Updating/Fixing GRUB2 (Ubuntu 11.04) on a external hard drive

[jptalledo]

Hi all

I cloned a hard drive and it doesn't boot. Grub2 shows the Menu list during boot up but any option does not work.

My original hard drive have the following partitions:

/dev/sdb1/ /
/dev/sdb2/ /Data
/dev/sdb3 swap


Then my new external hard drive have the following partitions:

/dev/sdb1 swap
/dev/sdb2 /
/dev/sdb3 /Data


I run grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/externalhd /dev/sdb

I am missing update-grub command but I got the following error:

canot stat 'aufs'

I am using a Live Ubuntun 11.04 and my external hard drive is mounted as /dev/sdb

[Quackers]

If you're sure that sdb1 is your Ubuntu root partition, boot from the Ubuntu live cd/usb and choose "try Ubuntu" then open a terminal and run
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb if /dev/sdb is the hard drive you want grub on.

If you get an error on the second command run this one instead
sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb

[jptalledo]

I already tried that but when the hard drive boots up, it shows the Menu and I tried the Ubuntu with Linux....

and I got the following error:

error: no argument specified.
error: unknown filesystem
error: you need to load the kernel first

I can go to the grub console but i am not sure which commands to run.

[Quackers]

Please go to the site below and download the boot script. This will give you a zip file which should be extracted in the same directory as it was downloaded. This produces a folder which contains the script and a changelog file.
You then need to cd to that directory in the terminal (for example
cd Downloads/boot_info_script060 if you downloaded it to your Downloads folder). You don't need to do that if you downloaded it to your home folder.
Then enter

sudo bash boot_info_script.sh

This will produce a results.txt file in the same directory as the downloaded boot script. Please copy the contents of that file and paste them in your next post between CODE tags. For CODE tags click on New Reply (not quick reply)and then click on the # symbol in the toolbar.
This will give a full overview of your current system.
Thanks.

http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

[jptalledo]

It seems, my cloned hard drive still have the UUID info from the original hard drive. How can I change that without manual steps. I am planning to replicate a batch of HDs.

Code:
Boot Info Script 0.60 from 17 May 2011


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

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.
=> Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc and looks at sector
1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and
looks in partition 1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.
=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdd and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,msdos2)/boot/grub on this drive.

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: /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: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sdc1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sdc2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sdc3: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sdd1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sdd2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.10
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /grub/core.img
/boot/grub/core.img

sdd3: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files:

============================ 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 Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2 206,848 312,578,047 312,371,200 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS


Drive: sdc __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sdc: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders, total 234441648 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sdc1 * 2,048 9,764,863 9,762,816 83 Linux
/dev/sdc2 9,764,864 230,467,583 220,702,720 83 Linux
/dev/sdc3 230,467,584 234,440,703 3,973,120 82 Linux swap / Solaris


Drive: sdd __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sdd: 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 Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sdd1 63 1,012,094 1,012,032 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdd2 * 1,012,095 10,795,679 9,783,585 83 Linux
/dev/sdd3 10,795,680 312,576,704 301,781,025 83 Linux


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 EA7C86AA7C8670DD ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sda2 129E8A759E8A5161 ntfs
/dev/sdc1 feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4 ext4
/dev/sdc2 030d2fb6-b5a9-438a-a3f8-0cdb33014211 ext4
/dev/sdc3 cd54ede0-ed52-47e7-9470-9a43d694a4af swap
/dev/sdd1 1466b962-e501-4a5a-9451-08bec9fe16bf swap
/dev/sdd2 a5295a3c-084d-4121-a4cf-9b52c906a68c ext3
/dev/sdd3 96bdff04-522c-43f2-8d51-90af1776c63b ext3

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sdd2 /media/a5295a3c-084d-4121-a4cf-9b52c906a68c ext3 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks)
/dev/sdd3 /media/96bdff04-522c-43f2-8d51-90af1776c63b ext3 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)


=========================== sdc1/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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=2
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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae root=UUID=feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4 ro text acpi=off
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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic-pae ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae root=UUID=feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4 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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
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 ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sdc1/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=feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /Data was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=030d2fb6-b5a9-438a-a3f8-0cdb33014211 /Data ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=cd54ede0-ed52-47e7-9470-9a43d694a4af none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sdc1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

2.278858185 = 2.446905344 boot/grub/core.img 1
2.270545959 = 2.437980160 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
0.629302979 = 0.675708928 boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic-pae 2
2.381347656 = 2.556952576 boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae 1
0.629302979 = 0.675708928 initrd.img 2
2.381347656 = 2.556952576 vmlinuz 1

=========================== sdd2/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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=2
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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae root=UUID=feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4 ro text acpi=off
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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic-pae ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae root=UUID=feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4 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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4
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 ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sdd2/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=feb9e7c8-9b3d-47dd-ab41-b1cba33322e4 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /Data was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=030d2fb6-b5a9-438a-a3f8-0cdb33014211 /Data ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=cd54ede0-ed52-47e7-9470-9a43d694a4af none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sdd2: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

3.779754162 = 4.058480128 boot/grub/core.img 1
3.846332073 = 4.129967616 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
3.862624645 = 4.147461632 boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic-pae 5
3.846118450 = 4.129738240 boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic-pae 3
3.959445477 = 4.251422208 grub/core.img 1
3.862624645 = 4.147461632 initrd.img 5
3.846118450 = 4.129738240 vmlinuz 3

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

unlzma: Decoder error

[Quackers]

If you clone a drive you copy everything, including the UUID's of partitions.

Where is /dev/sdb? Is that the cloned drive?

[jptalledo]

Right now both hard drives are detected as:

/dev/sdc (original)
/dev/sdd (clone)

I created the partitions manually and then I copied the files.
Because the hard drive are different size (120Gb/160Gb) I was forced to create the partitions manually.

How can I fix this?

[Quackers]

Firstly is /dev/sdd set to boot first in your bios?

Secondly, judging by the version of grub installed in /dev/sdd I am assuming that you used a 11.04 live cd to re-install grub. Is that correct?
I suspect that a 10.10 live cd may be best to use, although I'm not 100% sure of that if you're purging/re-installing grub.
I notice also that you have an extra boot file in /dev/sdd2 (/grub/core.img) which shouldn't really be there.
I would suggest that you boot from a 10.10 live cd, if possible, and then purge and re-install grub using the CHROOT section of the guide below.
The partition to mount is /dev/sdd2 and grub should be installed to /dev/sdd
This is assuming that the drive designations don't change when booting from the live cd/usb - watch that because they could.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1581099