will not boot following update

[Vyodacoda]

My Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop is failing to boot following an update to 10.4
I let the update complete and a restart was requested, which I did.
Getting through the laptops bios it then gets to the part where grub should take over and show me a menu or if set to 0 seconds boot straight into Linux ( I cannot remember if I set it to 0 seconds or not )
What I actually get is the following
GNU GRUB version 1.98-1ubuntu7
Minimal BASH-like editing is supported. etc.

There is no dual boot on this machine as Ubuntu 10.4 occupies the whole drive
I can leave the machine like this for a while if it is of any use for helping with diagnosis of the problem
It does boot on a Live CD ( Memory Stick Version )
Many thanks

[ronparent]

You could try a grub reinstall per: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling GRUB 2

[Vyodacoda]

Hi ronparent, Many thanks for your reply
Sadly I still cannot get it to boot so it maybe something more sinister
I went though the fixes as prescribed but I am still getting the same screen
I can reinstall it but it does make me worry if such a thing happens again

[Rubi1200]

If you hold down Shift as the computer boots it will bring up the GRUB menu.

If you boot into the previous kernel version (the one before the update) do you still have a problem?

Post the results of the boot-script linked at the bottom of my post as well (from the LiveCD).

Thanks.

[Vyodacoda]

Hi Rubi1200
Many thanks for that
This machine is obviously telling me something cos Holding down shift through the boot process still does not get me anywhere.
I obviously cannot boot to the previous kernel as I have no menu
The content of results.txt follows


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/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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 62.
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
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 305,096,703 305,094,656 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 305,098,750 312,580,095 7,481,346 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 305,098,752 312,580,095 7,481,344 82 Linux swap / Solaris


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 2055 MB, 2055019520 bytes
64 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1011 cylinders, total 4013710 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 * 62 4,011,647 4,011,586 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/loop1 f09b600f-2584-43a0-908e-323d88b77354 ext3
/dev/sda1 c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959 ext4
/dev/sda2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 cf7cdd03-69e0-4ddb-b94d-596af80c24d5 swap
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 3EA0-B507 vfat
/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)


=========================== 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 $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 ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
set locale_dir=($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 2.6.32-25-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic root=UUID=c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-25-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 c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-25-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic root=UUID=c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-24-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-24-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 c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-24-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
}
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 c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959 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='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959 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='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959
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 nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=c8cd0dee-ea91-4238-bb54-847545986959 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=cf7cdd03-69e0-4ddb-b94d-596af80c24d5 none swap sw 0 0

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


47.3GB: boot/grub/core.img
137.7GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
47.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
47.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
47.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
47.3GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
47.4GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic
47.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic
47.5GB: initrd.img
47.4GB: initrd.img.old
47.5GB: vmlinuz
47.4GB: vmlinuz.old
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sda2

00000000 84 18 c6 84 18 ce 84 18 c6 84 18 ce 84 21 c6 7b |.............!.{|
00000010 18 ce 84 21 c6 84 21 ce 84 21 ce 84 18 ce 84 21 |...!..!..!.....!|
00000020 ce 84 18 ce 84 21 c6 84 18 c6 84 18 c6 84 18 c6 |.....!..........|
00000030 84 21 c6 84 18 ce 8c 29 c6 84 21 ce 8c 29 c6 84 |.!.....)..!..)..|
00000040 29 ce 84 29 c6 84 21 ce 84 21 ce 84 21 ce 84 21 |)..)..!..!..!..!|
00000050 ce 84 21 ce 84 29 ce 84 21 ce 8c 29 ce 84 21 ce |..!..)..!..)..!.|
00000060 8c 29 ce 84 29 ce 84 29 ce 84 21 ce 8c 29 ce 84 |.)..)..)..!..)..|
00000070 21 ce 8c 29 c6 84 21 ce 8c 29 ce 84 29 ce 84 31 |!..)..!..)..)..1|
00000080 ce 84 29 ce 84 31 ce 84 29 ce 84 29 ce 84 29 d6 |..)..1..)..)..).|
00000090 8c 31 ce 84 29 ce 84 29 ce 84 29 ce 8c 31 ce 84 |.1..)..)..)..1..|
000000a0 29 ce 8c 29 ce 84 21 ce 8c 29 c6 84 21 ce 8c 21 |)..)..!..)..!..!|
000000b0 c6 84 21 ce 8c 29 ce 84 21 ce 8c 29 ce 84 29 d6 |..!..)..!..)..).|
000000c0 8c 31 ce 8c 29 ce 84 29 ce 84 29 ce 8c 29 ce 84 |.1..)..)..)..)..|
000000d0 29 ce 8c 29 ce 84 29 ce 8c 31 c6 84 31 c6 8c 31 |)..)..)..1..1..1|
000000e0 c6 84 31 ce 8c 39 ce 8c 31 ce 8c 39 c6 84 31 c6 |..1..9..1..9..1.|
000000f0 8c 39 c6 84 31 ce 8c 31 c6 84 31 ce 8c 39 ce 84 |.9..1..1..1..9..|
00000100 31 ce 8c 31 c6 84 31 ce 8c 31 c6 84 31 ce 84 31 |1..1..1..1..1..1|
00000110 c6 84 31 ce 8c 39 ce 84 31 ce 8c 31 ce 84 29 ce |..1..9..1..1..).|
00000120 8c 29 ce 84 29 ce 8c 29 ce 84 29 ce 8c 29 ce 84 |.)..)..)..)..)..|
00000130 29 ce 8c 31 c6 84 29 c6 8c 31 c6 84 29 c6 84 31 |)..1..)..1..)..1|
00000140 c6 7b 29 ce 84 31 ce 84 29 ce 8c 31 c6 84 29 ce |.{)..1..)..1..).|
00000150 8c 29 ce 84 29 ce 84 29 c6 84 29 ce 84 31 c6 84 |.)..)..)..)..1..|
00000160 29 ce 8c 29 c6 84 29 ce 8c 31 ce 84 31 ce 84 31 |)..)..)..1..1..1|
00000170 c6 7b 29 c6 8c 39 c6 94 4a d6 ad 63 de bd 7b e7 |.{)..9..J..c..{.|
00000180 ce 94 e7 ce 9c ef de ad ef de ad f7 e7 b5 f7 e7 |................|
00000190 b5 ff f7 c6 f7 ef c6 ff ff ce ff ff d6 ff ff e7 |................|
000001a0 ff ff ef ff ff f7 ff ff f7 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff |................|
000001b0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff f7 ff ff f7 00 fe |................|
000001c0 ff ff 82 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 28 72 00 00 00 |...........(r...|
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

[Rubi1200]

Is sdb an external drive? Have you tried disconnecting it and then booting (changing the boot order in BIOS if needs be)?

The results look normal; in other words, there doesn't appear to be anything obviously wrong.

[Vyodacoda]

Hi Rubi1200
Many thanks for your quick reply again
I assume that sdb is the memory stick that I am booting on for the Live CD
The hard drive is the first in the boot list and I change it for the memory stick by pressing F12 at boot
I have tried to boot both with the memory stick and without to the same effect
This machine has always been slightly gaga on booting
Many thanks again

[drs305]

In cases where the boot info script results look normal, I usually recommend purging and reinstalling G2 via the LiveCD and chroot. Reinstalling may not recover a failing system if files are missing.

There is very little risk if your power supply and Internet are stable. Here's the link:
HOWTO: Purge and Reinstall Grub 2 from the Live CD (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1581099)

[Vyodacoda]

Hi drs305
Many thanks for this. I will give it a try!

[Vyodacoda]

Hi again drs305
Tried this early this morning and got a first time runner ( worked like a charm )
Many thanks for the very clear instructions
I think I will make a copy of the document in all my document folders ( just in case )
Many thanks again