Error 21

[blindape]

Hi,

I recently installed Ubuntu on my Acer Inspire laptop using the wubi installation and it worked great. This morning I was installing Kubuntu onto a USB HD so I could take it with me on the go and use it with different computers.

However, after installation I re-started the computer and got the following error:

GRUB Loading Stage1.5


GRUB loading, please wait...
Error 21

I have been unable to start the computer form the USB HD or the internal HD. I can however start it using the ubuntu live CD and I've checked my internal hard drive and everything seems to still be there for both windows vista and ubuntu. It also looks like Kubuntu was installed on the external HD as well. I need to be able to use windows for work on Tuesday, is there anything I can do to restore my previous start-up where I selected either to boot to Windows or to Ubuntu?

Regards,

John Curwood

[bobmatino17]

this could be some help...
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1081550

[kestrel1]

Sounds like grub got messed up. Have a look at this to restore grub:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows
I know it says about restoring after wipes out grub, but it should still work

[blindape]

Thanks for such a quick response. It's given me alot of research and for a while I was unsure where to start. But reading the thread at:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6665548
It seemed similar to my challenge, so I started following the steps suggested with similar results:

sudo grub

grub> find /boot/grub/stage1

giving the error
Error 15: File not found

I then downloaded the file boot_info_script and ran it. I was unable to attach the file due to an error on the web page so I have pasted the contents onto the end of this post. Since my log file is quite different to the one in the other thread I decided not to carry on following its instructions, but to post my results too date here.

One thought that has crossed my mind. The fact that Unubtu is a wubi install so it's installed inside windows, does this affect how grub is used?

by the way the Live CD I'm using is Ubuntu 8.10.

Once again thanks for your responses.

Regards,

John Curwood.

RESULTS.txt

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

=> Grub0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on boot drive #3 in
partition #5 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows Vista
Boot files/dirs: /ntldr /ntdetect.com

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /ubuntu/disks/boot/grub/menu.lst
/ubuntu/winboot/menu.lst /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr
/ubuntu/disks/root.disk

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Fat32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x5b0ed2a2

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 63 16,370,234 16,370,172 27 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 * 16,370,235 86,654,609 70,284,375 6 FAT16
/dev/sda3 86,654,610 156,296,384 69,641,775 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 2087 MB, 2087714816 bytes
2 heads, 63 sectors/track, 32361 cylinders, total 4077568 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0048d497

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 * 32 4,077,567 4,077,536 6 FAT16

/dev/sdb1 ends after the last cylinder of /dev/sdb

blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

/dev/ramzswap0: TYPE="swap"
/dev/sda1: UUID="AA0C919716D9B5D2" LABEL="PQSERVICE" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda2: UUID="C010996810996666" LABEL="ACER" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: UUID="68D823B3D8237F06" LABEL="DATA" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sdb1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" UUID="D4F2-1057" TYPE="vfat"

=============================== "mount" output: ===============================

/proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.27-7-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.27-7-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /lib/init/rw type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=1777)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=620)
rootfs on / type rootfs (rw)
fusectl on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
/dev/scd0 on /cdrom type iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 on /rofs type squashfs (ro,noatime)
tmpfs on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
gvfs-fuse-daemon on /home/ubuntu/.gvfs type fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=ubuntu)
/dev/sda3 on /media/DATA type fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096)
/dev/sda2 on /media/ACER type fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096)
/dev/sdb1 on /media/disk type vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=hal,shortname=mixed,uid=9 99,utf8,umask=077,flush)


==================== sda3/ubuntu/disks/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 10

## 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=68D823B3D8237F06 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro ROOTFLAGS=syncio

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=()/ubuntu/disks

## 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

## 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 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic
root ()/ubuntu/disks
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=68D823B3D8237F06 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro ROOTFLAGS=syncio quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic (recovery mode)
root ()/ubuntu/disks
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=68D823B3D8237F06 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro ROOTFLAGS=syncio single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
root ()/ubuntu/disks
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows NT/2000/XP
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
chainloader +1


======================== sda3/ubuntu/winboot/menu.lst: ========================

debug off
hiddenmenu
default 0
timeout 0
fallback 1

title find /ubuntu/disks/boot/grub/menu.lst
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /ubuntu/disks/boot/grub/menu.lst
configfile /ubuntu/disks/boot/grub/menu.lst

title find /ubuntu/install/boot/grub/menu.lst
fallback 2
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /ubuntu/install/boot/grub/menu.lst
configfile /ubuntu/install/boot/grub/menu.lst

title find /menu.lst
fallback 3
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /menu.lst
configfile /menu.lst

title find /boot/grub/menu.lst
fallback 4
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /boot/grub/menu.lst
configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst

title find /grub/menu.lst
fallback 5
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /grub/menu.lst
configfile /grub/menu.lst

title commandline
commandline

title reboot
reboot

title halt
halt

=================== sda3: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


71.7GB: ubuntu/disks/boot/grub/menu.lst
71.7GB: ubuntu/disks/boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
62.0GB: ubuntu/disks/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic

[meierfra.]

It seems that the boot info script did not detect the Kubuntu hard drive.
Was the Kubuntu drive plugged in when you run the boot info script?
Or did you install Kubuntu to the 2GB drive /dev/sdb?

[blindape]

I'm not sure if the kubuntu hard-drive was plugged in or not when when I ran that script (i'll re-run with the hard-drive plugged in). I also want to be able to boot to windows and Ubuntu when the USB hard drive is not plugged.

Cheers,

John.

[blindape]

OK,

Here is the RESULTS.txt file, and this time the USB hard drive was definitely plugged in.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

John Curwood

[meierfra.]

Yup, the Kubuntu drive was detected this time. To fix your problem, you need to install Grub to the MBR of the Kubuntu drive, and install a Windows style MBR to the internal drive:

So boot from the Live CD and open a terminal.

Step 1) Install Grub to the MBR of the Kubuntu drive:


sudo grub

and at the "grub>" prompt.


find /boot/grub/stage2

This will return (hdX,4), where X is a number, probably (hd1,4)

Still at the "grub>" prompt:


root (hdX,4)
setup (hdX)
quit


(here X needs to be replaced by the number you got from "/find /boot/grub/stage2")


Step 2) Install a Windows Type MBR to the internal drive.


sudo apt-get install lilo
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr


Reboot, with the bios set to boot from the Kubuntu drive.

[blindape]

Thankyou so much, everything is now booting up as it was before the install and I can now go to work on Tuesday. I really appreciate the contributions of all those that have posted to this thread.

Regards,

John Curwood

[meierfra.]

everything is now booting up as it was before the instal
Great. Are you also able to boot into Kubuntu?

One more thing. I suggest to edit your Kubuntu menu.lst. Then you will be able to boot into Vista even if your external drive is plugged in, without having to change the boot order in the bios.


gksudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst


Change your Vista item to

title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd1,1)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1



Also I'm a little confused about your partition /dev/sda1 (The first partition on the internal drive). The boot info script says that the partition has a "Vista Operating System". On the other hand it contains some XP boot files (but "boot.ini" is missing).
Can you tell me what is on that partition? I'm the author of the boot info script and I'm trying to figure out whether the script is malfunctioning or whether you just happen to have weird partition.