help:can't enter OS's (windows debian or ubuntu)

[Frantic-Atheist]

hello
lately I decided to reinstall Ubuntu 7.10 because I was having problems with the sound and display in the newer version.

when I put the live CD this was displayed on my monitor
[32.338492]pci:cannot allocate resource region 3 of device 0000:00:00.0
loading, please wait

[227.767655] Buffer I/O error on device fd,0 logical block 0
[265.734519] Buffer I/O error on device fd,0 logical block 0

and then continues regularly, then i made a partition of about 20 G. I finished installing. when I tried to enter the Ubuntu partition it wrote

error 22: no such partition


when I tried to enter windows

error 12: invalid device requested


and when I tried Debian

error 17: cannot mout selected partition


so I thought it my be some thing with Ubuntu so I installed Debian on the same partition and this time when I tried to enter the Debian I just installed it wrote this:

booting 'Debian GNU/Linux; kernel 2.6.18-6-686'
root (hd0,2)

error 22: no such partition

when tried to ender other Debian

booting 'Debian GNU/Linux; kernel 2.6.18-6-686 (on /dev/sda2)'
root (hd0,1)
filesystem type unknown, partition type 0xf
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-686 root=/dev/sdb2 ro
error 17: cannot mout selected partition

and in windows

booting 'Microsoft Windows XP Professional'
root (hd1,0)
filesystem type unknown, partition type 0xf
savedefult
makeactive
error 12: invalid device requested

so my question is does he message when I entered the live CD have anything to do with this and how to fix it
my messenger is frantic.atheist@gmail.com and my icq is 472771760
thanks in advance
waiting for your response.

[Pumalite]

You are trying to boot Windows from a logical partition. Windows requires a primary partition.
Post:
sudo fdisk -lu

[pickarooney]

For the Debian bit, my guess is that your actual boot partition should be (0,0) and not (2,0). Ubuntu has screwed that up every single time I installed it. Try changing it to (0,0) either in the (I think) /boot/grub.lists file or live in the console with the E key.

[Frantic-Atheist]

You are trying to boot Windows from a logical partition. Windows requires a primary partition.
Post:
sudo fdisk -lu

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -lu

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd6f861e4

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 41769000 260670689 109450845 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda2 260670690 312576704 25953007+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 * 63 41768999 20884468+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda5 41769063 258341264 108286101 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 258341328 260670689 1164681 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 80.0 GB, 80000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9726 cylinders, total 156250000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x10401040

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 63 62910539 31455238+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 62910540 156232124 46660792+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 62910603 156232124 46660761 7 HPFS/NTFS
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$



For the Debian bit, my guess is that your actual boot partition should be (0,0) and not (2,0). Ubuntu has screwed that up every single time I installed it. Try changing it to (0,0) either in the (I think) /boot/grub.lists file or live in the console with the E key.

I tried live with e but it did nothing

[Pumalite]

Post:
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

[Frantic-Atheist]

Post:
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst


ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
cat: /boot/grub/menu.lst: No such file or directory
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

[Pumalite]

Look in the 'boot' and 'grub' folders and tell me what you see in there. Is you are at the Live CD; you have to mount your partition first (sda3 I think)

[Frantic-Atheist]

Look in the 'boot' and 'grub' folders and tell me what you see in there. Is you are at the Live CD; you have to mount your partition first (sda3 I think)

(I am using a live CD but it was automatically mounted)

ubuntu@ubuntu:/media/disk-2/boot/grub$ ls
default fat_stage1_5 menu.lst~ stage1
device.map jfs_stage1_5 minix_stage1_5 stage2
e2fs_stage1_5 menu.lst reiserfs_stage1_5 xfs_stage1_5
ubuntu@ubuntu:/media/disk-2/boot/grub$

[Pumalite]

Do you have a menu.lst in there?; if so, copy and paste here.

[Frantic-Atheist]

Do you have a menu.lst in there?; if so, copy and paste here.


# 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 5

# 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 --censored
# 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/sdb2 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd1,1)

## 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=

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(single-user) single
# altoptions=(single-user 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 Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-6-686
root (hd1,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-686 root=/dev/sdb2 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-6-686
savedefault

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-6-686 (single-user mode)
root (hd1,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-686 root=/dev/sdb2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-6-686
savedefault

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-5-686
root (hd1,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-5-686 root=/dev/sdb2 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-5-686
savedefault

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-5-686 (single-user mode)
root (hd1,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-5-686 root=/dev/sdb2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-5-686
savedefault

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-4-686
root (hd1,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-686 root=/dev/sdb2 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-4-686
savedefault

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-4-686 (single-user mode)
root (hd1,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-686 root=/dev/sdb2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-4-686
savedefault

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

[Pumalite]

Make Debian 'root (hd0,2)' and lets see if it boots.

[Frantic-Atheist]

Make Debian 'root (hd0,2)' and lets see if it boots.
to change all "root (hd1,1)" to "root (hd0,2)"?
how do I edit it and save?

[Pumalite]

Backup first:
sudo cp /media/disk-2/boot/grub/menu.lst /media/disk-2/boot/grub/menu.lst.old
Edit:
gksudo gedit /media/disk-2/boot/grub/menu.lst
Make changes
File>Save
Exit
Reboot.
Try Debian.

[Frantic-Atheist]

Backup first:
sudo cp /media/disk-2/boot/grub/menu.lst /media/disk-2/boot/grub/menu.lst.old
Edit:
gksudo gedit /media/disk-2/boot/grub/menu.lst
Make changes
File>Save
Exit
Reboot.
Try Debian.

still cant enter Ubuntu Debian or windows

[Pumalite]

Do you have a mix of SATA and IDE?

[Frantic-Atheist]

Do you have a mix of SATA and IDE?

both are connected by SATA but one has IDE connection
p.s. do you think it could have any thing to do with the buffer error I get when i put the live cd?

([227.767655] Buffer I/O error on device fd,0 logical block 0
[265.734519] Buffer I/O error on device fd,0 logical block 0 )

[Pumalite]

That's you problem. Follow this link:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=179902

[Frantic-Atheist]

recently I've mad a brack throw I was able to boot to Ubuntu by changing the boot from (hd0,2) to (hd1,2) how do I make it always boot Ubuntu from (hd1,2)?

[Pumalite]

Follow my instructions in post # 13, but make root (hd1,2)