Help with Grub

[konang]

So I installed ubuntu desktop edition to a external hard drive, and it worked perfectly but there is only one annoying detail, which is that I installed the Grub 1.98 on the sdb instead of the sda and now when I boot I need to have my external hard drive pluged in, but I still have windows 7 installed in the sda, Can someone tell me if there is a way to move the Grub 1.98 from sdb to sda without having to do format windows or loosing data?

[garvinrick4]

Make sda bootable again with windows on it.
Unplug your external drive sdb;
Put in your Ubuntu install CD and choose Try Ubuntu;
When it boots up. open a terminal Applications/Asseccories/terminal
and copy and paste:

sudo apt-get install lilo
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbrWill get a few error messages ignore. only need MBR.
Now restart take Cd out and will boot into Windows.
If in your BIOS you have HDD to boot first Windows will boot.
If you have USB to boot first and you have your external in will have choice
of Ubuntu or Windows.
Also you can select through BIOS to choose which one you boot from be it CD, USB, HDD
on every boot instance.
Every make or model a little different some hit F10 others F2 mine a HP I hit escape then F9 and I can choose at every boot.
Look around your BIOS and see how yours works. Is real nice to know.
Need to update grub to probe for all Operating Systems:

sudo update-grubHere is some links:
Grub/XP/Vista Bootloader - Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708)
Grub2 - Community Ubuntu Documentation (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#/etc/default/grub)

[konang]

Make sda bootable again with windows on it.
Unplug your external drive sdb;
Put in your Ubuntu install CD and choose Try Ubuntu;
When it boots up. open a terminal Applications/Asseccories/terminal
and copy and paste:

sudo apt-get install lilo
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbrWill get a few error messages ignore. only need MBR.
Now restart take Cd out and will boot into Windows.
If in your BIOS you have HDD to boot first Windows will boot.
If you have USB to boot first and you have your external in will have choice
of Ubuntu or Windows.
Also you can select through BIOS to choose which one you boot from be it CD, USB, HDD
on every boot instance.
Every make or model a little different some hit F10 others F2 mine a HP I hit escape then F9 and I can choose at every boot.
Look around your BIOS and see how yours works. Is real nice to know.
Need to update grub to probe for all Operating Systems:

sudo update-grubHere is some links:
Grub/XP/Vista Bootloader - Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708)
Grub2 - Community Ubuntu Documentation (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#/etc/default/grub)

So I did what you told me, I restored W7 mbr, then with the liveCd installed lilo ran the sudo apt-get install lilo, accepted the installation, then it told me to run liloconfig, I ran it, the ran sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr, and told me that the master boot recorder in dev/sda was updated. So I exit ubuntu liveCD and tried to boot ubunt 10.10 from the bootload menu and it just stays like waiting for something to load but it doesnt loads nothing, what am I missing here?

[garvinrick4]

Goint to have to run this script to DESKTOP and then run this code and will put a text file on desktop post it to this thread takes about 15 seconds.
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/


sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

[garvinrick4]

So I did what you told me, I restored W7 mbr, then with the liveCd installed lilo ran the sudo apt-get install lilo, accepted the installation, then it told me to run liloconfig, I ran it, the ran sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr, and told me that the master boot recorder in dev/sda was updated. So I exit ubuntu liveCD and tried to boot ubunt 10.10 from the bootload menu and it just stays like waiting for something to load but it doesnt loads nothing, what am I missing here? That was to boot Windows.
in sda you were not even suppose to have sdb drive plugged in as stated previously. sdb should have been fine. We will see. Could be no bootloader
in sdb should be if you installed in sdb at install. Bootscript with sdb plugged in will tell.

[konang]

Goint to have to run this script to DESKTOP and then run this code and will put a text file on desktop post it to this thread takes about 15 seconds.
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/


sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

Here are my results, just to remember I installed Ubuntu 10.10 on an external hard drive that is in the sdb, still, it isnt plugged in right now


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /boot/bcd

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Vista: Fat 32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
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 * 2,048 409,599 407,552 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 409,600 941,082,623 940,673,024 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 941,328,384 976,560,127 35,231,744 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 976,560,128 976,771,119 210,992 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 D06E26C96E26A864 ntfs SYSTEM
/dev/sda2 34A43672A4363728 ntfs
/dev/sda3 C8D6F481D6F47154 ntfs RECOVERY
/dev/sda4 66BE-8D79 vfat HP_TOOLS
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sda2 /media/34A43672A4363728 fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)
/dev/sda1 /media/SYSTEM fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)



All this partitions were default within the laptop

[garvinrick4]

rerun script with sdb your ubuntu drive plugged in also. Do not have to download just
run the piece of code again with script on desktop. Does Windows boot without sdb plugged in?
If you copy and paste whole text file and then highlight it and then click the # sign in upper right of the message box it will put it in a nice little box I can scroll thru.

[konang]

rerun script with sdb your ubuntu drive plugged in also. Do not have to download just
run the piece of code again with script on desktop. Does Windows boot without sdb plugged in?
If you copy and paste whole text file and then highlight it and then click the # sign in upper right of the message box it will put it in a nice little box I can scroll thru.


Here it is, sorry i fell asleep, yes windows does boot without sdb plugged in, I restored de MBR from a Windows7 recovery disk, but I cant get Ubuntu to boot from the hard drive, and its either I restore grub to sdb and only be able to boot from the external hard drive, or boot form windows and wont be able to boot Ubutnu in the external hard drive.


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /boot/bcd

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Vista: Fat 32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.10
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
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 * 2,048 409,599 407,552 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 409,600 941,082,623 940,673,024 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 941,328,384 976,560,127 35,231,744 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 976,560,128 976,771,119 210,992 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 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/sdb1 2,048 468,520,959 468,518,912 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 468,523,006 488,396,799 19,873,794 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 468,523,008 488,396,799 19,873,792 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 D06E26C96E26A864 ntfs SYSTEM
/dev/sda2 34A43672A4363728 ntfs
/dev/sda3 C8D6F481D6F47154 ntfs RECOVERY
/dev/sda4 66BE-8D79 vfat HP_TOOLS
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d ext4
/dev/sdb2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb5 77b33152-1124-4e45-a480-fdca7de3403f swap
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sdb1 /media/c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks)
/dev/sda2 /media/34A43672A4363728 fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)


=========================== sdb1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${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
}

function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d
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 2.6.35-22-generic-pae' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae root=UUID=c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic-pae
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic-pae (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic-pae ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae root=UUID=c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic-pae
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c4b18296-0401-45fd-a336-4b08cc410c9d
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### 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 ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_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=77b33152-1124-4e45-a480-fdca7de3403f none swap sw 0 0

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


189.1GB: boot/grub/core.img
189.1GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
1.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic-pae
189.1GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae
1.0GB: initrd.img
189.1GB: vmlinuz

[garvinrick4]

Put in Live Cd and open a terminal and:

sudo mkdir /media/root
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /media/root
sudo grub-install --recheck --root-directory=/media/root /dev/sdb
sudo umount /media/root (not a typo)
You have made a directory (folder)
you have mounted partition sdb1 (linux install)
you have installed grub2 in sdb looking in sdb1 for grub2
you have unmounted and it is umount.
Now you can boot into Ubuntu with USB first in BIOS order and then

sudo update-grubwill probe for all other Operating Systems to put in grub-config and grub menu.(above)

grep menuentry /boot/grub/grub.cfgto see grub menu(above)

Now you have to learn to use BIOS. If USB first in order will have Windows and UBUNTU
as choice. If use sda as boot drive will only get Windows. Do not have a Linux entry on drive to look for grub2. Looks for Window entry because that is what is installed on that drive. If had both Ubuntu and Windows on same drive can Use grub2
Can use BIOS to choose to BOOT from either CD,HDD,USB drives at each boot.
Some are F10 some are F2 mine is a HP and is esc and then F9 and choose to take choice to boot from. Remember can change Bios to boot USB first all the time and when external plugged in will always get both choices. If a USB not plugged in will go to next choice. IF CD will Pass if no Cd and next if HDD will go to that one and boot Windows. You will now have a working system.

[konang]

Put in Live Cd and open a terminal and:

sudo mkdir /media/root
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /media/root
sudo grub-install --recheck --root-directory=/media/root /dev/sdb
sudo umount /media/root (not a typo)
You have made a directory (folder)
you have mounted partition sdb1 (linux install)
you have installed grub2 in sdb looking in sdb1 for grub2
you have unmounted and it is umount.
Now you can boot into Ubuntu with USB first in BIOS order and then

sudo update-grubwill probe for all other Operating Systems to put in grub-config and grub menu.(above)

grep menuentry /boot/grub/grub.cfgto see grub menu(above)

Now you have to learn to use BIOS. If USB first in order will have Windows and UBUNTU
as choice. If use sda as boot drive will only get Windows. Do not have a Linux entry on drive to look for grub2. Looks for Window entry because that is what is installed on that drive. If had both Ubuntu and Windows on same drive can Use grub2
Can use BIOS to choose to BOOT from either CD,HDD,USB drives at each boot.
Some are F10 some are F2 mine is a HP and is esc and then F9 and choose to take choice to boot from. Remember can change Bios to boot USB first all the time and when external plugged in will always get both choices. If a USB not plugged in will go to next choice. IF CD will Pass if no Cd and next if HDD will go to that one and boot Windows.


Thank you for you asistance you really where helpful throughout the process everything works fine now Thank You Very Much :)

[garvinrick4]

My pleasure happy you are off and running, enjoy your Ubuntu.