Some Grub Questions
spent the last two days "upgrading" my systems by installing 9.0. In the process I've encountered several problems with Grub. First, I'd like to remove grub from the system and replace with LILO, or at least that's my thought at the moment. With LILO I could simply boot the 98se drive to DOS and type "fdisk /mbr." Doesn't seem to work with grub. What do I need to know about GRUB in order to remove it? Second, I'm currently getting the following error message at boot: GRUB Loading Stage 2 . . . graphics file "(hd1,1) /dev/null" missing, press a key to continue . . . which give me a text loading screen. What is the file I'm missing, where do I go get it, and where do I place it once I've found a copy. The box is configured as follows: sda (winders) needed for wife's work sdb (SuSE 8.2) my current mail box sdc (SuSE 9.0) where I'd like to migrate everything My goal was to first update sdb from 7.3 to 8.2 as I'm fairly comfortable with this release having run it on another box for a while. That didn't migrate as well as I had hoped, it wouldn't boot, so I ended up attempting doing a repair with the SuSE 9.0 CD. I got a lot of error message from the SuSE distro CD attempting the repair, but I'm working off that release right now so the mail stuff seems to be stable for now. I then did a new install of 9.0 on sdc. I had GREAT difficulty getting the boot loader to go anywhere but sda which isn't my first choice (IBM 73 G SCSI drive that is not fully stable) but that is where it is at the moment. Grub wouldn't write to the floppy, and while it would write to sdc or sdb, these choices resulted in either a "no operating system" message or a grub hard halt display with GRUB and two spaces followed by a flashing cursor. I've got a few more GRUB questions, but I'll save those for later. dave -- David C. Johanson Linux Counter # 116410 Powered by SuSE Linux 7.3 People who behold a phenomenon will often extend their thinking beyond it; people who merely hear about the phenomenon will not be moved to think at all. -- Goethe
First, the DOS fdisk with the /mbr parameter should reset the master
boot record regardless of whether you have LILO or Grub installed. I am
using Grub, and after learning it, I find it considerably superior to
LILO. The first reason is that it inserts code into the MBR to boot a
stage2. The stage2 boots your target OS based on a menu. In contrast,
LILO inserts code into the MBR to boot a specific kernel, so that each
time you install a new kernel, you must also run LILO. Another advantage
of GRUB is that you can easily add elements to boot up with a different
profile.
But, the transition from LILO to Grub is something new.
In short, when setting up GRUB, a grub subdirectory is added in your
/boot directory. This is where the stage2 is located. The menu
(menu.lst) is also located there.
The simplest way to either fix GRUB or install LILO is to use YaST.
Click on System/Boot Loader Configuration
The first thing you want to do is to select boot loader type. Your
choices are GRUB, LILO, and none. Then follow instructions from there.
Then, I would recommend that you do install GRUB at a later date once
you are comfortable with 9.0. Note that when installing 9.0, I installed
9.0 into a separate disk and maintained a triple boot for a while,
Windows ME, SuSE 8.2 and SuSE 9.0.
On Sat, 24 Jul 2004 14:43:01 -0400
David Johanson
spent the last two days "upgrading" my systems by installing 9.0. In the process I've encountered several problems with Grub.
First, I'd like to remove grub from the system and replace with LILO, or at least that's my thought at the moment. With LILO I could simply boot the 98se drive to DOS and type "fdisk /mbr." Doesn't seem to work with grub. What do I need to know about GRUB in order to remove it?
Second, I'm currently getting the following error message at boot:
GRUB Loading Stage 2 . . . graphics file "(hd1,1) /dev/null" missing, press a key to continue . . .
which give me a text loading screen. What is the file I'm missing, where do I go get it, and where do I place it once I've found a copy.
The box is configured as follows: sda (winders) needed for wife's work sdb (SuSE 8.2) my current mail box sdc (SuSE 9.0) where I'd like to migrate everything
My goal was to first update sdb from 7.3 to 8.2 as I'm fairly comfortable with this release having run it on another box for a while. That didn't migrate as well as I had hoped, it wouldn't boot, so I ended up attempting doing a repair with the SuSE 9.0 CD. I got a lot of error message from the SuSE distro CD attempting the repair, but I'm working off that release right now so the mail stuff seems to be stable for now. I then did a new install of 9.0 on sdc. I had GREAT difficulty getting the boot loader to go anywhere but sda which isn't my first choice (IBM 73 G SCSI drive that is not fully stable) but that is where it is at the moment. Grub wouldn't write to the floppy, and while it would write to sdc or sdb, these choices resulted in either a "no operating system" message or a grub hard halt display with GRUB and two spaces followed by a flashing cursor.
I've got a few more GRUB questions, but I'll save those for later.
dave -- David C. Johanson Linux Counter # 116410 Powered by SuSE Linux 7.3
People who behold a phenomenon will often extend their thinking beyond it; people who merely hear about the phenomenon will not be moved to think at all. -- Goethe
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Jerry Feldman
Jerry Feldman wrote:
First, the DOS fdisk with the /mbr parameter should reset the master boot record regardless of whether you have LILO or Grub installed. I am using Grub, and after learning it, I find it considerably superior to LILO. The first reason is that it inserts code into the MBR to boot a stage2. The stage2 boots your target OS based on a menu. In contrast, LILO inserts code into the MBR to boot a specific kernel, so that each time you install a new kernel, you must also run LILO. Another advantage of GRUB is that you can easily add elements to boot up with a different profile. But, the transition from LILO to Grub is something new. In short, when setting up GRUB, a grub subdirectory is added in your /boot directory. This is where the stage2 is located. The menu (menu.lst) is also located there.
The simplest way to either fix GRUB or install LILO is to use YaST. Click on System/Boot Loader Configuration The first thing you want to do is to select boot loader type. Your choices are GRUB, LILO, and none. Then follow instructions from there.
Precisely what I did (ctrl pnl | YaST2 modules | system | Boot Loader Configuration) and YaST said oh no, can't do that. Cant install to the drive with 8.2, can't install tot he drive with 9.0, and can't install to a floppy. Every time it said it was having big issues. I finally did load grub to the wniders drive, the first drive in the system. But that's not what I desired to do AND fdisk /mbr does not remove grub from the system.?????
Then, I would recommend that you do install GRUB at a later date once you are comfortable with 9.0. Note that when installing 9.0, I installed 9.0 into a separate disk and maintained a triple boot for a while, Windows ME, SuSE 8.2 and SuSE 9.0.
Which is exactly what I desired. Any other suggestions greatly appreciated. dave
On Sat, 24 Jul 2004 14:43:01 -0400 David Johanson
wrote: spent the last two days "upgrading" my systems by installing 9.0. In the process I've encountered several problems with Grub.
First, I'd like to remove grub from the system and replace with LILO, or at least that's my thought at the moment. With LILO I could simply boot the 98se drive to DOS and type "fdisk /mbr." Doesn't seem to work with grub. What do I need to know about GRUB in order to remove it?
Second, I'm currently getting the following error message at boot:
GRUB Loading Stage 2 . . . graphics file "(hd1,1) /dev/null" missing, press a key to continue . . .
which give me a text loading screen. What is the file I'm missing, where do I go get it, and where do I place it once I've found a copy.
The box is configured as follows: sda (winders) needed for wife's work sdb (SuSE 8.2) my current mail box sdc (SuSE 9.0) where I'd like to migrate everything
My goal was to first update sdb from 7.3 to 8.2 as I'm fairly comfortable with this release having run it on another box for a while. That didn't migrate as well as I had hoped, it wouldn't boot, so I ended up attempting doing a repair with the SuSE 9.0 CD. I got a lot of error message from the SuSE distro CD attempting the repair, but I'm working off that release right now so the mail stuff seems to be stable for now. I then did a new install of 9.0 on sdc. I had GREAT difficulty getting the boot loader to go anywhere but sda which isn't my first choice (IBM 73 G SCSI drive that is not fully stable) but that is where it is at the moment. Grub wouldn't write to the floppy, and while it would write to sdc or sdb, these choices resulted in either a "no operating system" message or a grub hard halt display with GRUB and two spaces followed by a flashing cursor.
I've got a few more GRUB questions, but I'll save those for later.
dave -- David C. Johanson Linux Counter # 116410 Powered by SuSE Linux 7.3
People who behold a phenomenon will often extend their thinking beyond it; people who merely hear about the phenomenon will not be moved to think at all. -- Goethe
-- Check the headers for your unsubscription address For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the archives at http://lists.suse.com Please read the FAQs: suse-linux-e-faq@suse.com
-- David C. Johanson Linux Counter # 116410 Powered by SuSE Linux 7.3 People who behold a phenomenon will often extend their thinking beyond it; people who merely hear about the phenomenon will not be moved to think at all. -- Goethe
On Sunday 25 July 2004 02:10 pm, David Johanson wrote:
Precisely what I did (ctrl pnl | YaST2 modules | system | Boot Loader Configuration) and YaST said oh no, can't do that. Cant install to the drive with 8.2, can't install tot he drive with 9.0, and can't install to a floppy. Every time it said it was having big issues. I finally did load grub to the wniders drive, the first drive in the system. But that's not what I desired to do AND fdisk /mbr does not remove grub from the system.?????
You are booting from a dos disk which has fdisk on it before you try the fdisk /mbr aren't you? Also your dos/windows disk must be active. I would boot with the dos disk, do c: enter to see if you can look at your first drive and if you can then do the fdisk without the mbr switch to see which disk is active. From the dialog that is present you can select the drive you want to play with, make it active then do the mbr thing by closing fdisk and reboot with your dos disk, THEN do fdisk /mbr. It may be a little convoluted but that should restore the mbr on your first harddrive. Once you have that done, you can boot from the cd or dvd and do what the others have suggested. Richard
Thanks Richard - Richard Atcheson wrote:
On Sunday 25 July 2004 02:10 pm, David Johanson wrote:
<snip>
You are booting from a dos disk which has fdisk on it before you try the fdisk /mbr aren't you?
Absolutely
Also your dos/windows disk must be active. I would boot with the dos disk, do c: enter to see if you can look at your first drive and if you can then do the fdisk without the mbr switch to see which disk is active. From the dialog that is present you can select the drive you want to play with, make it active then do the mbr thing by closing fdisk and reboot with your dos disk, THEN do fdisk /mbr. It may be a little convoluted but that should restore the mbr on your first harddrive.
Amazing, just amazing. Since the beginning of my computer playing I've used ONLY SCSI drives in my systems. This mailbox marks the first time I've added an IDE drive into the system. Sooooo, I never ever even gave a moments thought to which drive's MBR I was trying to reset. Just as you've suggested, it wasn't Drive C: but rather drive K: which is the IDE data drive that was just added into the system. Live and learn, again.
Once you have that done, you can boot from the cd or dvd and do what the others have suggested.
Richard
Thanks again, dave -- David C. Johanson Linux Counter # 116410 Powered by SuSE Linux 7.3 People who behold a phenomenon will often extend their thinking beyond it; people who merely hear about the phenomenon will not be moved to think at all. -- Goethe
participants (3)
-
David Johanson
-
Jerry Feldman
-
Richard Atcheson