Grub stage1 file error

[major]

On 2003.10.04 05:21, Ossama Khayaat wrote:
> Hi,
> After installing fedora core on my Toshiba laptop and restarted, I
> didn't get the boot screen. I'm sure I chose to install a boot loader
> (grub).
> Anyway, I booted with my first CD and use 'linux rescue' to install
> the boot loader (just thought something is wrong).
> It turned to be that file /boot/grub/stage1 couldn't be read!
> I used 'rpm -V grub' and didn't get any error at all.
> I tried removing and installing the package again, but still no use.
> I checked the MD5SUM of the ISO images and they are also fine.
> 
> Any suggestions?
> 
> Regards,
> Ossama Khayat

I do not have Fedora Linux installed yet, but my experience with Red 
Hat Linux may be useful.

A conceptual error is being made regarding what installing the GRUB rpm 
actually does. This error is fairly common since even the GRUB 
documentation uses the word "install" in two different ways.

INSTALL #1: Installation of the rpm using "rpm -Uvh grub-XXX.rpm" or 
something similar places the various GRUB directories, executables, 
documentation, and other files appropriately so that they can be used 
later by the administrator to place the bootloader on whatever floppy 
or hard disk devices are required.
Use "rpm -ql grub" to see which files were installed from the GRUB rpm.
Use "rpm -q --scripts grub" to see any scripts that run before or after 
install, or before or after uninstall, which could alter those files.

INSTALL #2: Copy the files "stage1", "stage2", and "*stage1_5" from "/
usr/share/grub/i386-redhat" or "/usr/share/grub/i386-pc" to "/boot/
grub". Create an appropriate "/boot/grub/grub.conf". Running the "grub" 
binary executable or the "grub-install" shell executable with the 
appropriate options and arguments installs the bootloader "stage 1" in 
the appropriate boot sector, the filesystem specific "stage 1.5" if 
needed in the following sectors, and any runtime-created files in "/
boot/grub".
Use "info grub" or "info grub-install" to see the documentation.

Installing the GRUB rpm does not affect the contents of "/boot/grub", 
which is why verifying that rpm does not show errors. Setup of the 
bootloader and the files in "/boot/grub" is usually done when the core 
distribution is first loaded from CDROMs and the distribution installer 
asks the administrator whether or not to setup GRUB, but this does not 
show details of what exactly happens.

Beware that the use of "grub-install" is deprecated by the GRUB 
developers because it may not interact correctly with various BIOS 
versions on certain systems.

Beware that the configuration file is named differently by the GRUB 
developers than by the Red Hat developers. The GRUB developers use 
"menu.lst", meaning "menu list", while the Red Hat developers use 
"grub.conf", meaning "GRUB configuration". A symbolic link from "menu.
lst" to "grub.conf" can be used if one desires.

Beware that some systems may use "/grub" instead of "/boot/grub".

Also, beware that on Red Hat systems, the "redhat-logos" package places 
a compressed splash image file that is used during boot in "/boot/
grub". Red Hat altered the GRUB source code to accomodate the use of a 
splash image, "grub.conf" instead of "menu.lst", "i386-redhat" instead 
of "i386-pc", and other changes that may not be supported by the 
original GRUB developers.


-----------------
major at satx.rr.com