Grub rescue>?

[yesterdays jam]

Hi everyone,

I recently got a new SDD and installed 12.10 on it. However, I had an older HDD with 12.10 on it as well, and some backed up files. When I boot with the HDD connected, I get a message displayed on my screen saying;

error: no such device: 28bb4adb-c201-4129-80a7-353d3a6a1da3.
grub resuce>

When I don't have the HDD connected I boot fine. I would like to use this drive as storage for media.

Have I made a big mistake by having the OS on two drives? Can I format the HDD (I have backed up all files I want on it), and then just use it as normal?

Thanks in advance

[oldfred]

When both drives are plugged in, are you selecting SSD to boot from? Or is it trying to boot from HD and a partition is now missing? I have 4 drives with different versions of grub in each booting different systems (very confusing).

You can better understand what is where with this:

Post the link to the BootInfo report that this creates. Is part of Boot-Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info
Boot Repair -Also handles LVM, GPT, separate /boot and UEFI dual boot.:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
You can repair many boot issues with this or 'Create BootInfo' report (Other Options) & post the link it creates, so we can see your exact configuration and diagnose advanced problems.
Install in Ubuntu liveCD or USB or Full RepairCD with Boot-Repair (for newer computers)
http://sourceforge.net/p/boot-repair/home/Home/
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuSecureRemix

[yesterdays jam]

There is no option to boot from one drive or the other. I entered ls after grub rescue> and the output was;

(hd0) (hd0,msdos6) (hd0,msdos5) (hd0,msdos1) (hd1) (hd1,msdos5) (hd1,msdos1) (fd0)

I also connected the data cable for the HDD while booted, and it works. I can see the two partitions (one for Ubuntu one for media, and the files that were there before).

I'll follow the suggestions on your links when I get back from work.
Thanks for helping!

[oldfred]

Most computers in the last 6+ years will let you choose which drive to boot from. If you can boot from a flash drive you can choose hard drive. All SATA drives have to be bootable from BIOS as they have no jumpers.

Only some very old Dell computers and those with IDE and boot drive selected with jumpers on hard drive could only boot from primary master. Newer IDE has cable select and then BIOS can choose drive.

[yesterdays jam]

My computer is about 8-9 years old, but I used to have a drive with XP on and I got the choice of which one to boot from. All drives I'm using are SATA.

BootInfo;

http://paste.ubuntu.com/5586126/

I couldn't boot from my live CD while having the HDD connected, it just gave me the same error origionally posted. I hope this helps.

[yesterdays jam]

And this is the BootInfo when I connect the HDD after I've booted;

http://paste.ubuntu.com/5586350/

[oldfred]

BootInfo looks normal. I do not see any issues. But your second run is not showing a second drive. Does BIOS show drive?

Can you manually boot and totally reinstall grub. Or Boot-Repair may offer that option.

On a system that old SSD may not work well. You need AHCI in BIOS to enable trim. And without trim drive will slow down.
You may be able to do this.
fred@fred-Precise:~$ sudo fstrim -v /
/: 23267893248 bytes were trimmed
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php..._Cell_Clearing
sudo hdparm -I /dev/sdX
Alternate to discard, call fstrim via cron
http://opensuse.14.n6.nabble.com/SSD...td3313048.html

[yesterdays jam]

Boot Repair does give an option to repair most frequent problems, should I give that a go? When you say manually boot and totally install grub, is that just a fresh installation of 12.10? I can't perform that from boot while the HDD is attached, but if I do 'Try Ubuntu' and then connect the HDD before going for the reinstall. That might work?

[yesterdays jam]

I performed the Boot Repair recommended task (reinstall grub on all drives) and it has appeared to work. I get the option to boot from the SSD and the HDD. The BootInfo that I recieved after performing the reinstall is;

http://paste.debian.net/239833/

For the SSD could I just do;

sudo fstrim -v /

in terminal? Or do I need to perform something in BIOS?

Thanks so much for your help, I feel like I've made progress with Ubuntu!

[oldfred]

Do you have an AHCI setting in BIOS? But XP does not work with AHCI unless you install drivers when installing.
If so turn it on. And add settings to fstab.

If not add a task to cron to regularly run the fstrim command.

Do SSD need customization?
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1981478
Arch suggests gpt for SSD. Only if installing Windows on older system may you want MBR as Windows only boots from gpt with UEFI.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Solid_State_Drives
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2003022
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/ssd