6.06 --> 8.04 upgrade = Grub error 15

[jyindc]

I just upgraded my 6.06 system to 8.04. Everything seemed to go OK, but on the initial post-upgrade reboot, Grub returned Error 15 (file not found).

There's a long list of available kernels to choose from, starting at 2.6.15-51 and going to -21. 2.6.15-29 is the only one that allows me to boot, but that shows 6.06.2 LTS as the OS and Xwindows fails to start.

I guess I need to edit Grub. Can you help?

Here's what the OS is trying to start via Grub:

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-51-amd64-generic root=dev/sda1 ro quiet splash

[dstew]

Can you boot a live CD? If so, do you see your hard disk icon on the desktop? If you can, navigate to the /boot/grub directory of your hard disk, and open the file menu.lst in a text editor. Post the contents to the forum.

[jyindc]

Thanks. Here it is.


# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/sda1 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-51-amd64-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-51-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-51-amd64-generic
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-51-amd64-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-51-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-51-amd64-generic
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-29-amd64-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-29-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-29-amd64-generic
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-29-amd64-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-29-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-29-amd64-generic
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-amd64-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-28-amd64-generic
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-amd64-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-28-amd64-generic
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-amd64-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-27-amd64-generic
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-amd64-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-27-amd64-generic
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-amd64-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-26-amd64-generic
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-amd64-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-26-amd64-generic
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-amd64-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-amd64-generic
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-amd64-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-amd64-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-amd64-generic
boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

[jyindc]

After booting to the live CD and browsing the /boot directory of the harddrive, it seems the upgrade to 8.04 failed to install any new files. Only files named 2.6.15-29 are in /boot . Does this mean the upgrade completely failed, or is there a way out of this?

[dstew]

Only files named 2.6.15-29 are in /boot So, no older kernels, and no 2.6.15-51? It seems that the upgrade failed for some reason. However, for the menu.lst file to be generated, the other kernels I think must have been there before, but were moved or deleted after the menu.lst file was created. It is strange. Can you find the missing kernel images in the root directory?

[jyindc]

No, they were all deleted in the upgrade process, I think. This was my first upgrade of Ubuntu. Very disappointing, so far.

Do you know if there is there a way to do a repair install from the download CD, or should I just wipe and start from scratch?

[jyindc]

sorry for the dupe

[NJC]

This is a complete FWIW. I did a clean install of Ubuntu 8.04 onto hdb. Here's my config:

(hda): 6.4GB Ubuntu 7.10
(hdb): 80GB Ubunu 8.04 with Fat32 partition
(hdc): 20GB Win XP

Reboot and Error 15: File not found. And this was the case for Ubuntu 7.10 on hda as well. I swapped the drive cable between hda and hdb, restarted and it worked.

[dstew]

To jyindc, did you upgrade using a CD, or by pressing the Upgrade button on the Update Manager from within your 7.10?

I think that the upgrade system is not as reliable as a clean install. Maybe you should just back up, make new partitions, and install fresh. The main drawback is you have to re-install your software, and re-configure your desktop and other settings.

[jyindc]

I installed from 6.06 using the online Update Manager. I just downloaded the install disk and will try it from scratch. Thanks for the help.