Problems with Grub and maybe partition after installing 11.10

[Omegus]

Hey guys and gals,

I did a fresh install for Ubuntu 11.10 and replaced 10.10. So anyways I installed and during the installation I had the critical fail message come up about could not install the grub to /dev/sda. Anyways I looked the problem up and found out it was my live CD so I made my Live USB and installed not a problem. But after I restarted I got this message:

Grub file not found
Grub rescue

Now I got this when i changed the bios so that the hard drives would boot first. I have 2 500 gb hd's .

Now one reasoning I think this was a indicator of a problem was when I manually partitioned my HD was set to this /dev/mapper and not /dev/sda . do you think this may have led to this error? Also I check out the boot repair but that didn't work. ill post my
sudo fdisk -l in 5 mins.

any help with this would be much apprechiated

[Rubi1200]

Hi,
please post the results of the boot info script as it will give us a better overview of what is going on.

There is a link at the bottom of my post with instructions.

Thanks.

[Omegus]

here is my sudo fdisk -l


ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l
Warning: ignoring extra data in partition table 5
Warning: ignoring extra data in partition table 5
Warning: ignoring extra data in partition table 5
Warning: invalid flag 0x5f38 of partition table 5 will be corrected by w(rite)

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
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00079f72

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 256 2148607 1074176 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 2148862 1953283583 975567361 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 ? 4178481367 7582521586 1702020110 2 XENIX root

Disk /dev/sdb: 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
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0009a466

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb2 810719232 976771071 83025920 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 925294592 964898815 19802112 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd: 1000.1 GB, 1000081457152 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121586 cylinders, total 1953284096 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 65536 bytes / 131072 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00079f72

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd1 256 2148607 1074176 83 Linux
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd2 2148862 1953283583 975567361 5 Extended
Partition 2 does not start on physical sector boundary.
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd5 2148864 12109567 4980352 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd6 12109824 600000255 293945216 83 Linux
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd7 600000512 1953283583 676641536 83 Linux

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd1: 1099 MB, 1099956224 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 133 cylinders, total 2148352 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 65536 bytes / 131072 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd1 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd5: 5099 MB, 5099880448 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 620 cylinders, total 9960704 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 65536 bytes / 131072 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd5 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd6: 301.0 GB, 300999901184 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36594 cylinders, total 587890432 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 65536 bytes / 131072 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd6 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd7: 692.9 GB, 692880932864 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 84237 cylinders, total 1353283072 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 65536 bytes / 131072 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd7 doesn't contain a valid partition table




and here is my from the results from the "results file"


Boot Info Script 0.60 from 17 May 2011


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

=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb.
=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd and
looks at sector 1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this
location and looks for on this drive.

sdb2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:

sdb5: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system:
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed: mount: unknown filesystem type ''

pdc_cajdjcbgd1: __________________________________________________ ______________

File system: ext2
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files: /grub/grub.cfg /grub/core.img

pdc_cajdjcbgd2: __________________________________________________ ______________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:

pdc_cajdjcbgd5: __________________________________________________ ______________

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

pdc_cajdjcbgd6: __________________________________________________ ______________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 11.10
Boot files: /etc/fstab

pdc_cajdjcbgd7: __________________________________________________ ______________

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

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

Drive: sdb __________________________________________________ ___________________

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

/dev/sdb2 810,719,232 976,771,071 166,051,840 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 925,294,592 964,898,815 39,604,224 82 Linux swap / Solaris


Drive: pdc_cajdjcbgd __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd: 1000.1 GB, 1000081457152 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121586 cylinders, total 1953284096 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/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd1 256 2,148,607 2,148,352 83 Linux
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd2 2,148,862 1,953,283,583 1,951,134,722 5 Extended
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd5 2,148,864 12,109,567 9,960,704 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd6 12,109,824 600,000,255 587,890,432 83 Linux
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd7 600,000,512 1,953,283,583 1,353,283,072 83 Linux


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd1 e0f2f483-dffd-46a8-8f88-2546632590bf ext2
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd5 fc83a968-1cbe-4feb-a810-b09eab28820f swap
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd6 6b3a28ea-c080-4dc9-8853-af38b73aba47 ext4
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd7 2723b1a7-0214-47fd-8f7e-c55309fbe7f0 ext4
/dev/sda promise_fasttrack_raid_member

========================= "ls -R /dev/mapper/" output: =========================

/dev/mapper:
control
pdc_cajdjcbgd
pdc_cajdjcbgd1
pdc_cajdjcbgd5
pdc_cajdjcbgd6
pdc_cajdjcbgd7

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)


======================== pdc_cajdjcbgd1/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='(hd3,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 6b3a28ea-c080-4dc9-8853-af38b73aba47
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd3,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e0f2f483-dffd-46a8-8f88-2546632590bf
set locale_dir=($root)/grub/locale
set lang=en_CA
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${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 3.0.0-12-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd3,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e0f2f483-dffd-46a8-8f88-2546632590bf
linux /vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=6b3a28ea-c080-4dc9-8853-af38b73aba47 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.0.0-12-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd3,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e0f2f483-dffd-46a8-8f88-2546632590bf
echo 'Loading Linux 3.0.0-12-generic ...'
linux /vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=6b3a28ea-c080-4dc9-8853-af38b73aba47 ro recovery nomodeset
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-3.0.0-12-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='(hd3,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e0f2f483-dffd-46a8-8f88-2546632590bf
linux16 /memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd3,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e0f2f483-dffd-46a8-8f88-2546632590bf
linux16 /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 ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

============== pdc_cajdjcbgd1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===============

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

= grub/core.img 2
= grub/grub.cfg 1
= initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic 57
= vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic 19

========================== pdc_cajdjcbgd6/etc/fstab: ===========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' 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/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd6 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd1 /boot ext2 defaults 0 2
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd7 /home ext4 defaults 0 2
/dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd5 none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

======================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc: ========================

Unknown BootLoader on sdb2


Unknown BootLoader on sdb5


Unknown BootLoader on pdc_cajdjcbgd2



========= Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive: =========

sdc sdd sde sdf

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

unlzma: Decoder error
hexdump: /dev/sdb2: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/sdb2: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/sdb5: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/sdb5: No such file or directory
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
hexdump: /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd2: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd2: No such file or directory



hope this helps.

[darkod]

Are you running fakeraid or software raid? /dev/mapper/etc is a raid device and seems to be RAID0 made up from both your disks.

For installing with RAID the recommendation is to use the alternate install cd, not the standard desktop cd.

The recommendation is exactly for what happened to you. Grub often doesn't install correctly if using the standard cd for raid.

If you are not using raid you should remove the meta data, but it seems you are using it.

[Omegus]

It is a raid0. as for the rest not a clue what you mean. I'm in the infantry so you need to speak slower I am trying to learn this stuff.

[darkod]

OK.
1. Forget about the ubuntu cd you have for the moment.
2. Go here: http://releases.ubuntu.com/oneiric/ look carefully in all the download options and download the alternate image, 32bit or 64bit to your liking.
3. Boot the computer with the alternate cd and when it asks you if you want to activate the raid array it will detect, say Yes.
4. Then simply continue with the install. I recommend the manual method for partitioning. You might need to delete some partitions you made during this failed install. If not sure about anything, ask questions first. :)

[Omegus]

true enough. ill try this out right away and let you know the results. thanks.

[Omegus]

Ok its asking me where to install the grub do i install it to the /boot partition or do I do something else? because I tried installing it to one of the examples /dev/sda but mine says /dev/mapper .

[Quackers]

Install grub to the /dev/mapper that usually doesn't have a number at the end of it (in your case I believe it's /dev/mapper/pdc_cajdjcbgd). This is effectively the MBR of the raid array. Not to a partition.

[Omegus]

now it comes on to a black screen and freezes . I can edit what bios go in what order for booting but i dont get that other command now it was shift + F10 for options.

when I put the primary HD first for boot i get that black screen and when i do the other I get the Grub rescue.

I went into the config which it is DEL key on booting and i had sen my raid was set to IDE is it spose to be there or on Raid?


I'm starting to think I screwed up my computer.

[Quackers]

If you are running a raid array the bios setting should be on raid.
However, by trying to write directly to /dev/sda (installing grub) it is possible that the raid array has been damaged, though not a certainty.
Is there any mention of a degraded or failed raid array in your bios? You may need to press a key combination during boot to see the raid configuration.

If you can, set the bios back to raid and see what happens.

[Omegus]

yup that did it I set the raid bios back from IDE to Raid rebooted and BAM! working now thank guys so much. I have now learned even more about my computer. Another tool for the tool box.

[Quackers]

Aha! Nice one! :-)
Enjoy Ubuntu-ing

[Rubi1200]

Glad you got things worked out and can enjoy Ubuntu :-)

Great support too from darkod and Quackers!

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