problems using grub

Robert L Cochran cochranb at speakeasy.net
Thu Oct 23 02:55:50 UTC 2003


If you post the text of your /boot/grub/grub.conf, that would help a 
lot. Also post the output of 'df -h' You can get all this information 
simply and quickly by:

1. Make sure your CD drive is the first boot device -- go into BIOS to 
make sure
2. Put Fedora CD #1 in the CD drive
3. Reboot computer; at the boot: prompt enter 'linux rescue'
4. After your system has been mounted enter 'chroot /mnt/sysimage'
5. Mount a floppy disk
6. 'df -h > /mnt/floppy/df.txt'
7. 'cp -a /boot/grub/grub.conf /mnt/floppy'
8. 'umount /mnt/floppy', then remove the floppy.
9. 'exit'
10. 'exit'

Have you actually read a grub tutorial and learned how to make a Grub 
boot disk and reinstall Grub itself? Hint: try the IBM DeveloperWorks 
tutorial on Grub. :-)

I do not know how you "took off RAID" on your system. Are you using 
software RAID? Just how did you disable RAID?

My suggestion is to read the RAID HOWTOs that are on 
http://www.tldp.org/ (The Linux Documentation Project), and try to 
troubleshoot your RAID problem. Sometimes it can take a while to clearly 
understand how devices work with software RAID, if that is what you are 
using, but once you do, it is all a snap and the problem goes away with 
the corrected config files.

I suppose you could find Lilo from somewhere, do a Google search for it. 
But installing it will be tough to do and you will face the same issues 
with RAID. What is another bootloader going to do for you? If you messed 
up your RAID configuration in a panic, a different bootloader is not 
going to be a magic cure.

Bob




Globe Trotter wrote:
> Thanks a lot! But my problem seems to exist even when I have disabled the raid
> device. Any ideas as to how I can get a new bootloader?
> 
> Thanks again and best wishes!
> 
> 
> --- Robert L Cochran <cochranb at speakeasy.net> wrote:
> 
>>If you are doing RAID1, then in your grub.conf file entry:
>>
>>kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.22-1.2097.nptl ro root=/dev/md1
>>initrd /initrd-2.4.22-1.2097.nptl.img
>>
>>The key parameter is passing root=/dev/md1 (or whatever your RAID device 
>>configuration is for the root partition of the RAIDed disks). I use RAID 
>>1 with 2 hard disks, and mirror /boot and /, and never had a problem I 
>>couldn't fix. Sometimes it just takes a little experimentation and try, 
>>try again.
>>
>>Bob
>>
>>
>>
>>Globe Trotter wrote:
>>
>>>OK, I decided to give installing Fedora Core Test3 a try on my Dell
>>
>>Dimension
>>
>>>650 Dual HDD, Dual Intel Processor and have had several several frustrating
>>>hours. I am in need of help!
>>>
>>>First problem: I have RAID on the system. Installing with Grub meant a
>>
>>blinking
>>
>>>light after grub stage 2 and precious little more. So I took off RAID
>>>completely, with not much difference in results. Except that sometimes I
>>
>>can
>>
>>>hit the escape button and then the graphical screen for booting in does
>>
>>show
>>
>>>up. I have still been unable to reproduce this reliably enough to find a
>>>pattern in this madness. It works sometimes, but then sometimes not. Can
>>>someone please help me out here?
>>>
>>>While installing, I was offered the choice of creating a boot diskette.
>>
>>When I
>>
>>>happily lapped up the opportunity, I was told that my kernels were far too
>>
>>big
>>
>>>to fit in a floppy. An option to write to a CD or several diskettes would
>>
>>be
>>
>>>really great here!
>>>
>>>Also, is it possible to get into interactive startup? I have tried fixing
>>
>>my
>>
>>>finger on "i" to no avail. Of course, the more pressing problem currently
>>
>>is
>>
>>>how to get a reliable boot into the machine.
>>>
>>>Finally, and this is very important, because I want to bring back RAID on
>>
>>my
>>
>>>system: how do I install another bootloader? I am somewhat of a newbie but
>>
>>an
>>
>>>adventurous (perhaps foolish) one at that, so could you please tell me what
>>
>>I
>>
>>>have to do to bring up LILO boot as an option. Assuming of course, I can
>>
>>get
>>
>>>into the system the next time I reboot (right now it is blinking grubbily
>>
>>at me
>>
>>>and refusing my esc carrot).
>>>
>>>I understand that the grub coalition may come at me for throwing a spanner
>>
>>into
>>
>>>their notions of enforced choice, but here I am, having read and tried all
>>
>>the
>>
>>>posts on GRUB and RAID and whatnot but still stuck. I prefer the look of
>>
>>GRUB
>>
>>>but am happier with a grubbier-looking LILO which works for me....
>>>
>>>Thanks and best wishes!
>>>
>>>
>>>__________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>>--
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>>>fedora-test-list at redhat.com
>>>http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-test-list
>>>
>>>
>>
>>-- 
>>Bob Cochran
>>Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
>>http://greenbeltcomputer.biz/
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>fedora-test-list mailing list
>>fedora-test-list at redhat.com
>>http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-test-list
> 
> 
> 
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> 

-- 
Bob Cochran
Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
http://greenbeltcomputer.biz/






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