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bcatanzaro
June 25th, 2010, 12:18 AM
Hi,

I had Ubuntu 9.04 working great (single O/S PC), but on an old MB. I upgraded another PC and scavenged an: ASUS P5B-E MB w/3 GB RAM. I hooked up my IDE drive and booted. I got the infamous GRUB error:

GRUB Loading stage 1.5.
GRUB loading please wait...
Error 21

Booting off of the LiveCD, I can see my old drive. I can identify the boot partition. I cannot repair the GRUB.

1. Is it true that GRUB doesn't work with this MB + IDE drives?
2. Can I repair GRUB?
3. Should I replace GRUB with LILO?
4. Can I recover without trashing my files?

Thanks!

P.S. Already tried the straightforward: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1146056 . (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1146056)
No errors were generated. Didn't help...

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0002b64b

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 24316 195318238+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 24317 60801 293065762+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 60664 60801 1108453+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 24317 48631 195310174+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 48632 60663 96647008+ b W95 FAT32

Partition table entries are not in disk order
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

oldfred
June 25th, 2010, 01:32 AM
http://members.iinet.net.au/~herman546/p15.html#21

I would think the reinstall of grub legacy should have worked.

Try running boot info script to see what is where.

Boot Info Script courtesy of forum member meierfra
Page with instructions and download:
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/
Paste results.txt, then highlight entire file and click on # in edit panel(code tags) to make it easier to read.

bcatanzaro
June 25th, 2010, 02:13 AM
Tx oldfred


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Grub 0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive
in partition #1 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 9.04
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/menu.lst /etc/fstab

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda7: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0002b64b

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 390,636,539 390,636,477 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 390,636,540 976,768,064 586,131,525 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 974,551,158 976,768,064 2,216,907 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 390,636,666 781,257,014 390,620,349 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 781,257,078 974,551,094 193,294,017 b W95 FAT32


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ext3
/dev/sda5 d6578777-cbe1-4c8c-97b9-eea05a58f8f6 swap
/dev/sda6 c9ed1eee-c840-4ffe-be7c-98d36e090a21 ext3
/dev/sda7 BC14-7232 vfat

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (rw)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (rw)


=========================== sda1/boot/grub/menu.lst: ===========================

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
## indomU=true
## indomU=false
# indomU=detect

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-19-generic
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-19-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-19-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-19-generic (recovery mode)
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-19-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-19-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-18-generic
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-18-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-18-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-18-generic (recovery mode)
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-18-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-18-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-17-generic
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-17-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-17-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-17-generic (recovery mode)
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-17-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-17-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-16-generic
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-16-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-16-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-16-generic (recovery mode)
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-16-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-16-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

=============================== sda1/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'vol_id --uuid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=a5062c99-dc9d-41e5-91c1-cdadc1dab978 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /home was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=c9ed1eee-c840-4ffe-be7c-98d36e090a21 /home ext3 relatime 0 2
# /windows was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=BC14-7232 /windows vfat utf8,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=d6578777-cbe1-4c8c-97b9-eea05a58f8f6 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


65.5GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
65.5GB: boot/grub/stage2
65.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
65.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-16-generic
65.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-17-generic
65.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-18-generic
65.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-19-generic
65.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic
65.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-16-generic
65.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-17-generic
65.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-18-generic
65.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-19-generic
65.5GB: initrd.img
65.6GB: initrd.img.old
65.5GB: vmlinuz
65.5GB: vmlinuz.old

oldfred
June 25th, 2010, 04:57 AM
I do not see anything wrong with the results.txt. Since you only have Ubuntu you will not see the menu, so perhaps it is something in the install.

Have you pressed escape from the BIOS until a menu appears to see if you get the menu. Then try booting the recovery. In 9.04, it only gets you to a command line it it works.

bcatanzaro
June 25th, 2010, 05:39 AM
Not sure I understand.

1. Rebooted
2. Pressed ESC repeatedly after BIOS
3. Got:

GRUB Loading Stage 1.5.
GRUB Loading please wait...
Error 21

ESC seemed to have no impact. Are you saying ESC is supposed to bypass GRUB and put me into command line/console Linux or into command line GRUB or ...?

oldfred
June 25th, 2010, 06:11 AM
No escape would get you a menu. But if grub is not loading at all it will not work.

Are you sure you did the full reinstall to the MBR?

How to restore the Ubuntu/XP/Vista/7 bootloader (Updated for Ubuntu 9.10)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708

You may have to chroot into your system from a liveCD and run updates and the install from there.
chroot to repair
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=8068512&postcount=10

bcatanzaro
June 25th, 2010, 06:42 AM
Faithfully executed restoring the bootloader. Followed 9.10 instructions by accident at first. Followed up with 9.04 instructions. All steps from terminal + grub executed without error.

Rebooted...still the same result.

I don't understand the "chroot to repair". At the terminal prompt, typing "grub" results in:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ grub
The program 'grub' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing:
sudo apt-get install grub
grub: command not found
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

So, I dutifully installed using apt-get. Was that OK?

bcatanzaro
June 25th, 2010, 04:25 PM
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=341493
Says this MB doesn't support GRUB. Could this be true?

Can I convert to LILO as suggested? I don't understand how to do that with a system that won't load the O/S...

oldfred
June 25th, 2010, 04:45 PM
That was back in 2007. Did you update BIOS and I would think by now most other problems would have been fixed, but you are not installing the newest Ubuntu either.

It does not hurt to experiment. You can try lilo, I have only suggested its boot loader in the MBR to boot windows. You have to install part of it to the PBR and set the boot flag (same as windows).

bcatanzaro
June 25th, 2010, 10:53 PM
I saw (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=341493) was long ago. This is an old MB (remember I scavenged it) so I can't remember the last time I updated the BIOS. Now without a Win O/S or a floppy drive, I'm not sure I can flash the BIOS.

The Lilo directions I found implied that I need to install it from a functioning O/S. I'm not sure I can install it from the Ubuntu boot disk onto an existing O/S.

Using the boot disk, I could access my documents and push them onto a network drive. At this point, I'm almost happy to just wipe out the O/S and reinstall everything with the lastest Ubuntu. If I have to re-install, I'll likely put on Ubuntu 10.04-64 bit. Am I likely to have just as hard a time?

oldfred
June 25th, 2010, 11:43 PM
Often a install of grub2 when really wanting grub legacy confuses legacy and neither work. The you have to chroot into system uninstall both and reinstall one or the other.

If the computer is that old is it compatible with 64bit?

If you can boot from a liveCD or USB key you can chroot into a system and do anything. Chroot uses the operating system from the liveCD but CHange ROOT so all the operations are on the problem system.

IF you are willing to do a new install that would be the cleanest but we like to break things and then try to fix even if it takes days.:smile: My last install from a USB key took 9 minutes (but I had to figure out the nomodeset issue or my monitor went to sleep).