dthable's Journal: Why Can't I Get GRUB To Work!

I've been trying to install Ubuntu on my personal laptop and dual boot with Windows (I still need those pesky business application, so don't suggest ditching Windows). I would rather use the Windows boot loader and I know this is possible if I don't install grub in the MBR.

My drives look like:

Primary 1: Main Windows Partition
  Extended:
    Extended 5: Data Partition
    Extended 6: Linux Swap
    Extended 7: Linux /

Do I specify (hd0,7)? I tried (hd0,6) and it didn't seem to work. What's going on with grub (or me)?

/boot/grub/grub.conf file?

[nizo]

Make sure there is a line somewhere in your grub.conf file that looks like:

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-386 root=/dev/hda7 ro quiet splash

(your vmlinuz-blablahblah line may vary; look to see which kernel is in /boot) I don't think there are any special options for extended partitions, but I never use them so I can't say for sure.

The relevent chunk of my grub.conf file looks like:

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-386
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
init

Re:

[dthable]

This is what my menu.lst file shows (comments removed):

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.17-10-generic
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17-10-generic root=/dev/sda7 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.17-10-generic
quiet
savedef ault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.17-10-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17-10-generic root=/dev/sda7 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.17-10-generic
boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
qu

menu.lst

[capoccia]

here's my menu.lst. i had to remove all the comment lines to get it past the lameness filter.

default 0
timeout 5
color cyan/blue white/blue

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-3-686
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-3-686 root=/dev/hda6 vga=791 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-3-686
savedefault

titl e Debian GNU/Linux,

Grub

[OctaneZ]

Yes, it should be (hd0,6).
I second the appeal for you to post your grub.conf file.
Here is the relevant portion of mine:

title GNU/Linux 2.6.18-r4
root (hd0,1)
kernel /kernel-2.6.18-r4 root=/dev/sda1

Re:

[dthable]

I did post the config, but I'm still lost. Maybe I've been looking at this too long.

Why the windows boot loader?

[jawtheshark]

Just asking? I've used both lilo and grub on my MBR and they could launch Windows fine. If anything happens with your Linux partition (which grub and lilo require), just boot with DOS or in the XP recovery mode and reset the MBR. No harm done...

Re:

[dthable]

What I heard (and maybe it's FUD), that any upgrades, like Vista, are going to trip up over GRUB. A forum I was reading suggested keeping the Windows boot loader in place. Let me know if this is wrong because it sure would make my life easier right now.

I miss the days of lilo. I always got it working without a hitch.

Re:

[jawtheshark]

Well, Windows indeed has the reputation of killing the MBR and resetting it. I think this "feature" was removed from Windows 2000 on. I've lost my MBR, but it's quite easy restore it. Run a liveCD like "gparted" (which is a nice application in the first place) and the set the bootable flag of your Linux partition to true (and the Windows one to false) When you now reboot you get to linux and you now can simply restore grub or lilo with the appropriate command.

Windows won't notice a difference ;-))

Up

Re:

[nizo]

Yeah I second the "use grub" comment above; I just installed ubuntu on a dual boot laptop (running XP) and everything worked fine. And yeah, fixing grub after Microsoft Windows borks it (after a re-install is the only time I have seen this) you are just a live CD boot away from fixing it.

Re:

[jawtheshark]

Yes, losing the MBR is only when installing a Windows version after you setup a Linux/*BSD/somethingelse, and even then, I don't think that Win2k or WinXP do it anymore. I'm not sure though, after all we talk about Microsoft. ;-)