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View Full Version : [ubuntu] Ubuntu Lucid Lynx Server 10.04.3 stops at GRUB2 Menu



ddouthitt
January 17th, 2012, 08:11 PM
I have an Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04.3 Server system that doesn't automatically boot; it stops at the boot menu and remains. No messages are seen and no errors displayed. When a key is pressed, it continues and generates a "error: no argument specified" and continues on.

I just upgraded the server to the most recent set of updates.

Other similar systems are not stopping at the menu, but are continuing on. I posted a message on the Ubuntu Stack Exchange (http://askubuntu.com/questions/96265/grub-1-98-error-no-argument-specified) but haven't heard anything yet - usually get responses right away. For the moment I'm assuming that people there don't know (I'll try to keep this thread updated if something comes up over there).

I did a Google search but can't find any answers to the ultimate question: What makes the GRUB2 menu appear (possibly in spite of the menu configuration)?

Can someone help? (I hope this question isn't out of place, but as Ubuntu SE hasn't responded...)

ddouthitt
January 18th, 2012, 04:38 AM
I found that the version listed as the installed package (and installed software) and the version reported at boot-time in the GRUB2 menu were different: 1.98-1ubuntu12 for the former and 1.99~rc1-13ubuntu3 for the latter.

The system never had any Ubuntu version that uses 1.99~rc1-13ubuntu3; it had Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 before, which uses GRUB Legacy.

The message "error: no argument specified" was seen before the menu (in bold) as well as after (normal text), with a "Press any key to continue..." after the second message. This prompt times out after about 5 seconds and continues on.

Gory details and research are at the StackExchange site.

ddouthitt
January 18th, 2012, 06:34 PM
I created a script to check for differences between the files in /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc and in /boot/grub. The files in /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc are owned by the package, and those in /boot/grub are installed programmatically.

The problem system shows a wide discrepancy between the two. Reinstalling the Ubuntu package for grub-pc wiped out the differences; the configuration hasn't yet been tested in a system reboot.

All these details and more have been posted in an answer to the question on the Ubuntu StackExchange site:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/96265/grub-1-98-error-no-argument-specified/96591#96591