"GRUB Loading." Freezes

[psyboy55]

I recently installed Ubuntu 9.10 but when i try to boot it says "booting from local disk" then "GRUB Loading." and it just freezes. what do i do?

[shredder12]

so, are you not even able to reach the grub-menu..?
try reinstalling grub2 using a live CD and see if it works..

[LonelyLion]

Me, too! I have a dual partitioned drive. The first partition is Vista, the second was U8.04 32-bit, which I wanted to overwrite with U9.10 64-bit. I got the CD from the Ubuntu User magazine. The installation seemed to go okay, but then GRUB locked up. I went back to the troubleshooting section of the magazine and did pretty much what they said to do, and now GRUB starts up normally...except the GRUB menu shows U8.04 still installed. I'm hesitant to try that, but as you can see, I can still access my computer via Vista. Sorry, I don't mean to hijack the thread, but maybe our problems are related.

[psyboy55]

This is getting very strange. Just yesterday i fixed it and got to my computer fine. now today it will only boot if i have 265mb or less of ram. im going to try it again soon but this is just very wierd.

[darkod]

Me, too! I have a dual partitioned drive. The first partition is Vista, the second was U8.04 32-bit, which I wanted to overwrite with U9.10 64-bit. I got the CD from the Ubuntu User magazine. The installation seemed to go okay, but then GRUB locked up. I went back to the troubleshooting section of the magazine and did pretty much what they said to do, and now GRUB starts up normally...except the GRUB menu shows U8.04 still installed. I'm hesitant to try that, but as you can see, I can still access my computer via Vista. Sorry, I don't mean to hijack the thread, but maybe our problems are related.

Depending how you installed the 9.10 you might actually have 8.04 still installed. If you do not instruct it to overwrite the 8.04 it will not do it by itself. You might lose data that way.
It will only install over the 8.04 if you select manual partitioning and install it on the same 8.04 partition formatting it.

[darkod]

I recently installed Ubuntu 9.10 but when i try to boot it says "booting from local disk" then "GRUB Loading." and it just freezes. what do i do?

Download the script from my signature, move it to desktop for example, and execute it with:
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

It will create results.txt file. Copy the content here and wrap it in CODE tags for easier reading (with the text selected hit the # button in the toolbar above).

[psyboy55]

This file is very long but here it is. Also i have another ubuntu 9.10 on my second hard drive that doesnt work. It was accidentally put there. ill try to repartition that.
note: reseting cmos didnt help

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

=> Grub 1.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive
in partition #1 for /boot/grub.
=> Lilo is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30394 cylinders, total 488281250 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd0f4738c

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 486,833,759 486,833,697 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 486,833,760 488,279,609 1,445,850 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 486,833,823 488,279,609 1,445,787 82 Linux swap / Solaris


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: 0x3584eeaf

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 63 975,322,214 975,322,152 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 975,322,215 976,768,064 1,445,850 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 975,322,278 976,768,064 1,445,787 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

/dev/sda1: UUID="738708a1-19d3-4908-81b5-cdf24c2979ed" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sda5: UUID="1d0723bf-e067-4c69-a0a2-c56a30d6a6c9" TYPE="swap"
/dev/sdb1: UUID="58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb5: UUID="74d895c1-cc35-4d53-b587-8d409cd112bc" TYPE="swap"

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

/dev/sda1 on / type ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
none on /sys type sysfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
none on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/security type securityfs (rw)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=0620)
none on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
none on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
none on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
none on /lib/init/rw type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
gvfs-fuse-daemon on /home/david/.gvfs type fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=david)


=========================== sda1/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=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 738708a1-19d3-4908-81b5-cdf24c2979ed
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=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/white
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
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=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 738708a1-19d3-4908-81b5-cdf24c2979ed
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=738708a1-19d3-4908-81b5-cdf24c2979ed 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=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 738708a1-19d3-4908-81b5-cdf24c2979ed
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=738708a1-19d3-4908-81b5-cdf24c2979ed 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 "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (on /dev/sdb1)" {
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sdb1)" {
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
### 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 ###

=============================== sda1/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/sda1 during installation
UUID=738708a1-19d3-4908-81b5-cdf24c2979ed / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=1d0723bf-e067-4c69-a0a2-c56a30d6a6c9 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

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


.0GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
.0GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
.0GB: initrd.img
.0GB: vmlinuz

=========================== sdb1/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=(hd1,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7
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=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/white
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
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=(hd1,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7 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=(hd1,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7 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 ###
if [ ${timeout} != -1 ]; then
if keystatus; then
if keystatus --shift; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=0
fi
else
if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
set timeout=0
fi
fi
fi
### 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 ###

=============================== sdb1/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/sdb1 during installation
UUID=58453288-b131-4849-a0fc-f067d4b9f0a7 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=74d895c1-cc35-4d53-b587-8d409cd112bc none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


.0GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
.0GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
.0GB: initrd.img
.0GB: vmlinuz

[darkod]

Just to confirm, your "good" install is on /dev/sda, the 250GB disk, right? Because first and second drive doesn't mean much. :)
Also, do you have your 250GB drive as first option in boot order in BIOS? You might be booting the old LILO grub.

[psyboy55]

I dont know which one is the 250? its just numbers. The 250gb is the good one.

[darkod]

I dont know which one is the 250? its just numbers. The 250gb is the good one.

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250000000000 bytes

And that is the disk which is first in boot order in BIOS right?

[psyboy55]

In my bios both harddrives are numbers that are very similar. But i belive that the 250 boots first becuase if i boot the other one first it just gives me random numbers.

[darkod]

OK. Lets reinstall grub2 on your 250GB drive just in case. While booted with the cd in terminal execute:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda

Reboot without the cd and see how it goes.

[psyboy55]

2 quick questions.
First: my root directory is just my username right?
second: how to i boot to terminal? i have two disks one alternate and one normal. im trying to use rescue mode on the alternate cd. Am i doing it right?

[psyboy55]

o wait. I ran rescue mode. then it mounted the sda1 file system for my and it ran a shell. i then typed in the second command exactly as u told me.

it said installation finished. then check if the installation was right

(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sda

now im gonna reboot

EDIT: ops sorry i did not see your second post. ill try that next.

[darkod]

You root directory is your root partition, in your case /dev/sda1 (or the first partition on /dev/sda disk).
Use the normal disc and select Try Ubuntu option. It will load full ubuntu from the cd and works from the cd. You should have internet access, etc. Then just go in Applications-Accessories and open Terminal.
Execute those commands there. Because when running from the cd like that you are actually not using your hdd install, you have to mount your root partition at /mnt:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

Then tell grub2 to install on the /dev/sda disk by using that directory as root directory:

sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda

[psyboy55]

IT WORKED!thank you thank you thank you!

[darkod]

No problem. Glad you got it sorted.

[darkod]

Note that until you delete the install on the 500GB disk (format it for example), grub will probably see it and add it to the list. Because that is the same version it can get confusing at times which one is the "good" one. I recommend getting rid of the old install ASAP if you're not using it and if it's not working at all.