# Boot issue [SOLVED]



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

The OS distributions and Hard Drives I had before all went crazy were:


/dev/sda 1d: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes <Where SUSE is
dev/sdd1 2048 4208639 2103296 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdd2 * 4208640 46153727 20972544 83 Linux
/dev/sdd3 46153728 488396799 221121536 83 Linux


Now, initially the only problem was with SUSE. I couldn't actually get into SUSE, but in terms of booting everything was ok. GRUB loaded and showed SUSE and Windows. Select Windows and it showed "Windows 7" and "older versions of windows". Select "older versions" and you got the multi boot screen from back in the day.

The problem with SUSE (couldn't get in) revolved around the following:
-------------=-----------
Trying manual resume from /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part1
Invoking userspace resume from /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part1
resume: libgcrypt version: 1.5.0
Trying manual resume from /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part1
Invoking userspace resume from /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part1
Waiting for device /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part2 to appear: ok
fsck from util-linux 2.20.1
[/sbin/fsck.ext4 (1) -- /] fsck.ext4 -a -C0 /dev/sdd2
/dev/sdd2: clean, 140170/1313280 files, 1372526/5242880 blocks
fsck succeeded. Mounting root device read-write.
Mounting root /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part2
mount -o rw,acl,user_xattr -t ex4 /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part2 /root
[7.866522] k19temp 000:00:18.3: unreliable CPU thermal sensor: monitoring disabled
[8.107836] SP5100 TCO timer: mmio address 0xfec000f0 already in use
systemd-fsck[825]: /dev/sdd3: clean, 52335/13828096 files, 8921639/55280304 blocks
Welcome to emergency mode. Use "systemctl default" or ^D to activate default mode.
Give root password for login:
-----------=------------
On another form, I was given suggestions, but none worked. I ultimately gave up and burned 12.2. 12.2 overwrote 12.1.

We got the new GRUB screen for 12.2. I want into SUSE. It loaded. I was happy. I restarted and selected windows. Same "7 & Older" screen. Older showed XPs. I was VERY happy.

Then Wednesday night, SUSE said it found updates. I allowed it to do so...although I think it's experiencing a problem because those update files are still there (the whole lock in the gear at the bottom right near where Cut and Volume are). I really didn't pay it any mind; I thought it had updated successfully. I shut down for the night.

Thursday I booted up. Everything went fine until I selected "older versions". Apparently something happened to NTLDR. I was freaking out. Everything of value of on XP Media (C:\). My music. My art. My games. My favorites. Norton (which has a large number of my passwords stored away. I can't remember half of them off the top of my head. I'd have to see the length to take a guess). Even my RESUME is on there.

Through 7 I started looking up ways to try and solve things...with no success. Then I thought "Since XP Media is C, if I remove 7 and reinstall SUSE, the Windows option will take me to the older selection screen.

Did it. No success. SUSE reselected 7. :banghead:

So, I tried to reinstall 7. No dice. I took XP Home, deleted its partition (there was nothing of value on that one anymore), and attempted to reinstall it thinking it would put things in a position where I could do the "Media/SUSE idea", but no dice there...and I can't even reinstall Home now.

The RAID 0 is also untouchable as far as I know. I could undo that, I could try and throw 7 onto that. At present, I get "WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sda'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted." The same applied to sdc.

As things stand now, XP Media and Server 03 are the only partitions left on the Windows drive. I speak to you via SUSE, which can see Media and Server but is having trouble mounting them. If I can just get GRUB to select the Media Partiton I would scream with joy.


If there is no way to save everything (I have to wipe the drive outright), I do have one saving grace: Norton backed stuff up to an external (C:, D: and E, and when things were idle it either backed stuff up or checked on things. The thing is, I can't remember the last time I did it, and it's been a while since I manually did a backup.


I remember someone telling me that there are two types of people: People who save and people who wish they had. As of right now, I think I'm one who wished they had.


----------



## SteveThePirate (Jan 12, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Hi and Welcome to TSF!

Just to summarise and clarify your issue, are you having problems with the bootloader options loading into the correct OS? Have you tried re-installing grub?

Steve


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

That would be correct. If I can change what SUSE boots into (XP instead of 7...which no longer exists) I would be screaming with joy. I wouldn't even care about Server...although if we could get grub to make that an option as well I would deem that as a nice bonus.

Re-installing grub is something that never crossed my mind...primarily because I didn't think that was possible. Would you mind walking me through that, because I THINK it may have something to do with the following error (which I only discovered it by recording the boot-up. It flashed for a split second before you got the selection).

Error: file '/boot/grub/locale/en.mo.gz' not found


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## SteveThePirate (Jan 12, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

There is a couple of methods on this link HOWTO: Restore GRUB (if your MBR is messed up) [Archive] - Ubuntu Forums

Give them a go and post any questions you have.

Good Luck

Steve


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

Another link for you also, not sure if you have UEFI BIOS, you did not say.

openSUSE Forums - Booting openSUSE on UEFI BIOS with ELILO and Grub2 (part II - Windows dual-boot )


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

For the Ubuntu solution, do I need to burn a Ubuntu CD (cuz I tried from the openSUSE DVD and ultimately got lost)? If so, what to I need to download for Suse so I can burn the CD?

Cuz the Ubuntu solution seems like the easiest one to do.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

OK, managed to burn Ubuntu through a Mac. I'm actually talking to you guys through Ubuntu. I'm looking at the "Restore Grub" on the Ubunto forums...but I've hit a problem: I get lost at #2.

#2 says : Go through all the process until you reech "[!!!] Disk Partition"

Ok...I select "Install Ubuntu 12.04.1" I go through the "Preparing the install" with the "Has at least 4.5 GB available space" & "is connect to Internet." I hit Continue. I then get "This computer has multiple operating systems on it. What would you like to do?"

There are 3 options
1. Install Ubunto alongside them
2. Erase disk (That's a no-no)
3. Something else (you can create or resize partitions yourself, or create multiple partitions for Ubuntu.

Which one do I go with?


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



Ancientwarrior said:


> OK, managed to burn Ubuntu through a Mac. I'm actually talking to you guys through Ubuntu. I'm looking at the "Restore Grub" on the Ubunto forums...but I've hit a problem: I get lost at #2.
> 
> #2 says : Go through all the process until you reech "[!!!] Disk Partition"
> 
> ...



None of them, this will reinstall Ubuntu.
From post 1 you have a working system with Suse, does Ubuntu also work?
Because you tried to reinstall windows, you will probably have borked windows.
Before you do anything else.
Boot into Suse (or Ubuntu) and from the terminal post output of

fdisk -l (as root from suse)

sudo fdisk -l (from Ubuntu)

[ Just one of the above will do]

Then also post output of

cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg 

(as root or sudo depending if you post from Suse or Ubuntu)

and last commamd

blkid

sudo blkid (from Ubuntu)

From these results, I can check if grub is trying to mount the correct windows partition


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Alright...did this from SUSE. My apologies that fdisk is squished together. I'll type everything as displayed:

fdisk -l

WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sda'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted

Disk /dev/sda: 1500.3 GB, 1500301910016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimal/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x7ee2b77a


Device Boot Start End Blocks ID System
/dev/sda1  63 2930272064 1465136001 42 SFS


Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimal/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x07d607d6


Device Boot Start End Blocks ID System​ /dev/sdb1 * 63 738636569 369318253+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT (XP media)
/dev/sdb2 738636631 1953523711 607443540+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 738636633 958727069 110045218+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT (Was XP Home)
/dev/sdb6 948727133 1245214214 143243541 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT (Server 03)
/dev/sdb7 1245214720 1656559615 205672448 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT (Was Win 7)


WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sdc'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted


Disk /dev/sdc: 1500.3 GB, 1500301910016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimal/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x7ee2b775


Device Boot Start End Blocks ID System
/dev/sdc1 63 2930272064 1465136001 42 SFS

Disk /dev/sdd: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimal/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc935c935


Device Boot Start End Blocks ID System
/dev/sdd1 2048 4208639 2103296 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdd2 * 4108640 46153727 20972544 83 Linux
/dev/sdd3 46153728 488396799 221121536 83 Linux


cat /boot/grub2/grub.cfg


#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub2-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="${saved_entry}"


if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
menuentry_id_option=""
fi


export menuentry_id_option


if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi


function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}


function load_video {
if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
insmod all_video
else
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod ieee1275_fb
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
fi
}


if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd3,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd3,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci3,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2' 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
fi
font="/usr/share/grub2/unicode.pf2"
fi


if loadfont $font ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd3,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd3,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci3,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2' 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
fi
insmod gfxmenu
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans-Bold14.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans10.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans12.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/ascii.pf2
insmod png
set theme=($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/theme.txt
export theme
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd3,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd3,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci3,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2' 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
fi
insmod png
background_image -m stretch /boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/background.png
if sleep --interruptible 0 ; then
set timeout=8
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'openSUSE' --class opensuse --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd' {
load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd3,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd3,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci3,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2' 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
fi
echo 'Loading Linux 3.4.6-2.10-desktop ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.6-2.10-desktop root=UUID=96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd video=1280x1024 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part1 splash=silent quiet showopts
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd-3.4.6-2.10-desktop
}
submenu 'Advanced options for openSUSE' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd' {
menuentry 'openSUSE, with Linux 3.4.6-2.10-desktop' --class opensuse --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.4.6-2.10-desktop-advanced-96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd' {
load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd3,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd3,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci3,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2' 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
fi
echo 'Loading Linux 3.4.6-2.10-desktop ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.6-2.10-desktop root=UUID=96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd video=1280x1024 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP2504C_S09QJ1MYC11612-part1 splash=silent quiet showopts
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd-3.4.6-2.10-desktop
}
menuentry 'openSUSE, with Linux 3.4.6-2.10-desktop (recovery mode)' --class opensuse --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.4.6-2.10-desktop-recovery-96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd' {
load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd3,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd3,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci3,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2' 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd
fi
echo 'Loading Linux 3.4.6-2.10-desktop ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.6-2.10-desktop root=UUID=96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd showopts apm=off noresume edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 nomodeset x11failsafe
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd-3.4.6-2.10-desktop
}
}


### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_ppc_terminfo ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_ppc_terminfo ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sdb1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-chain-3E147BD4147B8E21' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='hd1,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos1 --hint='hd1,msdos1' 3E147BD4147B8E21
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3E147BD4147B8E21
fi
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/90_persistent ###
### END /etc/grub.d/90_persistent ###

blkid


/dev/sdb1: LABEL="Media" UUID="3E147BD4147B8E21" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdb5: UUID="A6ECB069ECB03581" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdb6: LABEL="Server 03" UUID="30E06837E0680586" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdb7: UUID="045EE7C15EE7AA1E" TYPE="ntfs" 
/dev/sdd1: UUID="30a13177-b31b-4b09-a9e9-ef15a781e217" TYPE="swap" 
/dev/sdd2: UUID="96267aa5-9012-48c6-9f29-4f2a80a680dd" TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/sdd3: UUID="a011394a-9b25-45b3-9d42-7912cf91612f" TYPE="ext4"


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Potential additional help I figured this out via taking pictures & typing them out:

Whenever I try to reinstall XP Home results in the following:
"To install Windows XP on the partition you selected,
Setup must write some startup files to the following disk:

238473 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]

However, this disk does not contain a Windows XP-compatible partition.

To continue installing Windows XP, return to the partition selection screen and create a Windows XP-compatible partition on the disk above.If there is no free space on the disk, delete an existing partition, and then create a new one.

To return to the partition selection screen, press enter."

The Partition selection screen is as follows:

953868 MB Disk 0 at ID 1 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
C: Partition1 <Media> [NTFS] 360662 MB
D: Partition2 [NTFS] 107466 MB
E: Partition3 <Server 03> [NTFS] 139886 MB
F: Partition4 [NTFS} 200853 MB
Unpartitioned space 145002 MB

1430797 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
W: Partition1 <Local Disk> [NTFS] 1430797 MB

1430797 MB Disk 0 at Id 1 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
W: Partition1 <Local Disk> [NTFS] 1430797 MB

238473 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
N: Partition1 [Unknown] 2054 MB
O: Partition2 [Unknown] 20481 MB
P: Partition3 [Unknown] 215939 MB

The “238473 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]” is the SUSE hard drive...which, in that case, explains why nothing can be installed (since the boot order is SUSE -> Windows..therefor something from Windows must be written to the main boot drive).

Do you think allowing Ubuntu to instal itself on the unpartitioned space on the Windows hard drive could help at all?


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

OK...Good news & Weird news.

Good News is that, by changing which drive was the boot drive (Samsung-Suse to Western Digital-Windows), I was able to reinstall both Home and 7...thus restoring the drive to Media (C), Home (D), Server (E), Blank (F), Win7 (G) (obviously 7 sets itself as C). And thus I am able to speak from my normal OS.

This results in the weird news.

By getting everything restored for windows, I flipped the boot drive back to Samsung (Suse). Same thing: Suse - Windows 7/older Version.

This time I actually had my camera ready:

Invalid BOOT.INI file
Booting from C:\windows\
NTDETECT failed

So whenever I have the SUSE hard drive set as the boot drive, I hit this for media, home & server...and if I have the Windows hard drive set as the boot drive, I hit no problems.

Did something change between 12.1 and 12.2? Because I didn't run into this with 12.1.


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

This is your problem:

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sdb1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-chain-3E147BD4147B8E21' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='hd1,msdos1'
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

Entry highlighted in RED should be zero, not 1.
However, which partition is your windows 7 bootloader?

From windows cmmand prompt enter diskpart

Select disk 0

then provide output of

list partition

list volume

Apart from size of partition C: D: E: is pretty meaningless as windows can assign
any drive letter it likes to a partition, C is always the first partition but in your case
could be XP or windows 7.

I'll write you a custom script for grub2 which should allow you to boot all OS on both drives once I have this info.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

I'll just type everything. I did this from Media (the official C)

list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
Partition 1 Primary 352 GB 32 KB
Partition 2 Extend 579 GB 352 GB
Partition 3 Logic 105 GB 352 GB
Partition 4 Logic 137 GB 437 GB
Partition 5 Logic 89 GB 594 GB
Partition 6 Logic 97 GB 682 GB

list Volume

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
Volume 0 J DVD-ROM 0 B
Volume 1 I DVD-ROM 0 B
Volume 2 C Media NTFS Partition 352 GB Healthy System
Volume 3 D Home NTFS Partition 105 GB Healthy
Volume 4 E Server NTFS Partition 137 GB Healthy
Volume 5 F Partition 89 GB Healthy
Volume 6 G Win7 NTFS Partition 97 GB Healthy
Volume 7 K Removeable 0 B
Volume 8 L Removeable 0 B
Volume 9 M Removeable 0 B
Volume 10 N Removeable 0 B
Volume 11 O Removeable 0 B


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

Boot into Suse, as normal user start your favourite editor and copy and paste these lines:

###Begin custom ###
menuentry 'Windows 7' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-chain-3E147BD4147B8E21' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='hd 0,msdos1'
chainloader +1
}
### END custom ###

Save this file as 40_custom (this will be saved in your home directory).

Now you need to move it into /etc/grub.d/ and make it executable

So as root

mv /home/user/40_custom /etc/grub.d/40_custom

(Replace user with your username)

Then as root

chmod 755 /etc/grub.d/40_custom

update-grub

Last command will update grub. Make sure BIOS is set to Boot from your
Suse hard drive and it should start your windows 7 loader.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

OK, I was able to copy and save the 40_custom. I was then able to achieve:

mv /home/user/40_custom /etc/grub.d/40_custom

and

chmod 755 /etc/grub.d/40_custom

However, when I type update-grub exactly as that (as in linux-mpge:/home/username # update-grub
and not update grub) I get the "command-not-found" error. What did I do wrong?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> OK, I was able to copy and save the 40_custom. I was then able to achieve:
> 
> mv /home/user/40_custom /etc/grub.d/40_custom
> 
> ...



I just had a look at Suse 12.2 bug pages and found:

openSUSE:Most annoying bugs 12.2 dev - openSUSE

There was a problem in Milestone3, suggesting to install grub and not grub2. I hope this isn't a new problem.

A couple of things to try.Boot into Suse, open the terminal and become root.

Type 

update

then press "TAB" key.
TAB gives you command completion so it will suggest every command that starts with
keyword "update". 
I am wondering if it is update_grub or something else in Suse2.

You may be able to change from grub2 to grub legacy.

However you may also be able to update grub 2 from Yast

openSUSE 12.2: Chapter 8. The Boot Loader GRUB2


to do this goto Yast, Bootloader options, change timeout value from 8 seconds to 10 seconds and click ok to update grub2.


Finally your first hard drive is /dev/sda (windows) and linux drive is /dev/sdd in grub terminology this is (hd0) for windows and (hd1) for the linux drive.
If you install grub to the mbr of (hd1) and set your BIOS to boot from (hd1) as the first hard drive then grub2 should load all systems.
If you set your BIOS to boot from (hd0) windows drive, then grub is not installed in the MBR of this drive and windows (both XP and win7 should both load).

This last option can be used as a workaround, should you not get grub2 working.
I'd try using yast first. Suse is a little different in that it uses a file called /etc/sysconfig
as acentral configuration file. It is sysconfig that may need re-loading with yast before grub2 updates.

Hope that helps.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*



hal8000 said:


> I just had a look at Suse 12.2 bug pages and found:
> 
> openSUSE:Most annoying bugs 12.2 dev - openSUSE
> 
> ...


 When I enter update, followed by “TAB”, I get the following:
update-alternatives
update-bootloader
update-ca-certificates
update-desktop-database
updateinfoxml2solv
update-mine-datadase
update-pciids
update-smart-drivedb
upsate-usbids.sh


If one of those are what we are looking for, please point it out








For the 2nd suggestion, I did increase the timer to 10, and selected MBR instead of root. We ended up with this:
Generating grub.cfg...
found theme: /boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/theme.txt
found background: /boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/background.png
found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.6-2.10-desktop
found initrd image: /boot/initrd-3.4.6-2.10-desktop
/dev/sde: open failed: no medium found
/dev/sdf: open failed:
/dev/sdg
/dev/sdh
/dev/sdi:
No volume groups found
Found Windows 7 (loader) on /dev/sdb1
/etc/grub.d/40_custom: line 2: menuentru: command not found
insmod: can't read 'part_msdos': No such file or directory
insmod: can't read 'ntfs': No such file or directory
/etc/grub.d/40_custom: line 6: chainloader: command not found
/etc/grub.d/40_custom: line 7: syntax error near unexpected token `}'
/etc/grub.d/40_custom: line 7: `}'




Please tell me I didn't mess everything up by doing this.






For the lase one (the last option), I'm lost, so please explain it.


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> For the 2nd suggestion, I did increase the timer to 10, and selected MBR instead of root. We ended up with this:
> Generating grub.cfg...
> found theme: /boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/theme.txt
> found background: /boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/background.png
> ...





The errors in 40_custom look like like something went wrong with copy and paste.
In your next post from Suse as root, post the output of:

cat /etc/grub.d/40_custom


The last option is controlling your boot from setting your drive order in BIOS.
Enter BIOS usually DEL or F2 There will be a setting for boot order.
What you do is change order to boot from windows drive, this will load windows.
Change order to boot from second hard drive, this will load grub.
On some later BIOSes you can change boot device without entering BIOS by pressing F12 and set the PC to boot from an alternate hard drive or device order.
You will have to watch carefully for this or just press Pause to freeze the BIOS as it loads.


I want to see 40_custom to see what went wrong. It was taken from original grub.cfg
so should work fine.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Copied straight from terminal. Decided to leave name too
-------------=--------------
[email protected]:~> su
Password: 
linux-mpge:/home/warriorjames # cat /etc/grub.d/40_custom
###Begin custom ###
menuentry 'Windows 7' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-chain-3E147BD4147B8E21' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='hd 0,msdos1'
chainloader +1
}
### END custom ###linux-mpge:/home/warriorjames #
-------------=---------------
I looked up at what you asked to copy...it looks correct.

Was KWrite not the best one to use?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

I'm posting from my laptop at the moment running PCLinux. I'll have a look at my custom grub2 scripts on my desktop shortly, copy and paste looks ok although error messages were complaining of missing } and other errors.
kwrite is a good editor to use.
Will post back shortly


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

Ok try it without the osprober chain.
Copy and paste the lines below into kwrite, last line ends }



#!/bin/sh
exec tail -n +3 $0
menuentry "Windows7" --class windows --class os {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,1)'
chainloader +1
}



Save the file as 40_custom.
Then from terminal as root.

mv /home/user/40_custom /etc/grub.d/

(say yes to overwrite and change "user" to your username)

chmod 755 /etc/grub.d/40_custom


Because there is no update-grub in Suse 12.2 go to yast boot config
and again change timeout value to say 8 seconds and click yes. This will
update sysconfig and grub2.

Reboot and see if that works.

Now if that fails, it looks as though Suse have deviated from standard scripts and I would recommend you change to grub legacy, much easier to configure.
If you do this use yast to install grub then go to yast again, boot loader settings and look for the boot loader tab, you need to change from grub2 to grub. There are screen shots below to make this easier:

openSUSE 12.2: Chapter 8. The Boot Loader GRUB2


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

OK...the only thing our re-done 40_custom did was add a 2nd Windows 7 to the boot screen that does absolutely nothing...so I guess we stepping back to normal GRUB.

When I select GRUB, as stated with the link you provided, I get 4 options:
-Propose New Configuration
-Convert Current Configuration
-Start New Configuration from Scratch
-Read Configuration Saved on Disk

Which one would we be selecting to get what we're looking for?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

Propose new configuration.
This should start anew.
With grub legacy its now a single configuration file, much easier to manage and not a set of bash scripts like grub2.

Once grub is installed, there should be a /boot/grub/menu.lst file. This file controls the loading of both windows and linux.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Well, we have GRUB installed (Not GRUB2 or GRUB2-EFI) and we still have MBR as the boot loader location. In Selection Management we have:

Suse 12.2
Failsafe Suse 12.2
Kernel 3.4.6-2.10-desktop

I presume we click Add , click "select other system" and then choose sdb1 as the drive.

But how do we get it to apply itself? When I rebooted, we still had the GRUB2 selection with the 2 Windows 7 selections.


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

Make sure you have actually installed grub (grub legacy) via yast otherwise it will probably default to using grub2.
I had Suse 11.4 and Suse 12.1 installed, but deleted Suse 12.1 as there was nothing much new, but still have Suse 11.4 installed, which uses grub legacy.

You can install grub from terminal with yum install grub but safer to use yast software

YaST Software Management - openSUSE

For one thing its graphical and easier to use and secondly you will get a description of the package being installed. Some distros now call grub2, grub and grub1, grub-legacy.

When you add a section manually you would add sda1 as your windows drive, name it windows and command to boot would be chainloader +1. 
However if you can get grub legacy installed, it should find windows automatically.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

OK, I presume we're going with GRUB (Grand Unified Boot loader) 0.97-185.1.2?

Reason I'm asking is because that seems like the only thing for Grub1 (the others are gfxboot, various version of GRUB2 and then trustedgrub).


If so, what do we do at that point? Do I go back into boot loader and adjust something or do we just restart?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

Yes grub legacy version 0.97 Once installed via yast it should pickup windows.
You can even remove grub2 to be certain that grub legacy is in use.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

OK, I think I know how to do that, but I'd rather play idiot and ask.

I'm sure Software Manager is what I use. Do I just select GRUB2 and GRUB2-branding-openSUSE, select Delete [-] for both (thus leaving gfxboot and grub with the check-marks next to them), and then just restart?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> OK, I think I know how to do that, but I'd rather play idiot and ask.
> 
> I'm sure Software Manager is what I use. Do I just select GRUB2 and GRUB2-branding-openSUSE, select Delete [-] for both (thus leaving gfxboot and grub with the check-marks next to them), and then just restart?


Yes, perfectly correct .


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Well, that didn't work as we wanted it to...

I restarted and got this:

GNU GRUB Version 2.00

Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions.

Grub>


Uh...what just happened?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

Grub2 has not been removed for some unknown reason.
What you have to do now is boot with the Suse 12.2 CD in live mode and manually
install grub legacy.

To do this boot up to the live CD and open the terminal and become root. On the live
cd, password may be root or may not even be set. Then type 

grub

This will give you a grub legacy prompt that loks like
grub>

After grub prompt type


find /boot/grub/stage1

the result show show where grub has been installed to and results mat be
something silimar to
(hd1,0)

You must then tell grub the EXACT location from the find command, in other words if output was (hd1,0) your next commands are:

root (hd1,0)

setup (hd1)

quit

Again both above commands must use the correct output from the find stage.
If you get an error then something went wrong or grub legacy was not installed.



In this case reinstall grub2 again, the command for this from the terminal (as root) is

grub-install /dev/sdd

sudo update-grub


quit and reboot. This should get you back to bootable Suse
with grub2, If it fails to detect windows properly I'll have another look
at /etc/grub.d/40_custom


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*

I've just wrote a new post how to re-install grub grub legacy

http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f64/how-to-install-and-re-install-grub-669641.html

hope that its useful.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Talking from the Live CD. Here's what we got:

[email protected]:~> su
linux:/home/linux # grub <-entered but then realized we were going for Grub 2, not legacy.
Probing devices to guess BIOS drives. This may take a long time.
linux:/home/linux # grub-install /dev/sdd
WARNING! You are trying to invoke the unsupported grub-install script
with a parameter. To really do this, call grub-install.unsupported.
You should rather call "yast2 bootloader" or create configuration files
appropriate for the intended target.
linux:/home/linux # update-grub
If 'update-grub' is not a typo you can use command-not-found to lookup the package that contains it, like this:
cnf update-grub
linux:/home/linux # grub <went & installed legacy.
linux:/home/linux #

We'll see if I can at least get in...


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

(Now speaking from windows XP)
No dice there. Legacy did create a boot screen, but when I selected suse:

Booting openSUSE 12.2
root (hd3,1)
error 22: No such partition


And I still wasn't able to get into the older windows versions...though I was able to get into 7.


Do you think I should just do a fresh re-install and mess with that? It will theoretically put us right back where we were...


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> (Now speaking from windows XP)
> No dice there. Legacy did create a boot screen, but when I selected suse:
> 
> Booting openSUSE 12.2
> ...




Grub2 is a pain. Its easy to fix if you have experience with the linux shell, but next to impossible for anyone new to linux.
Grub error 22 is pointing at the wrong partition, you can reinstall again but the proper script in Suse 12.2 is broken and not finding the correct partition.

In fact it only works properly in Fedora 17 and Ubuntu 12.04.
You already created linux partition on drive sdd so you can use those again.
Personally I would use a distro that uses grub legacy like PClinuxOS or Mageia.

What will happen if you reinstall Suse 12.2 is that is will boot suse but not detect windows 7 again.
Second problem is there is no update-grub in Suse 12.2 its using /etc/sysconfig to modify grub changes.
However if you went into BIOS and changed the boot sequence to boot from your windows hard drive first, windows would load.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Alright...so if we reinstall SUSE it won't create the 'Windows 7' option. 

Hm...OK...2 thoughts:

1. would it be possible to install both SUSE and...say...Ubuntu 12.04 onto the same drive and have Ubuntu sort everything? 
Boot -> Ubuntu screen (options: Ubuntu & it's fail-safe/SUSE/Windows7) Selecting SUSE takes to SUSE boot screen. Selecting Windows 7 does what we intend in getting to the older versions.

or
2. I just reinstall SUSE 12.2. Then, would downloading EasyBCD and trying to access it from that work?

Thoughts?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> Alright...so if we reinstall SUSE it won't create the 'Windows 7' option.
> 
> Hm...OK...2 thoughts:
> 
> ...



1) If you install Suse and Ubuntu this should fix grub2 problems. You would need to install Suse first, then Ubuntu last so that Ubuntu would control the boot.


2) I dont think this will work, because Suse 12.2 will allow Suse to load but not windows. You would therefore not get into windows to load EasyBCD. With Suse it would be a matter of creating a custom grub2 script to get windows to load.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Alright...I'll try the SUSE/Ubuntu idea.

One question: Is there a specific way I'm suppose to divide the drive up between the two of them?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> Alright...I'll try the SUSE/Ubuntu idea.
> 
> One question: Is there a specific way I'm suppose to divide the drive up between the two of them?


OK, when you installed Suse you created a / a /home and a /swap partition.
When you install Ubuntu (make sure you have at a minimum of 10G free space,
create a new / and a new /home partition. When you set up /swap point it at the exiting partition.


You can see below the output of fdisk -l on my hard drive:

/dev/sda1 63 268317629 134158783+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 * 268317630 677910869 204796620 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 677910870 718860615 20474873 a5 FreeBSD
/dev/sda4 718860616 976768064 128953724+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 718860618 718892684 16033+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 718892748 739873574 10490413+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 739873638 781835354 20980858+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 781835356 801366015 9765330 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 801366079 840440474 19537198 83 Linux


First 4 primary partitions, are Win XP and Win7 and FreeBSD (which has to be installed on primary). The last primary partition must be made an extended partition
(which contains all the logical drives).
Partition 5 is used as /swap and this is common to all distributions.
Partition 6 and 7 are / and /home of Ubuntu 12.04 , 8 and 9 are / and /home of another distribution and so on. Not sure if that has made things clearer or not.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Wait...the Windows Partitions are on a completely separate drive (/dev/sdb...which is the 1TB drive. Plus, Windows XP is the primary. Windows Home (D), Server 03 (E) & 7 (G), as viewed from XPs Disk Management, are Logical partitions.). Suse is on /dev/sdd (250 GB). Are you saying I have to throw all of the operating systems onto 1 drive? If so, How do I make all of the Windows partitions Primary partitions?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> Wait...the Windows Partitions are on a completely separate drive (/dev/sdb...which is the 1TB drive. Plus, Windows XP is the primary. Windows Home (D), Server 03 (E) & 7 (G), as viewed from XPs Disk Management, are Logical partitions.). Suse is on /dev/sdd (250 GB). Are you saying I have to throw all of the operating systems onto 1 drive? If so, How do I make all of the Windows partitions Primary partitions?


No, not at all. The above is only an example, and not how you would partition on your system. You will not touch sdb which is your windows drive. 

When you partition you will only be working on the 250G linux drive /dev/sdd
so you will then create separate / and /home partitions for each distro and a shared /swap partition.
You would perhaps have
sdd1 / (Suse)
sdd2 /home (suse)
sdd3 /swap
sdd4 extended
sdd5 / (ubuntu)
sdd6 /home (ubuntu)

so in the example sdd3 would be common /swap for both Ubuntu and Suse.
Not sure why your drives are sdb and sdd. This is usually the ID of the SATA connector, unless there was something else plugged in, you would have sda and sdb.
Its not important, but dont change them around, otherwise your drive letters in windows would be renamed and you'd loose data.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

sda and sdc are the 1.5TB guys that were for the RAID.

Alright, I'll get to work on this after these last questions is answered: The extended would automatically be created once I begin the instillation of Ubuntu, correct? If not, how do I create it?

And also, would anything change if I decided to abandon the 250 GB drive and throw both onto one of the 1.5 TB drives? (I want to give both /home a fair amount of space)


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> sda and sdc are the 1.5TB guys that were for the RAID.
> 
> Alright, I'll get to work on this after these last questions is answered: The extended would automatically be created once I begin the instillation of Ubuntu, correct? If not, how do I create it?
> 
> And also, would anything change if I decided to abandon the 250 GB drive and throw both onto one of the 1.5 TB drives? (I want to give both /home a fair amount of space)


Damn, I wish now I'd read your first post slowly now, didn't realise you had RAID, which now makes booting pretty complicated.
The raid array might not be read from linux until you activate it with mdadm in which case sda and sdc will become one drive called /dev/md0 - this is most likely why grub2 failed to properly detect it. 
Second problem is that your 1.5T drives have guid partition tables, which can only be read by grub2; grub legacy does not support GUID partition tables.

You wont be able to move partitions from the 250G drive to the 1.5TB drives as grub will have same problem finding them.

Without Raid it would be a little easier, but for now I see only two options left neither of which you will like. Either install linux on a separate computer or install linux on the 250G drive. Install grub2 to the MBR of that drive , as it was before you started, you will be able to boot Suse but not boot windows from grub.
To boot windows you would have to access BIOS at startup and change the boot order to boot your RAID drive first so windows can load.

To answer your first question Ubuntu asks you whether you want to create a partition as primary or logical. If you say logical, then an extended partition is created automatically.

I dont have sufficient experience with RAID to be help you properly. The best help will probably be from the OpenSuse Forum boot login:

Install/Boot/Login

Ask how to dual boot with RAID0 ? RAID1 ? array with windows and suse 12.2
I'm hoping someone has similar hardware.

Meantime you can boot independently by changing the boot sequence in BIOS,
its not ideal but a workaround.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

The RAID was taken apart (I was readable in 11.4, but 12.1 brushed it away. Having a RAID0 in either XP or 7 seemed pointless since it wasn't redundent, and a RAID1 in server is most likely only accessible in server). So...sda and sdc are now blank, hence why I asked if installing SUSE/Ubuntu onto one of them would cause a problem.


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> The RAID was taken apart (I was readable in 11.4, but 12.1 brushed it away. Having a RAID0 in either XP or 7 seemed pointless since it wasn't redundent, and a RAID1 in server is most likely only accessible in server). So...sda and sdc are now blank, hence why I asked if installing SUSE/Ubuntu onto one of them would cause a problem.


Sorry, I misunderstood you.
All windows OS are on sda, so yes if sdc is now free you could install Suse onto sdc
or the 250G drive sdd if you prefer.

Like you I tried Suse 12.1 but did not like it so still use Suse 11.4

When you install Suse 12.2 to either sdc or sdd, it will allow Suse to boot but properbly misdetect windows. Hopefully I can write a custom grub2 script that will allow you to boot windows to fix this.
Let me know what you want to try next, or if you install Suse, install grub2 into the mbr of either sdc or sdd
Grub2 will call the drive (hd1) or (hd2) or (hd3). I have two drives but they are on the first and second SATA connector so are called sda and sdb in linux and (hd0) and (hd1) by grub2.
There is also a possibility that grub2 may call sdc (hd1) if no drive is detected at 
sdb. Ubuntu 12.04 has a fixed os_proper script so hopefully should detect windows
(and Suse) if installed after Suse.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Sda is a 1.5 TB drive (initially used for the RAID <-this is open
Sdb is the windows drive
Sdc of the other 1.5 TB <-this is open
Sdd is linux 


Alright, SUSE is installed on sdd. Re-sized /home to be smaller to allow room.

I then entered Ubuntu and we have our 3 selections:

1. Install Ubuntu alongside them
2. Erase disk
3. Something else (you can create or resize partitions yourself, or create multiple partitions for Ubuntu.

I went with 1. Lone behold, Ubuntu installs itself onto one of the 1.5 TB drives (sda to be specific), not the 250 GB (sdd aka the linux drive). So, in SUSE I went into partition manager & deleted it. That was a mistake, as now when I have the Western Digital (1TB)(Windows) drive set as the boot you have the curser flash a few times in the upper left...followed by a blank screen. Having the Samsung (250GB) set as the boot created the problem we're trying to fix.


MAN I'm an idiot.


I'm talking from SUSE. When I go into “Something else” and scroll down to the Linux drive, I sdd1, sdd2, sdd3 & free space. The “device for boot loader configuration” is set to /dev/sdb (which would be the Windows drive...so now the problem after deleting Ubuntu makes some sense.)


Selecting free space & clicking 'add' brings up the window for a new partition. The type automatically selected is logical. Location is set to beginning (which I presume means the beginning of the logical partition). Use as is set to ext4 journaling file system. Mount point is blank.


I haven't done anything yet. To test things, I set the mount to root (/) & clicked install. I said the following:


You have not selected any partitions for use as swap space. Enabling swap space is recommended so that the system can make better use of available physical memory, and so that it behaves batter when physical memory is scarce. You may experience instillation problems if you do not have enough physical memory.


If you do not go back to the partitioning menu and assign a swap partition, the instillation will continue without swap space.


I'm sure that once Ubuntu is reinstalled everything will be fixed. The question is, how do I take care of the swap partition problem?


----------



## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> Sda is a 1.5 TB drive (initially used for the RAID <-this is open
> Sdb is the windows drive
> Sdc of the other 1.5 TB <-this is open
> Sdd is linux
> ...



OK, the partitions of sdd , sdd1, sdd2, sdd3 I think one of these will be /swap when you installed Suse.



This link below shows the partition guide at step 6 of Ubuntu:

Step-by-step Beginners’ Guide Installing Ubuntu 12.04 LTS | Handy Tutorial



In step 6 you should see all drives, you highlight sdd3 (or whatever was /swap) and
use it as /swa. Do not select option to format it. If your /swap size is 1G its OK for system memory of any size and if you have more than 1G physical memory, the /swap will probably never be used anyway.

Always chose manual partitioning, it gives you more control. In ubuntu manual partitioning option is now renamed "Something Else".



You can install grub2 into the MBR of any hard drive. If you install it onto sdd, but your BIOS looks at sda first, then windows will load (if windows bootloader was installed to the MBR of sda). So if you install grub2 on the linux drive sdd you will probably have to change the order of the boot drives to boot from sdd first. Hope that makes sense.


----------



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*



hal8000 said:


> This link below shows the partition guide at step 6 of Ubuntu:
> 
> Step-by-step Beginners’ Guide Installing Ubuntu 12.04 LTS | Handy Tutorial
> 
> ...


sdd1 is the swap (2GB...which, as you said, will probably never be used)
sdd2 is / for SUSE
sdd3 is /home for SUSE

I think I see what you're saying in step 6: I was on the right track. The only think I had to do was select the swap in the way displayed on the tutorial.

So, when I go to create the swap, I don't create a new swap (as shown in the tutorial)...I just use what is shown in the tutorial to access the one created by SUSE, correct?


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> I think I see what you're saying in step 6: I was on the right track. The only think I had to do was select the swap in the way displayed on the tutorial.
> 
> So, when I go to create the swap, I don't create a new swap (as shown in the tutorial)...I just use what is shown in the tutorial to access the one created by SUSE, correct?


Yes, that's correct.
There is an option to format swap DO NOT format the swap because if you do, it will be given a different UUID and your existing Suse will not boot. (The error is fixable but you would have to use the Suse rescue disk to correct this and modify the Suse /etc/fstab with new UUID of /swap. I've made this mistake more than once :nonono: )

Once you have selected /swap you can continue with the install, hope that helps.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*

Ubuntu is installed (swap was shared. Ubuntu is just 1 partition: sdd)...Windows drive was selected as boot drive. Windows drive was made boot drive.

Ubuntu boot came up (Grub0.99) with options for Ubuntu, memory test (not sure what that is), Windows 7, and OpenSUSE (which apparently shows up about 6 times).

Select Ubuntu and you get into Ubuntu
Select SUSE and, after going through stuff, boots successfully.
Select Windows 7 and you get into 7
Select earlier version.....AND YOU GET THAT SCREEN!!

VICTORY!!! :scream:

Finally...

If we ever have someone run into this problem, hopefully my insane journey will make things easier for them.

Now to  with reassurance. Thank you SO MUCH, hal8000. I can not thank you enough.

Are there any last words of advice you'd like to give me...and anyone else who reads this thread...before I officially mark this as solved. Any advice would be appreciated.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> Ubuntu is installed (swap was shared. Ubuntu is just 1 partition: sdd)...Windows drive was selected as boot drive. Windows drive was made boot drive.


Correction. Ubuntu is sdd4. If it were sdd (the actual hard drive itself), I would be wondering what was going on...


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Boot issue*



warriorjames said:


> Ubuntu is installed (swap was shared. Ubuntu is just 1 partition: sdd)...Windows drive was selected as boot drive. Windows drive was made boot drive.
> 
> Ubuntu boot came up (Grub0.99) with options for Ubuntu, memory test (not sure what that is), Windows 7, and OpenSUSE (which apparently shows up about 6 times).
> 
> ...




Ok, you're welcome.
Sleep well.
I've marked first post as [solved]

My final advice to anyone following this thread, is that you can succeed.
If you are new to linux, grub2 is not the unfriendliest boot manager to configure.
What started out as grub legacy (still used with PClinux and mageia) was a single
configuration script /boot/grub/menu.lst that controlled everything.

Enter grub2 and it becomes a mass of bash scripts. Many distributions use grub2
with an incorrect os-proper version. This has been fixed in Ubuntu 12.04, Arch,
Fedora 17 (and possibly others that I dont know about).

Finally a grub-customizer with gui has arrived for grub2 for Ubuntu users:

How to Configure the Linux Grub2 Boot Menu the Easy Way - How-To Geek

If you use this and have problems, start a new thread I am going to close this particular thread as it is quite long and will save me reading info from earlier posts.

Glad you got it sorted in the end


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