Boot failure after Grub

[rijidij]

Hello all,

Sorry if this has already been covered. I did a search, but couldn't find anything on this particular problem.

I have a triple boot system running Ubuntu, WinXP, and Win7.

I had Ubuntu running fine on its own partition (sda1) but an upgrade from Karmic to Lucid turned it into a dog.
So I tar-ed my /home filesystem, split sda1 into 2 new extended partitions, then did a clean install of Lucid with / on sda5, and /home on sda6.

Here is my partition table:
Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x46274626

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 24859 199679855+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda2 24860 35255 83505870 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 35256 60114 199679917+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 60115 60801 5518327+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda5 1 2611 20972794+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 2612 24859 178707028+ 83 Linux

Everything was working nicely until yesterday when suddenly it would no longer boot into any OS.
It gets to the Grub menu, but after that, just a blank screen (until the monitor tells me it has lost signal).

Here is the output from bootinfoscript:
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.
=> Syslinux is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 98
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /ntldr /ntdetect.com /IO.SYS /MSDOS.SYS

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: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Fat32
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sdb1 starts
at sector 0. But according to the info from fdisk,
sdb1 starts at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 124 399,359,834 399,359,711 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 126 41,945,714 41,945,589 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 41,945,778 399,359,834 357,414,057 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 399,359,835 566,371,574 167,011,740 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 566,371,575 965,731,409 399,359,835 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 965,731,410 976,768,064 11,036,655 82 Linux swap / Solaris


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 4206 MB, 4206886912 bytes
128 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1018 cylinders, total 8216576 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 * 63 8,209,151 8,209,089 b W95 FAT32


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/loop1 0743a043-1328-4f89-954c-dd19b18fe02a ext3
/dev/sda1: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda2 465C0C6D5C0C5A57 ntfs XP
/dev/sda3 6A9E31D642946B90 ntfs Win7
/dev/sda4 7e218566-a186-4068-b01f-436b642767d6 swap swap
/dev/sda5 baf6c0a7-d45e-4aa8-8176-26e82f54b3ba ext4 /
/dev/sda6 eb35fb4f-1d2c-473e-888b-2681e88b8bbd ext4 /home
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 3023-F7DB vfat Attache
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sdb1 /cdrom vfat (rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=cp437, iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)


=========================== 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 baf6c0a7-d45e-4aa8-8176-26e82f54b3ba
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=1280x1024
set gfxpayload=keep
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=5
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set baf6c0a7-d45e-4aa8-8176-26e82f54b3ba
insmod png
if background_image /usr/share/images/grub/BootSplash.png ; then
set color_normal=light-gray/black
set color_highlight=white/black
else
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/white
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set baf6c0a7-d45e-4aa8-8176-26e82f54b3ba
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=baf6c0a7-d45e-4aa8-8176-26e82f54b3ba ro vga=775 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 465c0c6d5c0c5a57
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda3)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,3)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 6a9e31d642946b90
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 nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=baf6c0a7-d45e-4aa8-8176-26e82f54b3ba / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /home was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=eb35fb4f-1d2c-473e-888b-2681e88b8bbd /home ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda4 during installation
UUID=7e218566-a186-4068-b01f-436b642767d6 none swap sw 0 0

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


17.3GB: boot/grub/core.img
17.3GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
17.3GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
17.3GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic
17.3GB: initrd.img
17.3GB: vmlinuz

================================ sda2/boot.ini: ================================

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOW S

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin /usepmtimer

I have no doubt that I've screwed up something, but no idea what. :(
Can any of you lovely people in Ubuntuland help? Please...

TIA
Craig


P.S.
I should also mention that I have already tried re-installing Grub from a live USB to no avail.
BootInfoScript was also run from here.

[ronparent]

Since everything was running fine for a while (you didn't say how long) you may have had a hardware failure that corupted your file system. You may try a filesystem check on all your partitions from the live CD.

Or a subsequent automatic update may not be allowing the graphics output to function properly. Try edditing the grub bootline and adding nomodeset to the kernel bootline? Also try booting the recovery mode and selecting dpkg from the menu.

Keep posting your questions here for more suggestions. It may be a matter of systematically troubleshooting your sustem.

[wilee-nilee]

If you put a live cd in does it boot and run like normal? Did you make a new entry to fstab?

[rijidij]

If you put a live cd in does it boot and run like normal? Did you make a new entry to fstab?

Yes, it boots from a live CD or USB.
I haven't changed fstab. It was working fine, for about a week, until yesterday.

Thanks anyway.

[kansasnoob]

Well, it's unusual to see a drive start with an extended partition but I'll review some stuff:

/dev/sda1 is about a 200GB Extended partition and it contains sda5 and sda6

/dev/sda5 is about a 20GB Lucid Root "/" logical partition

/dev/sda6 is about a 180GB Lucid /home logical partition

/dev/sda2 is about an 80GB Win XP primary partition

/dev/sda3 is about a 200GB Win 7 primary partition

/dev/sda4 is about a 5GB SWAP primary partition

Is that all correct?

I'm not sure what kind of problems having a drive begin with an extended partition might cause but we can try a few things. First of all you have a boot flag set on the extended partition:


Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 124 399,359,834 399,359,711 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 126 41,945,714 41,945,589 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 41,945,778 399,359,834 357,414,057 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 399,359,835 566,371,574 167,011,740 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 566,371,575 965,731,409 399,359,835 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 965,731,410 976,768,064 11,036,655 82 Linux swap / Solaris

That's wrong. You should have a boot flag set on each of the Windows partitions (sda2 and sda3), and nothing else! You can do that using Gparted from the Live USB:

158239

You notice in that screenshot the far right column shows "Flags"? If you right click on a partition you can then select to "manage flags". So remove the boot flag on sda1 and add a boot flag to both sda2 and sda3.

Then I'd still reinstall and update grub in a chroot like this (please copy-n-paste):


sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt && sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev && sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc && sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys && sudo mount --bind /dev/pts /mnt/dev/pts && sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/etc/resolv.conf && sudo chroot /mnt


sudo apt-get install --reinstall grub-pc


sudo grub-install /dev/sda


sudo update-grub

Wait for that to say "done" then exit the chroot and unmount:


exit


sudo umount /mnt/dev/pts && sudo umount /mnt/sys && sudo umount /mnt/proc && sudo umount /mnt/dev && sudo umount /mnt

If that results in any errors I'd like to see the full terminal output.

[rijidij]

Thanks kansasnoob,
sda1 was originally a large primary partition, but after having a lot of problems with the last upgrade, I decided to put /home on a separate partition and do (mostly) clean installs in future.
As I said, it was working fine for about a week, but I must have done something recently, or there has been an upgrade that screwed things up.

I have tried your suggestions, but no luck so far. :(
Gparted would only let me set one boot flag at a time, so I set sda2 and sda3 using fdisk.
The grub reinstall and update went without incident.
Except for a few "sudo: unable to resolve host ubuntu" messages because I had already chroot-ed. But I don't think that's anything to worry about.

So, it's back to the drawing board...

Thanks anyway.

[rijidij]

The good news is; I have had a small success since yesterday.
I found an obscure reference to ARC partition numbering which says:
The first logical drive in an extended partition will always be partition 2. Numbering will continue through the remaining logical drives of the extended partition until all logical drives are numbered. Then the remaining primary partitions will be numbered starting with the next number after the last logical drive in the extended partition.
Because I have an extended partition as my 1st partition, I changed the partition number in my XP boot.ini file to (1) and, lo and behold, it worked!
I now had access to my least favourite operating system.

Next, I added an entry for Win7 to boot.ini
When I choose XP from the Grub menu, I am now presented with a bootloader menu, which includes Windows 7.
If I select Win7 from here, it loads OK, but still not directly from the Grub menu. :confused:

This suggests to me that Grub's menu entries are not pointing at the right places.


Any ideas?... Anyone?

[rijidij]

UPDATE:

After much wailing, gnashing of teeth, and rending of hair (which I can ill afford to lose), I finally gave in and, with the help of clonezilla, rearranged my disk with XP as the first primary partition.
I also have a Win7 primary partition. And an extended partition containing a GRUB partition, Lucid (/ and /home), and plenty of space for other experiments.
In this case, Win7 appears to be the root of all evil. :evil:
Even after I moved XP to the first partition it was showing up as drive D: and screwing up my ******* software and drivers.
I tried changing the drive letters in the registry (sorry, getting a bit off-linux-topic here), but that was a total disaster. Luckily I still had my clonezilla backup...
After a few more false starts and backup restores, I finally had to delete the Win7 partition then do an in-place upgrade to get XP set up on the C: drive.

Whew!

Not an entirely satisfactory outcome, but all's well that ends well.
Thanks to everyone who tried to help.