start to copy the output to either a USB memory stick or run ssh to another system?

**devils casper** · 02-19-2007

you have to mount USB stick. create mount point and mount USB stick.

Code:

mkdir usb_stick
mount -t vfat /dev/sda1 usb_stick

i assumed that USB stick has FAT32 filesystem.

Casper

**chelmite** · 02-21-2007

Here's the output from fdisk -l: (Thanks for the tip on exporting the text to usb. It sure beats typing it out!)

Code:

% cat /etc/menu.conf
setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0) (/dev/hda,7)
quit
%} cat /boot/grub/device.map
(fd0)   /dev/fd0
% cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Tue Feb 20 00:50:04 PST 2007
default 0
timeout 8
##YaST - generic_mbr
##YaST - activate
debug

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 10.2
    root (/dev/hda,7)
    kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda8 resume=/dev/mapper/sil_afbibhcabdcg_part1 splash=silent showopts
    initrd /initrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
    rootnoverify (hd0,0)
    chainloader (fd0)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 10.2
    root (/dev/hda,7)
    kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda8 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume edd=off 3
    initrd /initrd
% fdisk -l

Disk /dev/hda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1               1        5227    41985846    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2   *        5414       16709    90735120    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda3           16710       19457    22073310   83  Linux
/dev/hda5            5414        5416       24066   83  Linux
/dev/hda6            5499       16333    87032106   83  Linux
/dev/hda7            5417        5498      658633+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/hda8           16334       16709     3020188+  83  Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sda: 400.0 GB, 400088457216 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 48641 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1         523     4200966   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2             524       48641   386507835   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 300.0 GB, 300069052416 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36481 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1         523     4200966   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2             524       36481   288832635   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdc: 300.0 GB, 300069052416 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36481 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1               1         523     4200966   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc2             524       36481   288832635   fd  Linux raid autodetect

**devils casper** · 02-21-2007

everything seems OK. post the contents of Fedora's grub.conf file too.
if Windows OS is booting up, install fs-driver in Windows. it will mount all Linux Partitions and you will have read/write access on Linux Partition in Windows.

Casper

**chelmite** · 02-22-2007

Code:

% cat /etc/grub.conf
setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0) (/dev/hda,7)
setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (/dev/hda,7) (/dev/hda,7)
quit

(A second "setup" line has appeared!)

I don't have windows running. (That's another problem yet to be solved.)
If I use the SuSE 10.2 install dvd, I can click on Installation, Other, Boot Installed System, and get linux running. It would be better if I didn't have to use the dvd to boot the system.

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