8.10 install freezes at "update-grub"

[doug97tj]

8.10 install freezes with a small window labeled "Installing Grub Boot Loader" and a message line "Running 'update-grub'".

Installing grub to /dev/sdb3 using advanced mode to coincide with instructions from EasyBCD for a dual boot with Vista.

Have done this many times on the same disk with 8.04. No problem. The 8.10 CD does a live CD load without any problem.

Thanks,
Doug C.

[Pseudo Idol]

I am experiencing the same problem. I have installed Ubuntu on this machine several times before but the 8.10 keeps hanging on the update-grub during the install.

[caljohnsmith]

I am experiencing the same problem. I have installed Ubuntu on this machine several times before but the 8.10 keeps hanging on the update-grub during the install.
Are you trying to do the same as doug97tj and install Grub to the boot sector of a partition, or are letting Grub be installed to the MBR (Master Boot Record)? In case you are unsure, if you don't click the "advanced" button at the end of the installation, the default is that Grub is installed to the MBR.

[Pseudo Idol]

Are you trying to do the same as doug97tj and install Grub to the boot sector of a partition, or are letting Grub be installed to the MBR (Master Boot Record)? In case you are unsure, if you don't click the "advanced" button at the end of the installation, the default is that Grub is installed to the MBR.

I am actually installing Grub to the MBR.

[caljohnsmith]

OK, how about telling the installer not to install Grub, and then if you can successfully install Ubuntu, I can give you directions for manually installing Grub afterwards. Just click the "advanced" button at the end of the installation process and uncheck the box to install Grub.

Do you have internet access from your Live CD? That would make the manual installation the easiest. Also, after you are done with the installing, assuming it worked, please open a terminal (applications > accessories > terminal) and post the output of:

sudo fdisk -lu
And we can work from there.

[doug97tj]

Using the live CD I can access the net. Will try installing 8.10 without installing Grub.
Doug C.

[Pseudo Idol]

OK, how about telling the installer not to install Grub, and then if you can successfully install Ubuntu, I can give you directions for manually installing Grub afterwards. Just click the "advanced" button at the end of the installation process and uncheck the box to install Grub.

Do you have internet access from your Live CD? That would make the manual installation the easiest. Also, after you are done with the installing, assuming it worked, please open a terminal (applications > accessories > terminal) and post the output of:

sudo fdisk -lu
And we can work from there.



Disk /dev/sda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00051acb

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 315484469 157742203+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 * 315484470 625137344 154826437+ 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00056e68

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 63 625137344 312568641 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdc: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x3f2cd4b8

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 63 312576704 156288321 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdc2 312576705 625137344 156280320 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdd: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa9cbcb06

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 63 583882424 291941181 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdd2 583882425 587882609 2000092+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdd3 587882610 625137344 18627367+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

sda1 - Windows XP
sda2 - Ubuntu Root
sdb1 - Music/Movies
sdc1 - XP My Documets & Profile Settings
sdc2 - Ubuntu Home
sdd1 - Windows Temp Folders
sdd2 - Swap
sdd3 - Backup Drive


My original attempts at installing 8.10 were from an 64bit Alternate Install Disc. I downloaded the 64bit Live CD and tried to install from there but it hangs at the same spot.

[caljohnsmith]

Pseudo Idol, can you access the internet from your Live CD? You will need that for the second part of these directions. To get started, please post the output of all the following commands:

sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
And then if you have internet access, do:

sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc
sudo chroot /mnt /bin/bash
apt-get install grub
update-grub
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
exit
And if you don't get any errors from any of the above commands, reboot, and let me know how far you get.

[doug97tj]

SUCCESS !!!

Reinstalled 8.10 INCLUDING putting grub in /dev/sdb2. It now works.

All I did differently was unplug a USB hard drive that had 8.04 installed. I noticed the steps were going much faster, so I decided to try for a real install including grub. Worked like a champ.

Don't have any idea why it worked. 8.04 would install just fine on the second internal HD while the USB drive was plugged in. 8.10 wouldn't.

Doug C.

[Pseudo Idol]

No Dice.

For me it is still hanging on the update-grub step


root@ubuntu:/# update-grub
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub

[caljohnsmith]

Pseudo Idol, it would greatly help if you could post the output of all the commands so I can get a better idea of what happened.

[Pseudo Idol]

SUCCESS !!!
All I did differently was unplug a USB hard drive that had 8.04 installed. I noticed the steps were going much faster, so I decided to try for a real install including grub. Worked like a champ.

Don't have any idea why it worked. 8.04 would install just fine on the second internal HD while the USB drive was plugged in. 8.10 wouldn't.

Doug C.

I forgot I had an external usb drive tucked away behind my computer. Unplugging it somehow allowed Grub to install. This has not happened before in previous versions while installing Ubuntu. Anyways, I am up and running now too. Thanks Doug and caljohnsmith.