grub2 can not find device for /, big mess-up

[meierfra.]

grub loading.
error: no such disk
grub rescue>_

At least a little bit of progress. Just to make things simpler unplug the non Ubuntu drive. Then post the output of the following commands at the "grub rescue" prompt:

ls
set 
ls (hd0,2)/
set root=(hd0,2)
set prefix=(hd0,2)/boot/grub
insmod ext2
insmod linux
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda2 ro 
initrd /initrd.img
boot

[lindsay7]

Ok, I will do that in a minute. Here is the boot info script as of now..

                Boot Info Script 0.55    dated February 15th, 2010                    

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

 => Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks for 
    (UUID=fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175)/boot/grub.
 => Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks on the same drive in 
    partition #2 for /boot/grub.

sda1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Grub 2
    Boot sector info:  Grub 2 is installed in the boot sector of sda1 and 
                       looks at sector 617199464 of the same hard drive for 
                       core.img, but core.img can not be found at this 
                       location. No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   /bootmgr /Boot/BCD

sdb1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  Windows 7
    Boot files/dirs:   /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sdb2: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  Ubuntu 9.10
    Boot files/dirs:   /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sdb3: _________________________________________________________________________

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

sdb5: _________________________________________________________________________

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

sdb6: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    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: 0x99d2cca0

Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System

/dev/sda1    *          2,048   976,769,023   976,766,976   7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x7358e39d

Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System

/dev/sdb1    *             63   586,854,449   586,854,387   7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2         586,856,448   731,278,799   144,422,352  83 Linux
/dev/sdb3         731,278,800   976,768,064   245,489,265   5 Extended
/dev/sdb5         731,294,865   743,006,249    11,711,385  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb6         743,006,313   976,768,064   233,761,752  83 Linux


blkid -c /dev/null: ____________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL                         

/dev/loop0                                              squashfs                                 
/dev/sda1        CACAEC03CAEBEA21                       ntfs       adrive                        
/dev/sdb1        442604C22604B6C8                       ntfs                                     
/dev/sdb2        fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175   ext4                                     
/dev/sdb5        031a2a69-63d5-465f-bbe8-ca43d957b05a   swap                                     
/dev/sdb6        8aaf3307-6206-4e45-b365-49b16e4bc88a   ext4                                     

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

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

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


=========================== sdb2/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
  have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
  saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
  save_env saved_entry
  prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod vbe
  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
    # understand terminal_output
    terminal gfxterm
  fi
fi
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=6
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175
insmod tga
if background_image /boot/grub/Lake_mapourika_NZ.tga ; then
  set color_normal=black/black
  set color_highlight=magenta/black
else
  set menu_color_normal=white/black
  set menu_color_highlight=black/white
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-15-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
	set quiet=1
	insmod ext2
	set root=(hd1,2)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic root=UUID=fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175 ro   quiet splash
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-15-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-15-generic (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
	insmod ext2
	set root=(hd1,2)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic root=UUID=fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175 ro single 
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-15-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
	set quiet=1
	insmod ext2
	set root=(hd1,2)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175 ro   quiet splash
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
	insmod ext2
	set root=(hd1,2)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175 ro single 
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" {
	insmod ntfs
	set root=(hd0,1)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cacaec03caebea21
	chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sdb1)" {
	insmod ntfs
	set root=(hd1,1)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 442604c22604b6c8
	chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

=============================== sdb2/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s 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/sdb2 during installation
UUID=fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175 /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=031a2a69-63d5-465f-bbe8-ca43d957b05a none            swap    sw              0       0
/dev/scd0       /media/cdrom0   udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0       0

=================== sdb2: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


 320.2GB: boot/grub/core.img
 320.2GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
 320.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
 319.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-15-generic
 302.9GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
 316.4GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic
 319.4GB: initrd.img
 320.0GB: initrd.img.old
 316.4GB: vmlinuz
 302.9GB: vmlinuz.old

[meierfra.]

Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks for
(UUID=fd027f5c-7e2e-4161-84b4-c4b32265a175)/boot/grub.

How did this happen? Did you use "grub-install /dev/sda" instead of "grub-install /dev/sdb"?

[lindsay7]

I only can get to the grub rescue with both drives plugged in.

This is what I got ls
(hd0) (hd0,1)
grub rscue> set
prefix=(uuid=fd027f5c-7e2e........boot/grub
root=uuid=fd027f5c......
grub rescue> ls (hd0,2)/
error:no such partition
grub rescue>


Sorry about the typing I have to go from one computer to the other.

[meierfra.]

I only can get to the grub rescue with both drives plugged in.

Actually, I had guessed that after you posted the latest RESULTS.txt.
Did you install install grub to /dev/sda? Why?
Did you carry out the instructions in post 7 with "grub-install --recheck /dev/sdb" or with "grub-install --recheck /dev/sda"?

This is what I got ls
(hd0) (hd0,1)

It seems Grub 2 is not able to detect your Ubuntu drive. This might due to bug in Grub2, or a BIOS problem or some hardware problems. You said that you already tried all kinds of setting in the Bios. Did you reset the bios back to default at the end? You might check on your CMOS battery.


Anyway, lets see what happens if you install Legacy grub. With just your Ubuntu drive attached:

sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
for i in dev proc sys dev/pts; do sudo mount --bind  /$i /mnt/$i;done
sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/etc
sudo chroot /mnt
dpkg-divert --local --rename --add /sbin/initctl
ln -s /bin/true /sbin/initctl
apt-get update
apt-get purge grub-pc grub-common
apt-get install grub grub-common
grub-install --recheck /dev/sda
update-grub
rm /sbin/initctl
dpkg-divert --local --rename --remove /sbin/initctl
exit
for i in dev/pts dev proc sys /; do sudo umount /mnt/$i;done

(These are essentially the same instruction has in post 7, (I marked the changes in red)

[lindsay7]

Did you install install grub to /dev/sda? Why?
Did you carry out the instructions in post 7 with "grub-install --recheck /dev/sdb" or with "grub-install --recheck /dev/sda"?

If I did it was a typo, I went back and redid this. I will go ahead and do what you just told me and get back with you.

[lindsay7]

ok I did what you said. Here is the results

To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ for i in dev proc sys dev/pts; do sudo mount --bind  /$i /mnt/$i;done
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/etc
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo chroot /mnt
root@ubuntu:/# dpkg-divert --local --rename --add /sbin/initctl
Adding `local diversion of /sbin/initctl to /sbin/initctl.distrib'
root@ubuntu:/# ln -s /bin/true /sbin/initctl
root@ubuntu:/# apt-get update
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic Release.gpg                 
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main Translation-en_US      
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security Release.gpg          
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com karmic Release.gpg                  
Ign http://archive.canonical.com karmic/partner Translation-en_US    
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/restricted Translation-en_US 
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates Release.gpg
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/universe Translation-en_US

I will try rebooting. By the way, the only things that I changed in the Bios was the boot order of the drives.

[meierfra.]

The last command in your output is "apt-get update". Did you run all the command?

[meierfra.]

By the way, the only things that I changed in the Bios was the boot order of the drives.

Opps, I got mixed up with a different case.

So that might be one more thing to try (if legacy grub does not work)
Have a look at your bios and see whether there is some setting which might prevent the Ubuntu drive from being detected. But if you change something, make sure to write down the original settings.

[lindsay7]

Yes I did. I do not know why the list was cut off when I copied it. I made sure that I ran them all. but to be safe I will do it again. I trie booting and what I got back was


Reboot and select proper boot device....

What do you think of me doing a reinstall of Ubuntu parititon on this drive. I will keep the windows partition and hope that a reinstall will bring back grub. What do you think?

I am going to have to call it a night. Thank you for your help.

Let me know what you think about the reinstall and I will work on it in the morning and post whatever happens.

Thanks again.