Choosing linux kernel on GRUB causes reboot

[Zens]

Hi all,

I recently decided to venture into the world of Linux/GNU by installing Ubuntu.

Before installing, I had a 190gb partition for windows 7 and 45gb of unallocated space. Through Wubi, I used the advanced partition editor to make a 6gb swap partition and a 22gb root partition for Ubuntu. All went well, but when I rebooted, I was unable to choose linux.

I installed Ubuntu by using Unetbootin to put the Ubuntu ISO on my USB drive. After installing, I disconnected the USB drive, and I was unable to choose the linux kernel option on the GRUB menu. When I do, my system just restarts and presents me with the GRUB menu again. However, windows 7 boots up perfectly.

I'm assuming that GRUB is somehow trying to boot the linux kernel from the USB. How do I change it to boot from the installation I made on my harddrive?

Thank you :p

[dabl]

Here is a good guide for all things Grub 2: http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=3106368.0

[oldfred]

to see if something is missing:

Boot Info Script courtesy of forum member meierfra
Page with instructions and download:
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/
Paste results.txt, then highlight entire file and click on # in edit panel(code tags) to make it easier to read.

[Zens]

I skimmed over the GRUB guide, but I'm unsure as to how to edit the GRUB files since it's my first time using the konsole. I tried using the 'e' option on the GRUB menu, but I didn't know what to edit.

After rebooting a few times, choosing the Ubuntu option yielded a blinking cursor. I waited for a few minutes but nothing happened. Now, selecting the Ubuntu option causes the restart loop again.

I was able to boot up Ubuntu through my USB drive and run the script.

Here are the results:


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: 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

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sdb: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Fat32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 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 * 2,048 396,224,511 396,222,464 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 396,226,558 451,287,039 55,060,482 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 396,226,560 439,568,383 43,341,824 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 439,570,432 451,287,039 11,716,608 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 D0465FF3465FD8B4 ntfs
/dev/sda2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2 ext4
/dev/sda6 6255de07-b956-48d2-8ffb-0be23095a641 swap
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb 0AD7-E685 vfat

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sdb /cdrom vfat (ro,noatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=cp437,i ocharset=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 $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 ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2
set locale_dir=($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='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2 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='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2 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='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2
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 d0465ff3465fd8b4
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=aec27060-70dc-4fe5-a630-5736b5221dc2 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=6255de07-b956-48d2-8ffb-0be23095a641 none swap sw 0 0

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


209.9GB: boot/grub/core.img
222.4GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
209.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
203.0GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
209.8GB: initrd.img
203.0GB: vmlinuz

Thank you!

[oldfred]

I do not see anything in your script that looks out of place. Perhaps someone else will.

We have seen some strange issues like floppy configured in BIOS, but no floppy so system goes awry. My boot was slow if I had two USB keys installed at boot. One user left a CD in the tray and the system tried running chkdsk for an hour, then he did boot. I am surprised he waited that long.

You could try editing out the entire search line. Sometimes that makes a difference.

[Zens]

Hmm, that's weird. My BIOS has no enabled floppy settings, and I've removed all media devices besides my HDD and disc drive.

I don't know how I got the blinking cursor for once, but it's back to rebooting after choosing the first linux option. The same thing occurs if I choose the recovery mode option.

How would I go about editing the search line?

[oldfred]

At the grub menu press e and scroll down to the search line and delete it. control x then lets you boot. You should see brief instructions on the menu and edit menu.

If it is booting I would try reinstalling grub after you have booted just to make sure it is ok.

reinstall from working (not liveCD) system - first find Ubuntu drive:
sudo fdisk -l
if it's "/dev/sda" then just run:
sudo grub-install /dev/sda
If that returns any errors run:
sudo grub-install --recheck /dev/sda
Then:
sudo update-grub
to get grub to remember where to reinstall on updates:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc
spacebar to choose drive, enter to accept, do not choose partitions

[Zens]

Hi,

I tried removing the search line and rebooting afterward, but I got the same error.

Could it possibly have been a corrupt install?

Can I delete the root and swap partitions and retry the installation, or would that interfere with the GRUB files and not allow me to boot into windows 7?

[oldfred]

The grub in the MBR depends on the Ubuntu partition for the rest of its boot. If you immediately reinstall you should be fine as it will reinstall grub to the MBR. If not you will have to reinstall a windows boot loader.

You will have to use manual install so you can choose the existing partitions or else it will create a second install. Just choose your curretn / ()root) as root and what format ext3 or ext4, it finds swap on its own normally.

[Zens]

Just wanted to update this post for anyone that has or may encounter this error in the future:

The problem was a corrupt install from my USB. My USB seemed to be faulty, so I made a live CD and installed Ubuntu from there. I used the same partitions after formatting, and everything works now.

Thank you for the help! :)

[oldfred]

Glad you got it working.

Sometimes reinstall is the quickest fix and if new or recent you have nothing to lose. But as you use system then good backups are important.