Desperate: no boot after last kernel update

[WDYSUN]

Dear Friends

I am desperate! I updated the system and I think there was a kernel update because know in grub I see linux-2.6.31-20-generic. The computer is unable to boot. After I select which kernel to use the boot starts but then at some point it stops and I don't have access to keybords, mouse or whatever, it just does not respond. I also tried to boot from previus kernel both generic and recovery mode, no way to boot the system.

Can somebody tell me what I should do? I need my PC for my job.

I hope somebody can help.

Best Wishes

Pietro

[TitanusEramius]

When you boot your computer, what else do you see in GRUB?

Unless you have removed them, there should be the old kernel you used to boot, just to rows down, and it should be named something like "linux-2.6.29-20-generic". Have you tried to select that one and press enter?

If this works, it's possible to remove the new kernel (top two lines in GRUB) so you don't have to click two down each time you boot, but please post the result here when you tries this.

[WDYSUN]

Hello TitanusEramius,

I also tried to boot from previous kernel versions, but the results were the same.

Then I tried a couple of times again. Now I can boot but it takes a lot of time before Ubuntu prompt to the login window.

I tried to go in Aministrator > Log file viewer

When window open the windows has an allert on top, please see the attached picture. What log shoud I sumbit to see what's the problem?

The ohter question is: is there any possibility to get the startup process in verbose mode so I can understand where the system takes so much time to boot? In my university lab I was used to debian lenny and I could see the whole process appearing on the screen up to login, is that possible in ubuntu?

I would appreciate any help you can provide.

Best Wishes
Pietro







When you boot your computer, what else do you see in GRUB?

Unless you have removed them, there should be the old kernel you used to boot, just to rows down, and it should be named something like "linux-2.6.29-20-generic". Have you tried to select that one and press enter?

If this works, it's possible to remove the new kernel (top two lines in GRUB) so you don't have to click two down each time you boot, but please post the result here when you tries this.

[presence1960]

Let's get a better look at your setup & boot process. Boot into Ubuntu. Come back here and do the following:

1. Download the boot info script. There is a link in my signature.
2. Move the boot info script to the desktop.
3. Open a terminal and run the command
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

This will create a RESULTS.txt file on the desktop. Paste the entire contents of that file back here. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.

See here (http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/) for more info on the boot info script.

Above link is to meierfra's Sourceforge web page.

[WDYSUN]

Hello presence1960,

here the content of the RESULTS.txt file you were asking for

Thanks
Pietro



Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in
partition #5 for /boot/grub.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Dell Utility: Fat16
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /COMMAND.COM

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x18000000

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 1,839,860,190 1,840,020,839 160,650 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 1,840,020,840 1,859,154,254 19,133,415 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 1,859,154,255 1,953,520,064 94,365,810 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 63 1,839,860,189 1,839,860,127 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 126 1,816,100,054 1,816,099,929 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 1,816,100,118 1,839,860,189 23,760,072 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 07DA-0114 vfat
/dev/sda2 5A64E17664E15573 ntfs RECOVERY
/dev/sda3 6656E47656E447FF ntfs SEVEN
/dev/sda5 1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11 ext4
/dev/sda6 d4805e44-d5f6-4a77-9214-310dad6f6495 swap

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda5 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)


=========================== sda5/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=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11
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 2.6.31-20-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11 ro splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-20-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-19-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic root=UUID=1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11 ro splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-19-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic root=UUID=1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-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=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11 ro 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=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11 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/sda2)" {
insmod ntfs
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5a64e17664e15573
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 ###

=============================== sda5/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/sda5 during installation
UUID=1e2405d2-d183-4723-9e92-650d1d597c11 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=d4805e44-d5f6-4a77-9214-310dad6f6495 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

=================== sda5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


4.5GB: boot/grub/core.img
2.0GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
.3GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
.9GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
2.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
.2GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
.6GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic
2.1GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic
2.0GB: initrd.img
.9GB: initrd.img.old
2.1GB: vmlinuz
.6GB: vmlinuz.old
=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============

sdb sdc sdd sde






Let's get a better look at your setup & boot process. Boot into Ubuntu. Come back here and do the following:

1. Download the boot info script. There is a link in my signature.
2. Move the boot info script to the desktop.
3. Open a terminal and run the command
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

This will create a RESULTS.txt file on the desktop. Paste the entire contents of that file back here. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.

See here (http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/) for more info on the boot info script.

Above link is to meierfra's Sourceforge web page.

[presence1960]

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x18000000

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 1,839,860,190 1,840,020,839 160,650 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 1,840,020,840 1,859,154,254 19,133,415 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 1,859,154,255 1,953,520,064 94,365,810 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 63 1,839,860,189 1,839,860,127 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 126 1,816,100,054 1,816,099,929 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 1,816,100,118 1,839,860,189 23,760,072 82 Linux swap / Solaris
Everything except the above looks OK. Your sda4 is an extended partition but is at the beginning of the disk before sda1. sda4 starts at 63 which is where sda1 usually starts. I am not sure if that has anything to do with the slow boot but you can boot into ubuntu and run in terminal
sudo fdisk /dev/sda
x
f
w

This will fix partition table order. Then see what happens when you boot.

[WDYSUN]

Sorry I want to be sure I got it right.

boot in ubuntu then open terminal and run



sudo fdisk /dev/sda
x
f
w




There is also something else strange. The USB devices have problems, for instance my HP printer doesn't work after the long boot, and to get it working I need to switch it OFF and then ON.

I am getting crazy now!

Thanks
Pietro



...snip...
you can boot into ubuntu and run in terminal



sudo fdisk /dev/sda
x
f
w


This will fix partition table order. Then see what happens when you boot.

[presence1960]

Sorry I want to be sure I got it right.

boot in ubuntu then open terminal and run



sudo fdisk /dev/sda
x
f
w




There is also something else strange. The USB devices have problems, for instance my HP printer doesn't work after the long boot, and to get it working I need to switch it OFF and then ON.

I am getting crazy now!

Thanks
Pietro

Correct. In this order:
sudo fdisk /dev/sda (will ask for password)
then x
then f
then w

Then reboot.

[howlingmadhowie]

i had this problem. i'm using the ati graphics driver (fglrx). i solved the problem by booting into rescue mode and renaming /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.old, then rebooting. the kernel will now use the in-built graphics driver. then i could run the ati setup utility again and restart.

[WDYSUN]

Presence1960

thanks o lot! God bless you!!!!! Your suggestions saved me from the hell!!!!

Anyway the printer also works correctly. When I launched your commands the outputs were saying that the kernel update was causing wrong partition... etc, and in fact I did an update yesterday.

Thanks a lot again!
Pietro
Ps: I see you are from Philly. I spent years in Philly while I was doing my phd in UPenn Econ/Wharton School... mmh! The pilly steak was great!



Correct. In this order:
sudo fdisk /dev/sda (will ask for password)
then x
then f
then w

Then reboot.

[Sarnix]

Hi,

I hope you can help me too, Presence1960 or anyone else. I did a kernel update and they seem to give me trouble all the time, because I messed up when installing the os-es on this computer.

Right now during the booting process it starts doing filesystem checks and after the checks it reboots. Then I booted to recovery mode and ran the boot info script and here's the RESULT.TXT
It doesn't tell me anything but it must the messed up hdd partitioning.


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in
partition #2 for /boot/grub.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext2
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 1500.3 GB, 1500301910016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2b289e06

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 204,812,684 204,812,622 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 204,812,685 400,114,889 195,302,205 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 400,114,890 603,240,749 203,125,860 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 400,114,953 407,922,479 7,807,527 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 407,922,543 603,240,749 195,318,207 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 603,240,750 2,930,272,064 2,327,031,315 83 Linux


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 F64C4DF54C4DB0E3 ntfs
/dev/sda2 cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 ext4
/dev/sda4 7222a2fa-9972-459b-94bc-8d0719adb0c5 ext2
/dev/sda5 170f6949-a5a1-4dd3-b8fe-81ff5d941c93 swap
/dev/sda6 8122ee8b-8ece-4f07-afc4-6c7f00d42925 ext4

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda2 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sda6 /home ext4 (rw)
/dev/sda4 /mnt/files ext2 (rw)


================================ sda1/boot.ini: ================================

[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

=========================== sda2/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=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
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 2.6.31-20-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-20-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-19-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic root=UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-19-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic root=UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-17-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic root=UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-17-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic root=UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-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=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 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=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 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 "Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sda1)" {
insmod ntfs
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f64c4df54c4db0e3
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
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 ###

=============================== sda2/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/sda2 during installation
UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /docs was on /dev/sda4 during installation
UUID=7222a2fa-9972-459b-94bc-8d0719adb0c5 /mnt/files ext2 defaults 0 2
# /files was on /dev/sdb1 during installation
#UUID=27dcdb0e-bbcd-4ff5-8eb8-43582e66fb2a /mnt/disk2 ext2 defaults 0 2
# /home was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=8122ee8b-8ece-4f07-afc4-6c7f00d42925 /home ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=170f6949-a5a1-4dd3-b8fe-81ff5d941c93 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

=================== sda2: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


108.5GB: boot/grub/core.img
108.0GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
107.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
105.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
109.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
110.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
107.4GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
105.0GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic
108.1GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic
107.0GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic
110.6GB: initrd.img
109.6GB: initrd.img.old
107.0GB: vmlinuz
108.1GB: vmlinuz.old
=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============

sdb sdc sdd sde


TIA for any help,
Marnix

[presence1960]

=============================== sda2/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/sda2 during installation
UUID=cd17428d-6e42-4856-b028-13c1dd9313e2 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /docs was on /dev/sda4 during installation
UUID=7222a2fa-9972-459b-94bc-8d0719adb0c5 /mnt/files ext2 defaults 0 2
# /files was on /dev/sdb1 during installation
#UUID=27dcdb0e-bbcd-4ff5-8eb8-43582e66fb2a /mnt/disk2 ext2 defaults 0 2
# /home was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=8122ee8b-8ece-4f07-afc4-6c7f00d42925 /home ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=170f6949-a5a1-4dd3-b8fe-81ff5d941c93 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

Note the red in your fstab file, at boot your Os is looking to mount a non-existant partition on a non-existant disk.

You can fix this by editing the fstab file. Boot the Live CD and choose "try ubuntu without any changes". When the desktop loads go Places > Computer. Highlight your ubuntu (sda2) root partition on the left pane of the file browser. Do not highlight Filesystem as that is the Live CD's root. When you highlight the correct one you will see directories such as bin, boot, dev, etc, home etc. Your ubuntu / partition is now mounted.

Now open a terminal and run
gksu nautilusAgain highlight your ubuntu root (/) partition in the file browser you just opened from terminal. Open the etc directory and then open the fstab file. Remove the line I highlighted in red. Be careful to only remove that as you now have root priviledge. When removed click Save on top toolbar. Close file. Close both browsers and reboot without the Live CD.

[Sarnix]

Hi,

the lines in red are commented out and I removed that disk from the computer. So as far as I know that disk doesn't exist for the OS.
I can get into a shell with root privileges and I can get into a regular shell if I comment out sda4 and mount it afterwards.
I think the whole problem is the unconventional partitioning I did when I installed ubuntu and xp. In /var/log/messages it keeps complaining about unproperly shutdown or unmounted filesystems. That's why it performs the filesystem checks and reboots after the checks are finished. It can't get past that for some reason.