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antsco
May 14th, 2012, 10:40 PM
Hi
I installed ubuntu 12.0.4 on a dell inspiron 6000 laptop, with Windows XP already as the main OS
I had a free partition of 86GB which apparently ubuntu has detected and utilized for its installation (from a CD Rom)
After install, which apparently wnet well, the booting process remains stuck on a command prompt and it doens't boot at all, neither with ubunto nor with windows.
The only thing I can do is booting with ubuntu from the CD rom.
Any ideas on how I can successfully install ubuntu (or unistall for that matter)?
Thanks
Antonio:confused:

oldfred
May 14th, 2012, 10:48 PM
Welcome to the forums.

You can download this into the liveCD/USB or download a bootable repairCD.

Boot Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
You can repair many boot issues with this or 'Create BootInfo' report & post the link it creates, so we can see your exact configuration.

antsco
May 15th, 2012, 12:58 PM
btw, the message I get when booting is:

error no such partition
grub rescue>

hope this can help targeting the problem.
Also since I am quite new to linux/ubuntu I am still not quite sure how to install and run boot-repair-disk, any help appreciated
Thanks
Antonio

darkod
May 15th, 2012, 01:43 PM
That link has the procedure to run the boot-repair from live mode. It's under the 2nd option: Install Boot Repair in Ubuntu.

Boot with the cd in live mode, open Terminal and in terminal run the two lines of code from that section, Install Boot Repair in Ubuntu.

When Boot Repair opens, you can do the Recommended Repair if you want to, or you can only do the Create BootInfo summary. That will give you a link where the summary is. Post that link and we can see the details of the system and maybe find the problem.

antsco
May 15th, 2012, 10:44 PM
Hi darko
eventually running boot disk succeded. Not the first time though.
After the first trial the system message said that th ebooting had been repaired but when rebooting the same problem appeared.
Next I re-run boot-disk-repair changing one advanced option, I guess it was the ata support box and when I rebooted it still gives the following message:

error: no device connected

but after less than a minute the dual loader appears. and then I can boot either windows or linux.
I wonder why this error appears and how can I avoind it form happening
any clues?
Thanks for your help
Antonio

darkod
May 15th, 2012, 11:10 PM
Unfortunately without more details that the boot info script results produce, we can't know what exactly is going on.

It sounds like you need to check the BIOS settings too, this doesn't sound like ubuntu issue.

antsco
May 16th, 2012, 09:29 AM
Hi Darkrod
are you suggesting that I run the bootinfoscript after ubuntu is loaded?
BTW why do you think it is a BIOS issue, I have not manipulated the BIOS at all while trying to install UBUNTU
Does Ubuntu manipulate the bios during the installation process?
Cheers
Antonio

darkod
May 16th, 2012, 09:40 AM
Yes, you can run the script after it's loaded and post the results.

No, ubuntu doesn't manipulate the BIOS but there are possibilities you are booting from another disk if you have more than one, etc. The boot process is controlled by BIOS too, the order of the devices and of the HDDs, so depending on the setup it can have a role.

antsco
May 29th, 2012, 05:14 PM
Hi
I just run bootinfoscript and this is the output (see below). There seems something wrong in sda6
but dunno how to interpret that nor what to do.
Any clue is appreciated
Thanks
Antonio



Boot Info Script 0.61 [1 April 2012]


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

=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
in partition 6 for /boot/grub.

sda1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP: NTFS
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM

sda2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP: NTFS
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files:

sda3: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP: NTFS
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda5 starts
at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files:

sda6: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda7: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

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

Drive: sda __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disco /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 cabezas, 63 sectores/pista, 38913 cilindros, 625142448 sectores en total
Unidades = sectores de 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Tamaño de sector (lógico / físico): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 245,762,047 245,760,000 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2 245,762,048 450,558,989 204,796,942 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda3 450,559,051 625,141,759 174,582,709 f W95 Extended (LBA)
/dev/sda5 450,559,053 489,628,982 39,069,930 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda6 489,629,696 620,949,503 131,319,808 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 620,951,552 625,141,759 4,190,208 82 Linux swap / Solaris


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 E83455A134557392 ntfs
/dev/sda2 C0A42DBCA42DB5B6 ntfs Dati
/dev/sda5 4C4C70424C7028BA ntfs UBUNTU
/dev/sda6 4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e ext4
/dev/sda7 8e183875-3689-40f2-ac8c-22b3ebe7c3ac swap

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda6 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)


================================ sda1/boot.ini: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=========================== sda6/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='(hd0,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=10
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 ###
function gfxmode {
set gfxpayload="$1"
if [ "$1" = "keep" ]; then
set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
else
set vt_handoff=
fi
}
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 3.2.0-23-generic-pae' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic-pae root=UUID=4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-23-generic-pae
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-23-generic-pae (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e
echo 'Loading Linux 3.2.0-23-generic-pae ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic-pae root=UUID=4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e ro recovery nomodeset
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-23-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,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (on /dev/sda1)" --class windows --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root E83455A134557392
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
### 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 ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sda6/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
# / was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=4f9b0dbd-dc2c-43e9-9992-74389831e69e / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=8e183875-3689-40f2-ac8c-22b3ebe7c3ac none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sda6: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

261.610439301 = 280.902070272 boot/grub/core.img 1
261.607429504 = 280.898838528 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
239.859340668 = 257.547005952 boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-23-generic-pae 2
261.606685638 = 280.898039808 boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic-pae 1
239.859340668 = 257.547005952 initrd.img 2
261.606685638 = 280.898039808 vmlinuz 1

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

xz: (stdin): Los datos comprimidos están corruptos

darkod
May 29th, 2012, 07:49 PM
You can try reinstalling grub2 to the MBR. Boot with the CD in live mode and in terminal do:
sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

Restart and see if it helped.

One reason might be that the core.img and the other grub2 files are very far back on the disk, beyond 250GB or 280GB. Sometimes boards don't recognize boot files beyond 137GB on the disk.

If that it the issue here, I am not sure how to resolve it except making a separate /boot partition as much at the front of the disk as you can. That will assure the boot files are not so back.

antsco
June 11th, 2012, 10:56 AM
Hi Darkrod

I guess I misunderstood your directions: I rebooted with the Ubuntu installation disk (clicking on the trial version button of ubuntu, the alternative was clicking on the install ubuntu button)

and performed the sudo commands as suggested but....the message I get is:


cannot find /dev/sda6/mnt in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab

Do I really have to do this by booting with the CD?
Thanks
Antonio

darkod
June 11th, 2012, 11:04 AM
You mistyped it, it's not /dev/sda6/mnt together. There is a space between the two.

It's:

sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

antsco
June 11th, 2012, 12:52 PM
Hi,
thanks for clarifying.

Anyhow, what would happen if I run the commands from the installed ubuntu instead than fron the installation CD?
Thanks
Antonio

darkod
June 11th, 2012, 01:23 PM
I thought you can't boot the installed ubuntu. If you can, it's even easier, you only need to run the grub-install command and little different:

sudo grub-install /dev/sda

It depends where you run it from, there are differences.

antsco
June 11th, 2012, 04:51 PM
Hi
well..I run the command following your advice and..I've got a problem now

When rebooting I get:

error: partition doesn't exist
grub rescue>

What shall I do now????
Any help appreciated
Antonio

antsco
June 11th, 2012, 05:16 PM
I just run bootinfoscript and what I got was (just first few lines)


=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,msdos6)/boot/grub on this drive.

It looks as if there is something missing in "(, msdos6)/boot/grub" I wonder whether the command you suggested me to run was complete, I mean if some other sudo command needed to be issued to complete the process.

BTW the initial bootscriptinfo log header (right after install afew weeks ago) was like this:

=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
in partition 6 for /boot/grub.Cheers
Antonio

oldfred
June 11th, 2012, 05:38 PM
I do not think that is the issue.

I have several drives and get the same style MBR output you have. Except your original style I do have with bootinfoscript v.61 and the grub1.99 with Ubuntu 12.10. So it is a minor difference in updates to boot script and/or grub1.99.

From grub rescue can you manually boot or is partition not seen?

Grub Rescue Prompt Megathread - drs305
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1594052
HOWTO: Boot & Install Ubuntu from the Grub Rescue Prompt
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1599293

Manual boot:
See post #10 by drs305
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1916698
grub rescue:
ls # Do you see (hd0), (hd0,1) ? If so, run the next command. If you see (hd0,5), use that instead of (hd0,1) in the next command.
configfile (hd0,1)/boot/grub/grub.cfg
OR - and again change this example from hd0,2 and sda2 to your partition:
set prefix=(hd0,2)/boot/grub
set root=(hd0,2)
linux (hd0,2)/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda2 ro
initrd (hd0,2)/initrd.img
boot

antsco
June 11th, 2012, 08:28 PM
Hi
thanks for your hints but I am still not 100% sure about what to do.

I run boot-repair-disk as explained in the support materials but the result is still the same
even though boot-repair said that it has been fixed.
So I still find the "grub rescue >" prompt and before that an error saying that no partition is found.
This is the url generated in case it can be of help understanding what's up: http://paste.ubuntu.com/1035969

When I run "ls" from the "grub rescue>" I get the following:
(hd0) (hd0,msdos2) (hd0,msdos1) (hd1)

how can I use that info to do what you suggest to doing?
what is the relationship between (hd0), (hd0,x), (hd1), etc and sda, sda1, sda5, etc?
Cheers
Antonio

darkod
June 11th, 2012, 08:39 PM
When you tried 'ls' it didn't show something like (hd0,msdos6) listed? That would be your ubuntu partition /dev/sda6.

Even if it doesn't list it, at the grub rescue prompt try something like:

configfile (hd0,msdos6)/boot/grub/grub.cfg

antsco
June 11th, 2012, 09:09 PM
tried that but "configfile" is not recognized as a valid command......

After I also run the "set" command and what I got is:

prefix=(hd0,msdos6)/boot/grub
root=hd0,msdos6

So, is this similar to what you wanted me to achieve by using the configfile command?

Cheers
Antonio

darkod
June 11th, 2012, 09:18 PM
OK, try this, one by one command:

set root=(hd0,6)
linux (hd0,6)/vmlinuz
initrd (hd0,6)/initrd.img
boot

Can that boot it?

oldfred
June 11th, 2012, 09:46 PM
If Darko's suggestion does not work, is this an older computer with a newer larger hard drive? Some old BIOS only boot from the first 137GB. Script show boot files at about 280GB point on drive.

antsco
June 12th, 2012, 10:52 AM
Hi
it doesn't work either. The linux command is not recognized either
So the actual configuration is:


prefix = (hd0,msdos6)/boot/grub
root=hd0,6
the command boot is also NOT recognized

This is actually an older computer (2005) with a new hard drive that has partitions
smaller than 130 Gb

:confused:
Cheers
Antonio

darkod
June 12th, 2012, 11:58 AM
oldfred wasn't referring to the partition size, but to the disk size and the location where the boot files are. The disk is 320GB, much larger than the 137GB limitation some older BIOS-es have to find the boot files.

From your boot info results in post #18:


=================== sda6: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
261.633880615 = 280.927240192 boot/grub/core.img 1
261.633499146 = 280.926830592 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
239.859340668 = 257.547005952 boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-23-generic-pae 2
261.606685638 = 280.898039808 boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic-pae 1
239.859340668 = 257.547005952 initrd.img 2
261.606685638 = 280.898039808 vmlinuz 1


The boot files are beyond the 137GB, they are at 280GB on the hdd.

It looks like this is what's blocking it to boot correctly.

Or the ubuntu partitions are somehow corrupted. When you tried the 'ls' you said it listed only the two ntfs partitions. It should have listed all partitions as found.

antsco
June 12th, 2012, 12:16 PM
Hi
sooo.....what do you suggest I could do to change the location where the boot partition
is? is there a way to put the boot sectors before the 137 Gb limit (without reinstalling everything)? Or alternatively how do I know if the ubuntu partitions are corrupted?
The boot-repair-disk that I run yesterday said that everything was ok.

On the other hand, I had managed to boot and use the Ubuntu OS before I tried to solve that particular problem (see earlier posts), when at start-up I received that error message saying "device not found". Do you think that all the I did after could have corrupted the ubuntu partitions?

Thanks
Antonio

darkod
June 12th, 2012, 12:36 PM
The only way to "move" the boot files before the 137GB mark is to create a small partition, separate /boot partition. But your first two ntfs partitions take all this space, the first is approx 120GB and the second 100GB.

I was reading the whole thread again from the start, and noticed when you ran the first boot-repair automatic repair that it reported FlexNet which interferes with the boot process. Not sure what that is, how and when were you using it, but it might have something to do with your boot problems.

Try running the recommended repair of boot-repair again, see if it helps.

Otherwise, according to the latest boot info results, all looks fine, except if the problem is the location of the boot files, but that can't be checked until you move them towards the beginning of the disk which is takes by your windows partitions right now.

YannBuntu
June 12th, 2012, 02:09 PM
Hello
In the log we can see that FlexNet was removed (after user confirmation), so i would rather bet for the 137GB problem.

Remark: the FlexNet can come back after Windows use.

antsco
June 13th, 2012, 11:24 AM
Hi
I eventually managed to revert to the original condition, where I have dual boot at start up but the first thing I see upon switching on my laptop is is "error: device not found"
after which the dual boot menu is presented and I can choose which OS to use.

I managed to do this by running boot-repair-disk and clicking on the ATA disk advanced option, which apparently solves the problem that some of you have hinted at, that of using a disk whose size goes beyond the 137GB, the boot sector being installed beyond that limit.

Still do not understand why this error at start up occur, which is not problematic per se, but delays somewhat the booting time.
In case you guys have any other suggestions on how to tackle this, please let me know
In the meanwhile I just want to thank you all for the time you have dedicated to this issue of mine. It has made a difference since I am a complete beginner with Ubuntu and wouldn't have known what to do if this forum hadn't existed and you hadn't replied to my queries.
Best regards
Antonio

antsco
June 13th, 2012, 11:45 AM
...sorry, what?

YannBuntu
June 13th, 2012, 01:09 PM
As the "ATA disk" option is not enough, you will probably need to create a separate /boot partition close from the start of your disk (inside the first 137GB of your disk). (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1998257)
To perform this, use a Windows tool to reduce either sda1 or sda2 (if sda2, reduce it from the start), in order to leave a 1Go free space before or after sda1 partition. Then via gParted, create a new partition (Primary, 1Go, Ext4) in this free space. Then simply run Boot-Repair, update it, click "Advanced options" -> "GRUB location" tab, select the "Separate /boot partition: sdaX" option (sdaX must be your new 1Go partition) to setup your Ubuntu so that it uses this new partition.