Diskboot Failure

[lilsavalex]

I installed Ubuntu 9.10, the installation processes went great! I rebooted my system as i was told and i get this following message,
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.Not sure what to do since i have no other system on this hardrive and i have no other hardrive connected to my system. What do you think the solution could be?

[lilsavalex]

Anyone have any idea? Any help will be greatly appreciated .

[drs305]

Do you have a non-system disk inserted and does your BIOS have the system boot the CD or external drive first?

You might try checking the BIOS and change it to boot from the system hard drive first.

[sikander3786]

It is a Bios boot failure message I believe. Check in your Bios if it is even set properly to boot from the single HDD present. If it is then I think you have chosen not to install GRUB during the installation process by mistake. You'll need to install GRUB in that case but first of all check the Bios.

[lilsavalex]

I tried what I've been told by all of you and still nothing .

[drs305]

If you can boot the LiveCD (Ubuntu installation disk) to the Desktop, please download and run meierfra's boot info script and post the contents of the RESULTS.txt. It provides information which might help us see what is wrong.

http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

Make sure the BIOS boots first to the CD drive.

[lilsavalex]

Thanks for helping me, its greatly appreciated . =)

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.
=> Syslinux is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdf

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdf4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders, total 195371568 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00058548

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 187,333,964 187,333,902 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 187,333,965 195,366,464 8,032,500 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 187,334,028 195,366,464 8,032,437 82 Linux swap / Solaris


Drive: sdf ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdf: 4022 MB, 4022337024 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 489 cylinders, total 7856127 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xcad4ebea

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdf4 * 63 7,856,126 7,856,064 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 534e9809-f2fa-4af9-a7ad-4c4c97035fac ext4
/dev/sda5 8aa003df-acc4-4713-b961-89acaa220e49 swap
/dev/sdf4 B4FE-5315 vfat CD_ROM

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sdf4 /cdrom vfat (rw)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /media/U3 System iso9660 (ro,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=devkit,uid=999,gid=999,io charset=utf8,mode=0400,dmode=0500)


=========================== sda1/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=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 534e9809-f2fa-4af9-a7ad-4c4c97035fac
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 2.6.31-14-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 534e9809-f2fa-4af9-a7ad-4c4c97035fac
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=534e9809-f2fa-4af9-a7ad-4c4c97035fac 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=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 534e9809-f2fa-4af9-a7ad-4c4c97035fac
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=534e9809-f2fa-4af9-a7ad-4c4c97035fac 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 ###
if [ ${timeout} != -1 ]; then
if keystatus; then
if keystatus --shift; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=0
fi
else
if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
set timeout=0
fi
fi
fi
### 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/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/sda1 during installation
UUID=534e9809-f2fa-4af9-a7ad-4c4c97035fac / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=8aa003df-acc4-4713-b961-89acaa220e49 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom1 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

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


3.1GB: boot/grub/core.img
3.1GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
.6GB: initrd.img
.5GB: vmlinuz
=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============

sdb sdc sdd sde

[drs305]

I don't see anything wrong with the contents of RESULTS.txt. It appears the normal boot files are correctly in place.

To be honest, I haven't seen the error messages you are getting as a result of a Grub2 error. But if you are sure the BIOS is pointing to the correct drive then you might try reinstalling Grub2 so it rewrites the MBR information.

Boot the LiveCD and run the following commands:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

Note the first command includes the drive and partition (sda1), while the second only includes the drive (sda).

After running the commands, remove the CD and reboot and see if anything has changed.

[lilsavalex]

Thanks, But i get the following .

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
error: cannot open `/dev/sdb' while attempting to get disk size
error: cannot open `/dev/sdb' while attempting to get disk size
error: cannot open `/dev/sdb' while attempting to get disk size
error: cannot open `/dev/sdb' while attempting to get disk size
error: cannot open `/dev/sdb' while attempting to get disk size
error: cannot open `/dev/sdb' while attempting to get disk size
Installation finished. No error reported.
This is the contents of the device map /mnt/boot/grub/device.map.
Check if this is correct or not. If any of the lines is incorrect,
fix it and re-run the script `grub-install'.

[drs305]

I don't know why it is referencing sdb. From the Desktop, remount /dev/sda1 (if it's not still mounted) and inspect the contents of /boot/grub/device.map You may or may not have this file. If you do (the file you open is not empty):


sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
gksudo gedit /mnt/boot/grub/device.map

It may look something like this:


(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3320620AS_9QF3KKYY
(hd1) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD6400AAKS-22A7B2_WD-WMASY7162178

or this;


(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb


If there is a reference to sdb or (hd1), delete the line and save the file. I'm not optimistic, but try running the grub-install command again and see if the error repeats.

[lilsavalex]

So i delete the 2nd line?

(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb

[drs305]

So i delete the 2nd line?

(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb

Yes. The boot info script didn't see a sdb drive (although it did find an odd sdf), and you have also said you have only one. This file information won't delete anything on your system, even should you have an sdb.

Added: If you get the same message, you can also try running "sudo grub-install --recheck --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda"

[lilsavalex]

I just ran the Install-Grub command and no errors appeared after i deleted the second line. Ill check back in a bit if it worked.

[lilsavalex]

Nothing . The same thing still happens . :/

[drs305]

I didn't expect success but I was hoping.... :-(

The "sdf" reference - do you have a thumb drive or SD card attached to your machine? If so, have you tried booting without it inserted?

[lilsavalex]

Haha it was worth a try though :) . Thanks for trying to help . I really appreciate it :)

[drs305]

I'll use this to bump your thread.

If you do a search for "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER." you will find many entries on Google.

Some things which can trigger the messages include a BIOS problem (trying to read a non-system disk at boot, not recognizing the computer's hard drive), a bad hard drive, and bad files.

I don't think it's a drive problem, as we were able to rewrite the MBR and install the grub files - the drive can be read and written to via the LiveCD.

Take a look at some of the search results. I'd concentrate on BIOS issues first.

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.