Ubuntu 11.04 Won't load

[Paul41]

I just did a clean install of 11.04. Now when I try to boot the machine I get the following error:


error: no such device
error: no such disk
error: you need to load the kernel first

Then I am taken to the Grub menu. Selecting anything from the Grub menu brings this error back up.

So now I'm stuck with a computer that won't work. Any ideas how to fix this?

[cariboo]

Grub wasn't installed properly, bott from the live cd and once at the desktop, open a terminal and type the following commands:


sudo mount /dev/sdxX /mnt
sudo mount -o bind /dev /mnt/dev
sudo mount -o bind /sys /mnt/sys
sudo mount -o bind /proc /mnt/proc
sudo chroot /mnt


where /dev/sdxX = your ubuntu partition, if you don't know what the device label for the partition is type:


sudo fdisk -l

to find out what partition Ubuntu is using.

Once you have entered the above commands type:


grub-install /dev/sda

then type:


update-grub

running the above command you should see a list of your installed operating systems. Once the update-grub command has finished, press Ctrl-D twice, and reboot.

[Paul41]

I tried this and now I just get a flashing cursor on the upper left corner with a black screen. It's not even trying to boot and I don't ever get the grub menu.

[Paul41]

I tried to re-install using a new CD and got the same problem. I tried the grub commands again and now it is a endless loop of loading the BIOS splash screen then to the black screen with the flashing cursor. It just keeps looping back and forth between those two.screens.

[Rubi1200]

Please do the following:

1. post the specifications, especially RAM and graphics card

2. run the boot script:

Boot the Ubuntu Live CD/USB. Choose the option "Try Ubuntu without any changes." Once 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 in a new post. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.

[Paul41]

4 gb of RAM
Video Card: VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G98 [GeForce 9300M GS] (rev a1)


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 21319993 of
the same hard drive for core.img, but core.img can not be found at this
location.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 11.04
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 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 * 1 29,296,875 29,296,875 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 29,296,876 37,013,671 7,716,796 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3 37,013,672 625,142,447 588,128,776 83 Linux


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1 ext4
/dev/sda2 3d13dcef-1b8c-41d9-bada-a585b4022a2d swap
/dev/sda3 2a9730de-c3a1-4841-8b24-cedd9df04a0c ext4
/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)


=========================== sda1/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 video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
if [ "${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
if background_color 44,0,30; then
clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.38-8-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-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='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ "x${timeout}" != "x-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 ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_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=fd7a6982-10bb-46be-9b79-59bdb253f0a1 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /home was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=2a9730de-c3a1-4841-8b24-cedd9df04a0c /home ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=3d13dcef-1b8c-41d9-bada-a585b4022a2d none swap sw 0 0

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


10.9GB: boot/grub/core.img
10.9GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
10.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
10.9GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic
10.0GB: initrd.img
10.9GB: vmlinuz

[Rubi1200]

Have you tried using nomodeset at boot?

To bring up the GRUB menu, hold Shift down as the computer boots (sometimes needs playing with to get it right).
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=10069997&postcount=1

[Paul41]

I am not able to get to the grub menu. It always loops back to the BIOS splash screen before even trying to load grub.

[dino99]

then its either a bios problem or motherboard battery is powerless

[Paul41]

then its either a bios problem or motherboard battery is powerless

Everything worked fine until installing 11.04 so I don't see how this would be the problem.

[Paul41]

I'm in now. I left off this line


grub-install /dev/sda

and after doing that I was able to boot.