jrwdunham
August 22nd, 2008, 03:26 PM
Here's my problem. (I'm quite new to this stuff, so bear with me if I trip up the terminology.) I have downloaded, burned and installed Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron (for 64-bit machines) on a computer with the following specs:
-AMD Athlon(tm) 64x2 Dual Core Processor 4200+
-Two hard drives: (1) PRIMARY IDE MASTER (200 GB), (2) FIRST SATA MASTER (320 GB)
–Memory: 2 GB
*** The problem is that the OS does only boots when the install cd is in the cd drive. ***
WITHOUT the install cd, GRUB offers me the following options:
-Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
-Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
-Ubuntu 7.10, memtest86+
-Other operating systems:
-Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (on /dev/hda1)
-Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/hda1)
-Ubuntu 7.10, memtest86+ (on /dev/hda1)
When I select the first option (
Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic), I get
file not found and <RETURN> brings me back to the GRUB menu.
When I select the fifth option (
Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (on /dev/hda1)), the screen reads
kernel alive ... and something appears that looks like the Ubuntu startup screen but it's all distorted. Then after a while I see a black screen that reads
BusyBox v1.1.3 (Debian 1:1.1.3-5ubuntu7) Built-in shell (ash) Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands. (initramfs). This seems like another dead end to me.
It is no surprise to me that these 7.10 OSs don't boot properly, since from within Ubuntu 8.04 (Partition Editor) I have messed around with (i.e., deleted) the partitions on both drives. And besides, I don't want Gutsy Gibbon, I want Hardy Heron! I used to have other GRUB options for booting various Windows OSs as well, but those have disappeared - probably as a result of the aforementioned partition-messing-around-with. But let me stress, I DON'T WANT OR NEED WINDOWS OR ANY OTHER OS AT THE MOMENT - I JUST WANT UBUNTU 8.04 AND NOTHING ELSE, NO DUAL BOOTING.
So...
WITH the install cd in, I get a Ubuntu screen which begins by forcing me to choose a language. After choosing 'English', I am given the following options beneath the Ubuntu logo:
-Try Ubuntu without any change to your computer
-Install Ubuntu
-Check CD for defects
-Test memory
-Boot from first hard disk
Let me say that if I choose the fifth option,
boot from first hard disk, I see a GRUB menu with the following four options:
-Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic
-Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode)
-Ubuntu 8.04, memtest86+
-Other operating systems:
If I select the first option (
Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.22-19-generic), Ubuntu starts up fine and everything works. (No, it's not a live session: it doesn't say 'live session' in the top left-hand corner and all the files and settings that I have saved over the last couple days are still there.) So, basically Ubuntu 8.04 works for me so long as I remember to have the install cd present and select 'English' and then select 'boot from first hard disk'. This isn't a terrible hassle, but it should be smoother than this, right?
So, I thought maybe if I re-install things will work better. When I select
Install Ubuntu, it reads
Loading Linux Kernel, the Ubuntu logo and progress bar appear and then again I see the black screen with
BusyBox v1.1.3 (Debian 1:1.1.3-5ubuntu12) Built-in shell (ash) Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands. (initramfs).
And even if I try to run the OS as a
live session, I get the same result as when I select
Install Ubuntu, as described just above.
So basically I can't reinstall and I can't boot the OS without going through the rigamarole described above. I have read a bunch of forums, looking for people with similar problems, but so far I haven't been able to solve my own.
One thing I did do was edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst file from the Terminal after booting Ubuntu in my circuitous way. I commented out (a) the boot options for Gutsy Gibbon (
Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (on /dev/sdb1),
Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sdb1), and
Ubuntu 7.10, memtest 86+ (on /dev/sdb1)) as well as (b) the boot option for Ubuntu 8.04 that I must have installed on the sixth partition of my second hard drive (hd1,5) (
Ubuntu 8.04.1 (8.04) (on /dev/sdb6)). I know that this had an effect because when I used to have the cd in and select
boot from first hard disk I would get 8 boot options instead of the four listed above.
It seems to me that GRUB is reading the wrong menu.lst file. I just can't figure out which one its loading. The OS that I am successfully booting is (I think) on the first partition of the first hard drive (hd0,0) - I conclude this from the fact that the first option in the menu.lst file (the one I select to boot successfully) has the value
(hd0,0) for root. The kernel line has the following value:
/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596 ro quiet splash.
In blind desperation, I have tried the following: WITHOUT THE INSTALL CD IN THE DRIVE, I wait for the 7 non-functional boot options appear and then I press 'c' to get to the GRUB command line. I enter the following:
root (hd0,0) <Enter> then
setup (hd0) <Enter> and I get the following:
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"... 17 sectors are embedded. succeeded
Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+17 p (hd0,0)/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done.
But when I try entering permutations of the kernel value that I read from the menu.lst file, such as
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic <Enter> or
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596 ro quiet splash or
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596, I get
Error 15: File not found.
When I enter simply
kernel /vmlinuz <Enter> and then
boot <Enter>, it looks like it's going to boot until it stops at the line
[ 610.384148] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)
In a similar vein, I tried the following. WITH THE INSTALL CD IN THE DRIVE, I choose 'English', then I select
Boot from first hard disk and at the GRUB menu (the one that boots successfully if I choose the first option) I enter 'c' for a command line and, similar to above, I enter
root (hd0,0) <Enter>
then setup (hd0) <Enter> and I get the following:
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"... 16 sectors are embedded. succeeded
Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+16 p (hd0,0)/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done.
<< note the '16 sectors' this time instead of '17' - what does this mean? >>
But when I try entering
kernel /vmlinuz <Enter> and then
boot <Enter>, it looks like it's going to boot until it stops at the line
[ 58.627438] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)
Similarly, if I try entering
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic <Enter> and then
boot <Enter>, I get
[ 79.507154] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)
And finally, if I try entering
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596 <Enter> (or even
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596 ro quiet splash <Enter>) and then
boot <Enter>, I get another
[...] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0) error. Note that this time I get 'unknown-block(0,0)'...
I know that I have gone on and on here, but I hope someone can see through the detail to what's really going on and give me some much-needed advice. I really like Ubuntu (so far everything is working, even the d-link wireless card I just bought!) and would like to see it running smoothly.
Thanks!
p.s., Don't know if this is relevant, but I originally created the Ubuntu install cd by downloading the .iso file and burning the disk on another computer (a Mac, using Disk Utility) and then installed Ubuntu on my PC.
-AMD Athlon(tm) 64x2 Dual Core Processor 4200+
-Two hard drives: (1) PRIMARY IDE MASTER (200 GB), (2) FIRST SATA MASTER (320 GB)
–Memory: 2 GB
*** The problem is that the OS does only boots when the install cd is in the cd drive. ***
WITHOUT the install cd, GRUB offers me the following options:
-Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
-Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
-Ubuntu 7.10, memtest86+
-Other operating systems:
-Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (on /dev/hda1)
-Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/hda1)
-Ubuntu 7.10, memtest86+ (on /dev/hda1)
When I select the first option (
Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic), I get
file not found and <RETURN> brings me back to the GRUB menu.
When I select the fifth option (
Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (on /dev/hda1)), the screen reads
kernel alive ... and something appears that looks like the Ubuntu startup screen but it's all distorted. Then after a while I see a black screen that reads
BusyBox v1.1.3 (Debian 1:1.1.3-5ubuntu7) Built-in shell (ash) Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands. (initramfs). This seems like another dead end to me.
It is no surprise to me that these 7.10 OSs don't boot properly, since from within Ubuntu 8.04 (Partition Editor) I have messed around with (i.e., deleted) the partitions on both drives. And besides, I don't want Gutsy Gibbon, I want Hardy Heron! I used to have other GRUB options for booting various Windows OSs as well, but those have disappeared - probably as a result of the aforementioned partition-messing-around-with. But let me stress, I DON'T WANT OR NEED WINDOWS OR ANY OTHER OS AT THE MOMENT - I JUST WANT UBUNTU 8.04 AND NOTHING ELSE, NO DUAL BOOTING.
So...
WITH the install cd in, I get a Ubuntu screen which begins by forcing me to choose a language. After choosing 'English', I am given the following options beneath the Ubuntu logo:
-Try Ubuntu without any change to your computer
-Install Ubuntu
-Check CD for defects
-Test memory
-Boot from first hard disk
Let me say that if I choose the fifth option,
boot from first hard disk, I see a GRUB menu with the following four options:
-Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic
-Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode)
-Ubuntu 8.04, memtest86+
-Other operating systems:
If I select the first option (
Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.22-19-generic), Ubuntu starts up fine and everything works. (No, it's not a live session: it doesn't say 'live session' in the top left-hand corner and all the files and settings that I have saved over the last couple days are still there.) So, basically Ubuntu 8.04 works for me so long as I remember to have the install cd present and select 'English' and then select 'boot from first hard disk'. This isn't a terrible hassle, but it should be smoother than this, right?
So, I thought maybe if I re-install things will work better. When I select
Install Ubuntu, it reads
Loading Linux Kernel, the Ubuntu logo and progress bar appear and then again I see the black screen with
BusyBox v1.1.3 (Debian 1:1.1.3-5ubuntu12) Built-in shell (ash) Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands. (initramfs).
And even if I try to run the OS as a
live session, I get the same result as when I select
Install Ubuntu, as described just above.
So basically I can't reinstall and I can't boot the OS without going through the rigamarole described above. I have read a bunch of forums, looking for people with similar problems, but so far I haven't been able to solve my own.
One thing I did do was edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst file from the Terminal after booting Ubuntu in my circuitous way. I commented out (a) the boot options for Gutsy Gibbon (
Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (on /dev/sdb1),
Ubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sdb1), and
Ubuntu 7.10, memtest 86+ (on /dev/sdb1)) as well as (b) the boot option for Ubuntu 8.04 that I must have installed on the sixth partition of my second hard drive (hd1,5) (
Ubuntu 8.04.1 (8.04) (on /dev/sdb6)). I know that this had an effect because when I used to have the cd in and select
boot from first hard disk I would get 8 boot options instead of the four listed above.
It seems to me that GRUB is reading the wrong menu.lst file. I just can't figure out which one its loading. The OS that I am successfully booting is (I think) on the first partition of the first hard drive (hd0,0) - I conclude this from the fact that the first option in the menu.lst file (the one I select to boot successfully) has the value
(hd0,0) for root. The kernel line has the following value:
/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596 ro quiet splash.
In blind desperation, I have tried the following: WITHOUT THE INSTALL CD IN THE DRIVE, I wait for the 7 non-functional boot options appear and then I press 'c' to get to the GRUB command line. I enter the following:
root (hd0,0) <Enter> then
setup (hd0) <Enter> and I get the following:
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"... 17 sectors are embedded. succeeded
Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+17 p (hd0,0)/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done.
But when I try entering permutations of the kernel value that I read from the menu.lst file, such as
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic <Enter> or
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596 ro quiet splash or
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596, I get
Error 15: File not found.
When I enter simply
kernel /vmlinuz <Enter> and then
boot <Enter>, it looks like it's going to boot until it stops at the line
[ 610.384148] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)
In a similar vein, I tried the following. WITH THE INSTALL CD IN THE DRIVE, I choose 'English', then I select
Boot from first hard disk and at the GRUB menu (the one that boots successfully if I choose the first option) I enter 'c' for a command line and, similar to above, I enter
root (hd0,0) <Enter>
then setup (hd0) <Enter> and I get the following:
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"... 16 sectors are embedded. succeeded
Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+16 p (hd0,0)/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done.
<< note the '16 sectors' this time instead of '17' - what does this mean? >>
But when I try entering
kernel /vmlinuz <Enter> and then
boot <Enter>, it looks like it's going to boot until it stops at the line
[ 58.627438] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)
Similarly, if I try entering
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic <Enter> and then
boot <Enter>, I get
[ 79.507154] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)
And finally, if I try entering
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596 <Enter> (or even
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=8e5f2c86-e3a8-4694-be20-151386714596 ro quiet splash <Enter>) and then
boot <Enter>, I get another
[...] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0) error. Note that this time I get 'unknown-block(0,0)'...
I know that I have gone on and on here, but I hope someone can see through the detail to what's really going on and give me some much-needed advice. I really like Ubuntu (so far everything is working, even the d-link wireless card I just bought!) and would like to see it running smoothly.
Thanks!
p.s., Don't know if this is relevant, but I originally created the Ubuntu install cd by downloading the .iso file and burning the disk on another computer (a Mac, using Disk Utility) and then installed Ubuntu on my PC.