Grub problems in multidisk situation

[grepgav]

So the issue I am having is installing ubuntu on a seperate drive from my Windows installation.

I have a 160GB drive that is my Windows drive and is the first SATA device. It is recognized as /dev/sda and is the device I have been using for a while.

I just bought a 1TB SATA drive and created a partition to install Ubuntu, which went fine.

The problem is when I try and boot I get a grub error:


No such disk

And I am dumped to a rescue console. By using the live cd I was able to install grub onto the MBR of the terabyte drive (/dev/sdb) but in order to boot to that device I have to bring up the boot menu every time I start up. However, it does boot correctly into both operating systems. My motherboard doesn't allow me to specify the boot order between hard drives, so is there any way for me to get grub installed on /dev/sda working correctly?

Thanks!

[presence1960]

Need to see more info about your setup.

Let's get a better look at your setup & boot process. Boot the Ubuntu Live CD/USB. Choose "try ubuntu without any changes", when the desktop loads come back here and do the following:

1. Download the boot info script. There is a link in my signature.
2. Once downloaded 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.

[grepgav]

Thanks for helping out - the outputs of the script is below:


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=9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058)/boot/grub.
=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks on the same drive in
partition #1 for /boot/grub.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

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:

sdb3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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:

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x70d170d1

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 206,848 312,578,047 312,371,200 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00073b24

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 63 195,318,269 195,318,207 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 195,318,270 203,125,859 7,807,590 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 195,318,333 203,125,859 7,807,527 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3 203,126,784 1,953,519,615 1,750,392,832 7 HPFS/NTFS


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 EC7CCAD57CCA99AA ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sda2 E442D31342D2E976 ntfs
/dev/sdb1 9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058 ext4
/dev/sdb3 78A0F704A0F6C7A0 ntfs Data
/dev/sdb5 f872ef66-e750-4ab2-ae09-be613dfc48c4 swap

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

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


=========================== 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 9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058
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=(hd1,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058 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=(hd1,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-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=(hd1,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058 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 9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058 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 ec7ccad57cca99aa
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 ###

=============================== 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=9af82952-aab3-4562-ac64-3dae125f4058 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /windows was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=E442D31342D2E976 /windows ntfs defaults,nls=utf8,umask=007,gid=46 0 0
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=f872ef66-e750-4ab2-ae09-be613dfc48c4 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

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


3.4GB: boot/grub/core.img
3.6GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
1.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
.7GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic
1.0GB: initrd.img
.6GB: initrd.img.old
.7GB: vmlinuz
.5GB: vmlinuz.old

[presence1960]

This what I would do. I would reboot & go into BIOS and set the 1 TB disk (sdb) as first in the hard disk boot order. Save changes to CMOS and continue booting. Boot into Ubuntu. Open a terminal and run
sudo dpkg-reconfigure grub-pcHit Enter at each window until you reach the window where you can choose where to put GRUB. You want to select sdb and deselect sda. Use the arrow keys to navigate and the space bar to select/deselect. Again deselect sda & select sdb. When that is set hit Tab to highlight OK and press Enter. Now any grub-pc (GRUB 2) updates will go to MBR of sdb.

In case you can't boot & get the same error after selecting sdb as first disk to boot there is an easy work around here (http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/bootinfoscript/index.php?title=Boot_Problems:search) for that error.

Once you get GRUB fixed you may (but it is not necessary) want to fix the MBR of the windows 7 disk back to a windows MBR. You can do this from Ubuntu. Open a terminal and run
sudo apt-get install liloIgnore the warning. Now in terminal run
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbrYour sda MBR will now be windows and will allow you to boot right to windows should you make sda first disk to boot.

[grepgav]

Thank you for these instructions, I will try them when I get home.

However, I tried going into BIOS to set the 1TB drive as the first in the boot order but it only allows me to say Hard Drive in general, not select the actual drive.

Like I said, right now I can bring up the motherboard boot menu and select the 1TB drive (where grub works properly). My bigger question is it possible for grub to work on /dev/sda because it seems to automatically boot from this device.

Thanks - Gavin

[grepgav]

Great I got it fixed and working correctly. Thanks also for the commands to fix the Windows MBR - that will be nice if I ever need to use that drive separately.

Thanks!