Dual Boot Grub Problem (Fedora)

[buckyb]

I'm using Fedora 14 and 15 (alpha), and I'm having trouble getting a dual boot going, I posted this thread over in the fedora forums, but it's really slow, so I thought I'd try my luck here, maybe someone can help me and walk me through setting up a dual boot.

Okay, so I think I've royally messed up my partitions, I've been going through the fedora wikis and other message boards trying to sort out my grub install because I want to recover my partitions but I'm still a beginner with linux, and I'm quite confused. I'm trying to dual boot Fedora 14 and Fedora 15 alpha.

Fedora 14: Magellan = sda4
Fedora 15: Magellantwo = sda2

I had Fedora 14 install under magellan, but after installing Fedora 15, I can't install grub correctly to get a boot menu to choose the which operating system I want. I need help with this please. I'm going to display some relevant output, please tell me what it means and what I should do.

sudo gedit /boot/grub/grub.conf

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root
# initrd /initrd-[generic-]version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=0
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.38-0.rc8.git0.1.fc15.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.38-0.rc8.git0.1.fc15.i686 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellantwo/lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_swap rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellantwo/lv_swap rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.38-0.rc8.git0.1.fc15.i686.img
title Fedora (2.6.38-0.rc5.git1.1.fc15.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.38-0.rc5.git1.1.fc15.i686 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellantwo/lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_swap rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellantwo/lv_swap rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.38-0.rc5.git1.1.fc15.i686.img

sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 99.8 GB, 99830223360 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12137 cylinders, total 194980905 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0005584f

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 2048 1026047 512000 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 1026048 99977215 49475584 8e Linux LVM
/dev/sda4 99977216 188839935 44431360 8e Linux LVM

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_swap: 2080 MB, 2080374784 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 252 cylinders, total 4063232 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_swap doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root: 48.6 GB, 48553263104 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 5902 cylinders, total 94830592 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_swap: 2080 MB, 2080374784 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 252 cylinders, total 4063232 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_swap doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_root: 43.4 GB, 43385880576 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 5274 cylinders, total 84738048 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_root doesn't contain a valid partition table


Right now, I'm in Fedora 15 (magellantwo). Is my Fedora 14 (magellan) salvageable?

[wilee-nilee]

So from a booted live Ubuntu cd or thumbdrive lets see the bootscript read out; in my signature just click on it and follow the instructions. Come back to the thread and click on the (#) in the reply panel this makes code tags paste all the text in between.

[buckyb]

So from a booted live Ubuntu cd or thumbdrive lets see the bootscript read out; in my signature just click on it and follow the instructions. Come back to the thread and click on the (#) in the reply panel this makes code tags paste all the text in between.

I can boot into Fedora 15 alpha, so I downloaded the .sh file and used the terminal in Fedora instead of the Ubuntu Live CD. Results are below. Thanks in advance.


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Grub 0.97-71.fc15 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the
same drive in partition #1 for /grub/stage2 and /grub/grub.conf.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /grub/menu.lst /grub/grub.conf

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: LVM2_member
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: LVM2_member
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

vg_magellan-lv_root: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Fedora release 14 (Laughlin)
Kernel on an ()
Boot files/dirs: /etc/fstab

vg_magellan-lv_swap: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

vg_magellantwo-lv_swap: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

vg_magellantwo-lv_root: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Fedora release 15 (Lovelock)
Kernel on an ()
Boot files/dirs: /etc/fstab

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 99.8 GB, 99830223360 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12137 cylinders, total 194980905 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 1,026,047 1,024,000 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 1,026,048 99,977,215 98,951,168 8e Linux LVM
/dev/sda4 99,977,216 188,839,935 88,862,720 8e Linux LVM


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_root 74cefab4-e8d2-4923-a401-f1cf2d37ff6b ext4 _Fedora-14-i686-
/dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_swap 1458ce83-bc21-4100-8c59-559908931f1d swap
/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root dd8f6c63-765c-4cba-83ac-310f0e97afd0 ext4 _Fedora-15-Alpha
/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_swap 3e49e929-dfef-4b8e-9c82-6075499ebb17 swap
/dev/sda1 ce462fe0-64bd-4ae4-a72d-adfbca77b483 ext4
/dev/sda2 6H2NRS-itmB-L42L-5iFD-TQl7-3B1f-MbN3ak LVM2_member
/dev/sda4 CJB2YN-x9hX-sn8p-u269-fE02-OWiq-NcOwpX LVM2_member
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"

=============================== "ls -R /dev/mapper/" output: ===============================
/dev/mapper:
control
vg_magellan-lv_root
vg_magellan-lv_swap
vg_magellantwo-lv_root
vg_magellantwo-lv_swap

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root / ext4 (rw,relatime,seclabel,barrier=1,data=ordered)
/dev/sda1 /boot ext4 (rw,relatime,seclabel,barrier=1,data=ordered)
/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root /tmp ext4 (rw,relatime,seclabel,barrier=1,data=ordered)
/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root /var/tmp ext4 (rw,relatime,seclabel,barrier=1,data=ordered)
/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root /home ext4 (rw,relatime,seclabel,barrier=1,data=ordered)


============================= sda1/grub/grub.conf: =============================

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root
# initrd /initrd-[generic-]version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=0
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.35.11-83.fc14.i686 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_swap rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_swap rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.35.11-83.fc14.i686.img

title Fedora (2.6.38-0.rc8.git0.1.fc15.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.38-0.rc8.git0.1.fc15.i686 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellantwo/lv_root #rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_swap rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellantwo/lv_swap rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.38-0.rc8.git0.1.fc15.i686.img
title Fedora (2.6.38-0.rc5.git1.1.fc15.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.38-0.rc5.git1.1.fc15.i686 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellantwo/lv_root #rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_swap rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellantwo/lv_swap rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.38-0.rc5.git1.1.fc15.i686.img
title Fedora (2.6.35.11-83.fc14.i686)


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


.0GB: grub/grub.conf
.0GB: grub/menu.lst
.0GB: grub/stage2
.0GB: initramfs-2.6.38-0.rc5.git1.1.fc15.i686.img
.0GB: initramfs-2.6.38-0.rc8.git0.1.fc15.i686.img
.0GB: initrd-plymouth.img
.0GB: vmlinuz-2.6.38-0.rc5.git1.1.fc15.i686
.0GB: vmlinuz-2.6.38-0.rc8.git0.1.fc15.i686

======================== vg_magellan-lv_root/etc/fstab: ========================


#
# /etc/fstab
# Created by anaconda on Sat Mar 5 02:32:00 2011
#
# Accessible filesystems, by reference, are maintained under '/dev/disk'
# See man pages fstab(5), findfs(8), mount(8) and/or blkid(8) for more info
#
/dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_root / ext4 defaults 1 1
UUID=e804071e-c18b-4155-9c78-dac094ed8f6e /boot ext4 defaults 1 2
/dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_swap swap swap defaults 0 0
UUID=7712cf8e-3bad-4c01-ad2e-3ec09b58ff2a swap swap defaults 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0

====================== vg_magellantwo-lv_root/etc/fstab: ======================


#
# /etc/fstab
# Created by anaconda on Sat Mar 12 04:08:19 2011
#
# Accessible filesystems, by reference, are maintained under '/dev/disk'
# See man pages fstab(5), findfs(8), mount(8) and/or blkid(8) for more info
#
/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_root / ext4 defaults 1 1
UUID=ce462fe0-64bd-4ae4-a72d-adfbca77b483 /boot ext4 defaults 1 2
/dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_swap swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/mapper/vg_magellantwo-lv_swap swap swap defaults 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

mdadm: No arrays found in config file or automatically

I tried editing my grub.conf file by adding the following line recommended by a fedora forum member but it didn't work:


title Fedora (2.6.35.11-83.fc14.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.35.11-83.fc14.i686 ro root=/dev/mapper/vg_magellan-lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_root rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_swap rd_LVM_LV=vg_magellan/lv_swap rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYTABLE=us rhgb quiet
initrd /initramfs-2.6.35.11-83.fc14.i686.img

[wilee-nilee]

Hopefully the script should get you some answers. I never messed with grub-legacy, but I know the script is about the best start in getting help.:)

[oldfred]

I do not know Fedora, but one boot partition with two installs is a problem.

Your second install probably overwrote all the boot files from the first install in the /boot partition.

Script only shows in sda1 2.6.38 and no boot files like 2.6.35. If you have the boot files form 2.6.35 you may be able to copy them back to /boot and edit grub file. Not sure if mixed kernels will work like that.

[buckyb]

I think I'm going to give up on the partition. I can still access it, so I'm moving the important files to my current OS.

What distro would you guys recommend I install to dual boot with my Fedora 15 alpha, after all, it is just an alpha.

Please feel free to include non-Ubuntu distro (that includes Mint) dual boot guides and tell me about your favorite distros.

EDIT: Okay, I moved my folders. Can someone recommend a distro alongside Fedora? Or is there a section on the Ubuntu forums that deal with other distros? Maybe I should look...

[Blasphemist]

Buckyb- If you are still interested, though I'm sure you moved on one way or another, I've read your fedora forum post and this one. I think I see what was being missed by those trying to help. I also think the fedora forum help was leading you to a hard to recover from situation.

I read these in an effort to figure out a custom boot entry issue that I'm working on. I have all my buntu flavors working from a custom entry that boots by partition and not calling a specific kernel. I'm having some trouble figuring that out for fedora 15 and openSUSE but I'll get there. There is quite a bit behind this and that is for a thread all it's own but I may be able to help you if you'd like.