Grub rescue no such device

[yusuo85]

Ive just installed ubuntu 10.10 onto a old pc that has windows 7 already running.
Ive kept it on a seperate hard drive but when installed all i get is "grub rescue - no such device (and then a long number)
ive tried installing lilo and restoring the mbr of sda (windows drive) but ubuntu resides on the second drive i use (sdb)
Now restoring the mbr has allowed me to boot back into windows but doesnt give me the option to boot into ubuntu, how do i get this working so I can dual boot,

[drs305]

I would recommend you download and run the boot info script from the following link. Post the contents of the RESULTS.txt the script generates and we will be able to see your boot status and make informed suggestions.

http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net

It may be as simple as changing the BIOS boot order of your drives, but the RESULTS.txt will tell us.

[Kirboosy]

You are going to have to reinstall grub

Look at this page (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20from%20LiveCD)

Now did you pull the ubuntu drive in order to boot Windows 7? If you remove the drive on grub without updating it, it will go into rescue mode.

[yusuo85]

nope drive is still in the system just ran lilo and set it to recreate a mbr on sda, never touched the drive

Ill run the script as soon as i get a chance

One more thing would i have to install grub to sda (windows drive) or sdb (ubuntu drive)

[yusuo85]

edited post above with additional question

[Kirboosy]

Was GRUB detecting Windows 7 initially?

I would highly recommend running that bootscript tool as soon as you can. :)

[yusuo85]

grub wasnt detecting anything, i turned on the pc and all i got was grub rescue, i dont know what it may of been detecting. i had to use the livecd to replace windows mbr

[presence1960]

Run the boot info script as drs305 suggested. this will show us your set up & boot process which will eliminate guessing and all this back & forth.

Here is how:

Let's get a better look at your setup & boot process. Boot the Ubuntu Live CD/USB. Choose "try ubuntu without any changes", when the desktop loads come back here and do the following:

1. Download the boot info script. There is a link in my signature.
2. Once downloaded move the boot info script to the desktop.
3. Open a terminal and run the command
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

This will create a RESULTS.txt file on the desktop. Paste the entire contents of that file back here. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.

See here (http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/) for more info on the boot info script.

[yusuo85]

Heres the results.txt



Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Lilo is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda
=> Lilo 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 /grldr /boot/grub/core.img

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: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

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: Unknown
Boot sector info:

sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 80.1 GB, 80060424192 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9733 cylinders, total 156368016 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 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 206,848 156,246,015 156,039,168 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders, total 78165360 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 76,210,175 76,208,128 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 76,212,222 78,163,967 1,951,746 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 76,212,224 78,163,967 1,951,744 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/ramzswap0 swap
/dev/sda1 A4D09B0BD09AE33A ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sda2 88DCA3AADCA3914C ntfs
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4 ext4
/dev/sdb2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb5 28e6d983-342a-442b-ba9b-0730e4771df8 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)


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


??GB: boot/grub/core.img

=========================== 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 4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4
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 4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4
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' --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 4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic (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 4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
### 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 4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4
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 4824feaa-41b0-43ae-bd95-3177a6e086f4
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 part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set a4d09b0bd09ae33a
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 ###

### 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=28e6d983-342a-442b-ba9b-0730e4771df8 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

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


34.5GB: boot/grub/core.img
25.9GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
32.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
34.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
32.4GB: initrd.img
34.5GB: vmlinuz
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sdb2

00000000 92 6e df 77 9f f9 1e 63 93 bb 69 f9 2f 4b 94 3c |.n.w...c..i./K.<|
00000010 ef a7 e4 6a 48 e6 eb d3 b7 63 ef 54 74 53 96 de |...jH....c.TtS..|
00000020 7f 9f fc 39 7e 26 2d 80 7f 4f ad 4e f1 82 38 cf |...9~&-..O.N..8.|
00000030 5f 51 ef 4d 49 af 4b 9d b1 77 5f 99 4d a0 70 70 |_Q.MI.K..w_.M.pp|
00000040 31 d3 d6 af d9 42 dc 64 7f 7b a1 15 d3 07 af 93 |1....B.d.{......|
00000050 5f f0 c6 b0 76 eb f2 b7 9a 5b 9d 12 c4 be 5f 4e |_...v....[...._N|
00000060 7d 7f 9f f5 ac 8b b8 5b 0d 8f 4f 51 ed ff 00 d6 |}......[..OQ....|
00000070 c5 6c 4c a5 77 be 9d 0c a7 82 40 38 cf 5f 4f af |.lL.w.....@8._O.|
00000080 bd 2c 51 c8 ac 09 dd d4 7f 9e b4 a4 ec 9f 9a b7 |.,Q.............|
00000090 e0 72 54 7f 17 ad be e7 fe 48 b3 26 4a 37 53 c5 |.rT......H.&J7S.|
000000a0 73 73 44 c6 53 ef f5 f5 fa 57 2c dd 95 ba bf cb |ssD.S....W,.....|
000000b0 53 cd a8 d7 e3 7f 96 a5 ab 6b 47 90 a8 20 f5 f4 |S........kG.. ..|
000000c0 f7 fa d6 ca 69 8e 53 8f eb f5 fe b5 9a 76 d5 19 |....i.S......v..|
000000d0 14 67 b0 96 11 b8 83 8f a7 d7 8c e7 fa 53 ec e5 |.g...........S..|
000000e0 31 70 4e 3a f5 c1 ed db 9e 95 d3 06 af 7e ea cb |1pN:.........~..|
000000f0 ef 3d 1c 3e ff 00 3f fe 44 d2 13 b3 0e 08 3c 7a |.=.>..?.D.....<z|
00000100 7a ff 00 9e d4 07 24 81 c7 27 fc f7 ad 8f 7b 0f |z.....$..'....{.|
00000110 b7 cb f4 89 25 15 94 de b6 e9 6d 7f af b8 ef e6 |....%.....m.....|
00000120 f7 79 ad f2 f9 d8 46 97 0a 47 1c 60 74 3d 88 aa |.y....F..G.`t=..|
00000130 5f 68 1b fb 75 cf f5 f5 ff 00 3f 4a 94 da d8 c4 |_h..u.....?J....|
00000140 d0 85 c3 e0 7f 20 7d 7d ff 00 1a b8 10 64 75 ea |..... }}.....du.|
00000150 3d 3d 7e 95 b4 5d d7 e7 ea 67 3e d7 f3 b5 bd 75 |==~..]...g>....u|
00000160 bf e0 6a 42 80 28 3c ff 00 90 3d aa 53 38 5e 0f |..jB.(<...=.S8^.|
00000170 61 e8 7e 9e be d5 56 56 de cf b5 8e 1a ab 56 fb |a.~...VV......V.|
00000180 3f ce c4 ab 2a b0 ce 7b 0e c7 bd 31 b0 49 f4 3f |?...*..{...1.I.?|
00000190 e1 59 54 e9 f3 39 e3 1e 57 7b df 4e c4 0e 83 03 |.YT..9..W{.N....|
000001a0 af 5f 6f 43 ed 54 e6 8c 1e 39 3c 0f 4f 5f a5 63 |._oC.T...9<.O_.c|
000001b0 28 f3 3b de da 76 3a 68 ef f3 7f 91 9d 2f 00 fe |(.;..v:h...../..|
000001c0 ff ff 82 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 c8 1d 00 00 00 |................|
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

[drs305]

Probably the best way to set this up is to keep lilo on sda (Windows) and install Grub2 on sdb and have your BIOS boot sdb first. Then if Grub2 fails in the future, you can change the boot order back to sda and still boot Windows until you can repair Grub2.

To do this, boot the Ubuntu LiveCD, open a terminal, and run the following:

sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb
Do not use the partition number in the second command.

Then reboot, and during the initial boot enter your BIOS setup and have it look for your Ubuntu drive first (sdb).

If Windows doesn't appear in the menu, after you do a normal boot run:

sudo update-grub
This should locate Windows on sda and place an entry in the Grub2 menu (if it isn't already there).

[yusuo85]

thanks for the quick reply, now this is where it gets tricky, my bios doesnt give me the option to boot different hdd's only primary hdd or cd drive

[yusuo85]

solved, its a bit of a long winded way but it will do, i just have to go into the boot menu when turning on the pc by pressing f12, if i dont it will auto try and boot windows without even prompting me, as i said its a bit of a long winded way but it will do

[drs305]

Make sure you have checked all the various options in BIOS. In mine for instance, there is a BOOT section but the hard drive selection listed under 'Drives' instead, which isn't intuitive at all.

You can run the same commands as I gave you earlier, only replace sdb with sda in the second command. So they would be:

sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

This should allow G2 to boot, but you lose the lilo backup. Should you need to reinstall lilo for some reason (i.e. the above doesn't work), from the LiveCD:

To reinstall lilo:

sudo apt-get install lilo
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr
Just run those two commands, even though it will state lilo isn't fully installed.

[yusuo85]

thanks drs for all your help working as it should be now