problem with grub2

[nkibm3]

hello,
i have a problem with grub2. when i try to do grub-install. i get an error.


sudo grub-install /dev/sda
Installing for i386-pc platform.
grub-install: warning: your embedding area is unusually small. core.img won't fit in it..
grub-install: warning: Embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and their use is discouraged..
grub-install: error: will not proceed with blocklists.

i dont know what for information is relevant for this problem, so i think for begin i say a little bit and give more information after questions.

this my hdd's:


sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
112 heads, 45 sectors/track, 387604 cylinders, total 1953525168 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: 0x00000001

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 45 268430399 134215177+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 268430400 1317007439 524288520 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 1317009408 1933993983 308492288 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 1933993984 1953523711 9764864 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders, total 78165360 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: 0xd3d0d3d0

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 2048 68360191 34179072 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 68362238 78163967 4900865 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 68362240 78163967 4900864 82 Linux swap / Solaris

i use ubuntu 14.04 on /dev/sda3. but at time i can only boot from the 2. hdd (40 gb) with grub (+ ubuntu 14.04) on it, i boot then /dev/sda3 from 1. hdd. on the 1. hdd (1000gb) is a win bootmgr (win 7 loader).

(sorry my english is bad)

[yancek]

You apparently don't have enough room for core.img at the beginning of your disk. Take a look at post 2 at the link below. If you use GParted, use it from your Ubuntu CD or a GParted CD, not from the installed system.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2045421

[nkibm3]

ok. thx for the quick answer. i have had so an idea little time ago, but i am very, very afraid of data lost. i cant do safety copys and if something is broken on /dev/sda this would be horrible for me.
thats so bad. then i think if i do i do boot ubuntu on the 2. hdd make it from there with gparted ant then move 1MB "right" /dev/sda1.

oh. oh. i dont like this. :(

[yancek]

I'm not sure if I understand what you are doing or for that matter, what you are trying to do. You indicate in your first post that you have Ubuntu 14.04 on both the sda 1TB drive as well as on the 40GB drive. Is that correct? If so, why? You indicate you can boot Ubuntu on the 40GB drive and if I understand correctly, from that boot menu you can also boot the Ubuntu on the 1TB drive. Is that correct? Why do you then want to install Grub to sda? You do understand that if you do that, you will overwrite the windows boot code in the master boot record. What exactly is your final goal?

[oldfred]

Moving NTFS partitions also can be an issue. You definitely have to use chkdsk from a Windows repairCD or flash drive, so make sure you have those available.
Windows has in the partition boot sector info on partition start & size that must match partition table. Chkdsk will reset that info, but you have to be prepared as you will not be able to boot Windows until after it is fixed.

Not sure how you got sda1 to start at sector 45. Since Vista Windows partition tools and for the last several years Linux partition tools have started partitions at sector 2048 like your sdb. And even XP started at sector 63.

Make your own Windows repairCD (not vendor recovery):
http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1114725.htm
Windows users only - Silverlight
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/Create-a-system-repair-disc

Windows 7 repair USB, Also Vista if service pack installed
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-repair-windows-7-from-usb-flash-drive-repair-without-installation-dvd-disc/
http://www.webupd8.org/2010/10/create-bootable-windows-7-usb-drive.html

[nkibm3]

You indicate in your first post that you have Ubuntu 13.03 on both the sda 1TB drive as well as on the 40GB drive. Is that correct?
yes, but 14.04 on both.


Why do you then want to install Grub to sda? You do understand that if you do that, you will overwrite the windows boot code in the master boot record. What exactly is your final goal?
it is so: before this problem i had win xp and ubuntu 14.04 on the 1tb hdd (/dev/sda1 start at sector 63; grub installed, all working). on the 40gb hdd i had fedora.
someday i installed win7 on the 40gb hdd, but there was an "error" (maybe my fault) and the bootmgr (win7 loader) get installed to the 1tb hdd.
at this point i only could boot win7 on the 40gb or win xp on the 1tb hdd. i tried Super Grub2 Disk and other things, but i didnt worked. so the only thing for help was to install ubuntu 14.04 on the 40gb.

now i setup in bios to boot standard the 40gb hdd. but from it i can only start ubuntu on both hdd's. if i start the win7 loader on /dev/sda1 he starts but he cant load win xp on /dev/sda1. i can choose it but then system reboots (i think this make sense).
if i want to start win xp i have to boot at startup from the 1tb. it loads bootmgr i choose earlier windows version and it starts win xp normally.

my goal is to get back all fine as before. boot standard from the 1tb, boot grub and can choose win xp or my ubuntu 14.04.

but im really not sure. i thinked yesterday also about a point. i imagined it so: i move "right" 1mb /dev/sda1. i install back grub on /dev/sda but then ... he didnt find win xp (respectively the win 7 loader) OR he finds it but if he starts the win7 loader crashes and cant load win xp.

i dont know this all a good idea, or useful. but thats the story.

PS:
thx @oldfred for the hint.

[oldfred]

Perhaps why you cannot boot Windows is somehow it got moved from the old XP sector start of 63 to 45. If start or size of any NTFS partition changes it will have major issues.

And sometimes chkdsk does not work or needs running until no errors as it does not fix everything on one pass.

How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20864-mbr-restore-windows-7-master-boot-record.html
Use bootsect.exe to repair XP & older or Vista/7 bootsectors - Use diskpart, then list volumes to see which drive to use
bootsect.exe /nt52 c: *compatible* with operating systems older (XP) than Windows Vista.
bootsect.exe /nt60 c: *compatible* with Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 or later

[nkibm3]

Perhaps why you cannot boot Windows is somehow it got moved from the old XP sector start of 63 to 45. If start or size of any NTFS partition changes it will have major issues. [...]
(if i boot from the 1tb hdd i can start win xp with the win7 loader [earlier windows version].)
i have tried some windows tools in the recovery console (win xp) but the also give me warnings that something is wrong with my MBR, partition table and then a message like "if you can boot normal your system then dont do anything and stop!".
so i stopped.
i look again soon i think, like you described. thx.