PDA

View Full Version : [ubuntu] lost grub after trying to create bootable USB flashdrive


starbuckk
June 11th, 2010, 06:14 AM
(note: searched and found a few threads about this but none with answers)

I was trying to make a bootable USB Flash install. To be used on another machine actually. Did not want to risk initial install on the target machine for fear of screwing something up/

Ubuntu was working fine on the desktop until I tried this. Now, when I try to boot without the USB installed, I get an error and a "grub rescue>" prompt. I've searched, and made several attempts to solve this to no avail. Tried unmounting the usb drive and doing update-grub. No luck.

Tried to follow a couple different site directions and found that the instructions dont' work. Specifically "sudo grub" says it can't find the program.

Found one page that said the only answer they could find was to reinstall ubuntu (!!!!). Nooooooo.

My goal was to have a bootable USB drive for use on my windows laptop. And my desktop same as always. But if I try to boot the machine without the USB it won't do it.

Someone had in response to another questin asked for a configuration post, so here below is my RESULTS.txt file:

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 #1 for /boot/grub.
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /grub/grub.cfg /grub/core.img

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
Boot files/dirs: /etc/fstab

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

=========================== 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 * 2,048 1,026,047 1,024,000 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 1,026,048 410,626,047 409,600,000 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 410,626,048 411,650,047 1,024,000 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4 411,665,625 976,768,064 565,102,440 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 16.0 GB, 16026435072 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1948 cylinders, total 31301631 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 2,048 29,894,655 29,892,608 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 29,896,702 31,299,583 1,402,882 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 29,896,704 31,299,583 1,402,880 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4 ext4
/dev/sda2 cee84a32-723c-4b3f-b180-56a24cfc5439 ext4
/dev/sda3 94b1f96b-7bcb-4ada-b1f4-577037863b2f swap
/dev/sda4 F81C2B271C2AE07C ntfs
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b ext4
/dev/sdb2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb5 277d57b6-05ca-4c00-adae-9034524f90db swap
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda2 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sda1 /boot ext4 (rw)
/dev/sdb1 /media/e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks)


============================= sda1/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 $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then
saved_entry=${chosen}
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cee84a32-723c-4b3f-b180-56a24cfc5439
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4
set locale_dir=($root)/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
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/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=cee84a32-723c-4b3f-b180-56a24cfc5439 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=cee84a32-723c-4b3f-b180-56a24cfc5439 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4
linux16 /memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4
linux16 /memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (on /dev/sda4)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,4)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f81c2b271c2ae07c
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 ###

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


.2GB: grub/core.img
.2GB: grub/grub.cfg
.0GB: initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
.0GB: vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic

=============================== 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 nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=cee84a32-723c-4b3f-b180-56a24cfc5439 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /boot was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4 /boot ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=94b1f96b-7bcb-4ada-b1f4-577037863b2f none swap sw 0 0

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


.5GB: initrd.img
.5GB: initrd.img.old
.5GB: vmlinuz

================================ sda4/boot.ini: ================================

[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

=========================== 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 $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then
saved_entry=${chosen}
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
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/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e0165550-d03f-4090-b069-5418bcfa5c1b
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=cee84a32-723c-4b3f-b180-56a24cfc5439 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 9987adaf-7cc8-412f-bd49-1b06d76424d4
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=cee84a32-723c-4b3f-b180-56a24cfc5439 ro single
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (on /dev/sda4)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,4)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f81c2b271c2ae07c
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 ###

=============================== 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 nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
/dev/sdb1 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=277d57b6-05ca-4c00-adae-9034524f90db none swap sw 0 0

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


2.3GB: boot/grub/core.img
5.4GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
2.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
2.2GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
2.4GB: initrd.img
2.2GB: vmlinuz
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sdb2

00000000 04 00 00 00 a8 11 b1 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000010 04 00 00 00 a8 31 b1 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....1./.....u..|
00000020 04 00 00 00 a8 51 b1 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....Q./.....u..|
00000030 04 00 00 00 a8 71 b1 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....q./.....u..|
00000040 04 00 00 00 a8 91 b0 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000050 04 00 00 00 a8 b1 b0 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000060 04 00 00 00 a8 d1 b0 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000070 04 00 00 00 a8 f1 b0 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000080 04 00 00 00 a8 11 b0 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000090 04 00 00 00 a8 31 b0 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....1./.....u..|
000000a0 00 00 00 00 11 02 00 00 98 14 0c 0d 20 00 00 00 |............ ...|
000000b0 04 00 00 00 a8 51 b0 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....Q./.....u..|
000000c0 04 00 00 00 a8 71 b0 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....q./.....u..|
000000d0 04 00 00 00 a8 91 cf 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
000000e0 04 00 00 00 a8 b1 cf 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
000000f0 04 00 00 00 a8 d1 cf 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000100 04 00 00 00 a8 f1 cf 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000110 04 00 00 00 a8 11 cf 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000120 04 00 00 00 a8 31 cf 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....1./.....u..|
00000130 04 00 00 00 a8 51 cf 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....Q./.....u..|
00000140 04 00 00 00 a8 71 cf 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....q./.....u..|
00000150 04 00 00 00 a8 91 ce 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000160 04 00 00 00 a8 b1 ce 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000170 04 00 00 00 a8 d1 ce 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000180 04 00 00 00 a8 f1 ce 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
00000190 04 00 00 00 a8 11 ce 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |......./.....u..|
000001a0 04 00 00 00 a8 31 ce 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 bf 0a |.....1./.....u..|
000001b0 04 00 00 00 a8 51 ce 2f 00 00 00 00 e4 75 00 fe |.....Q./.....u..|
000001c0 ff ff 82 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 68 15 00 00 00 |...........h....|
000001d0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
*
000001f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa |..............U.|
00000200
garvinrick4
June 11th, 2010, 06:49 AM
You are going to have to install grub2 from sda2 back into sda.

Put in your Live Cd.

Go into "disk utilitys" and label sda2 as lucid.

In disk utilitys also label sda1 as boot.


sudo mkdir /media/boot
sudo mkdir /media/lucid
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /media/boot
sudo mount /dev/sda2 /media/lucid
sudo grub-install --recheck --root-directory=/media/lucid /dev/sda (file:///media/dev/sda)
sudo umount /media/boot
sudo umount /media/lucidRemove Live Cd boot into sda2


sudo update-grub
sudo grub-mkconfigNow you will have just sda and no sdb in grub config file.


When you install always use sda never sda1 or sda2 or sda5 always sda.

If you install a sdb put grub in sdb on install if grub2 ok. It another type of grub then put your Live Cd in and do the install of grub from Ubuntu install sdax to sda. (x being your / install.)
bcbc
June 11th, 2010, 06:51 AM
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 #1 for /boot/grub.


Although bootinfoscript states that grub2 is loading from /dev/sda partition 1, there is a bug (or at least bootinfoscript needs to be updated for grub2 1.98 ) as it doesn't correctly identify the drive. I suspect it's really looking in partition 1 on /dev/sdb which you can confirm by viewing the first entry ('e' to view/edit and ESC to return to menu). It will say "set root=(hd1,1)'"

First fix the flash:
Boot the first entry.
Then go to terminal and enter

sudo grub-install /dev/sdb

Then reboot. Now select your hard drive (that'll be the one that says "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (on /dev/sda2)".Now go to a terminal and:

sudo grub-install /dev/sda

Remove flash and reboot. You'll only see your hard drive grub.
Boot from USB and you'll see your flash grub.
starbuckk
June 11th, 2010, 11:25 PM
Although bootinfoscript states that grub2 is loading from /dev/sda partition 1, there is a bug (or at least bootinfoscript needs to be updated for grub2 1.98 ) as it doesn't correctly identify the drive. I suspect it's really looking in partition 1 on /dev/sdb which you can confirm by viewing the first entry ('e' to view/edit and ESC to return to menu). It will say "set root=(hd1,1)'"

First fix the flash:
Boot the first entry.
Then go to terminal and enter

sudo grub-install /dev/sdbThen reboot. Now select your hard drive (that'll be the one that says "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (on /dev/sda2)".Now go to a terminal and:

sudo grub-install /dev/sdaRemove flash and reboot. You'll only see your hard drive grub.
Boot from USB and you'll see your flash grub.


That did the trick! Solved the boot problem AND fixed my flash to be a portable install. Thanks for the answers guys!
bcbc
June 12th, 2010, 12:37 AM
You're welcome :)