Installing Gentoo, grub help.

Discussion in 'Installation/Configuration' started by Tbagz, Oct 21, 2005.

  1. Tbagz

    Tbagz New Member

    I just ran the "grub-install" and got this back:
    Code:
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
    
    Installation finished. No errors reported. 
    This is the contents of the device map /boot/grub/device.map.
    Check if this is correct or not. If any of the lines is incorrect,
    fix it and re-run the script "grub-install".
    
    (fd0)   /dev/fd0
    (hd0)  /dev/hda
    my partitions are:-----------------------------------blocks

    /dev/hda1 /boot--------grub=(hd0,0)-------32M-----31720+
    /dev/hda2 /swap-------grub=(hd0,1)-------512M----258552
    /dev/hda3 extended----grub=???????-------9216M---9675288
    /dev/hda5 /root--------grub=(hd0,2)or3?---4096M---2064856+
    /dev/hda6 /home-------grub=(hd0,3)or4?---5120M---7610368+

    Im stumpped :confused:
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2005
  2. Tbagz

    Tbagz New Member

    ok i see now. it is tryint to install grub to fd0, my floppy drive...lol
    how o i get it to stop. and install to (hd0,0)?
     
  3. falko

    falko Super Moderator ISPConfig Developer

    fd0 is your floppy drive. I guess there wasn't a diskette in there when the errors were reported. I think you can forget about the error. :)
     
  4. Tbagz

    Tbagz New Member

    how do I get it to install with out acessing the floppy?

    I tried grub --no-floppy and now im in grub but I dont think it is installed......
     
  5. falko

    falko Super Moderator ISPConfig Developer

    Good question. :confused:
    If you don't need the floppy, remove/disconnect it from your computer.
    Maybe you can then have a look at the Grub configuration, install Grub again with the floppy connected, and compare the new configuration and make the appropriate changes...
     
  6. Tbagz

    Tbagz New Member

    one more question about grub

    If my root partition is /dev/hda5 =(hd0,4) and grub is acking for root in the conf do i write (hd0,4) or is it asking for boot, when it says root? IO am getting conflicting answers from reading FAQs.

    Any help would be great.

    default 0

    timeout 30

    splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz

    title=Gentoo Linux 2.6.11-r11

    root (hd0,0)

    kernel /kernel-2.6.11-gentoo-r11 root=/dev/hda3
     
  7. Tbagz

    Tbagz New Member

    well I did this:

    default 0

    timeout 20

    splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz

    title=Gentoo Linux 2.6.12-r6

    root (hd0,4)

    kernel /kernel-2.6.11-gentoo-r11 root=/dev/hda5

    upon reboot I got the splashscreen to choose the kernel. After choosing I get this:
    Booting 'Gentoo Linus 2.6.12-r6'
    root (hd0,4)
    Filesystem type is ext2fs, partitin type 0x83
    kernel /kernel-2.6.12-gentoo-r6 root=/dev/hda5


    Error 15: File not found

    Press any key to continue...
     
  8. falko

    falko Super Moderator ISPConfig Developer

    On a Debian system it looks like this:

    Code:
    default         0
    timeout         5
    
    color cyan/blue white/blue
    
    title           Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-386
    root            (hd0,0)
    kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro
    initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-386
    savedefault
    boot
    
    title           Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-386 (recovery mode)
    root            (hd0,0)
    kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro single
    initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-386
    savedefault
    boot
    HTH.
     
  9. Tbagz

    Tbagz New Member

    ok so instead of
    default 0

    timeout 20

    splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz

    title=Gentoo Linux 2.6.12-r6

    root (hd0,4)

    kernel /kernel-2.6.11-gentoo-r11 root=/dev/hda5

    it should have been:

    default 0

    timeout 20

    splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz

    title=Gentoo Linux 2.6.12-r6

    root (hd0,0)

    kernel /kernel-2.6.11-gentoo-r11 root=/dev/hda1

    But my next problem comes in here :D I know, I am sorry :D I went ahead and turned off the computer because It was 0500 in the morning. now I cant get back to where I was. when I try to mount and chroot i get file or directory not found. so I dont know how to mount back in to see my grub.conf of I just messed it up anyway and have to start over? I hope not but I will.
     
  10. themachine

    themachine ISPConfig Developer ISPConfig Developer

    NOTE BEFORE ANYTHING: The bigest confusion is between what GRUB calls 'root' and what linux mounts as 'root' or '/'.

    GRUB => root(hd0,0) specifies the 'root of where grub is installed', or in other words '/boot'.

    LINUX => 'root' refers to the '/' partition.

    now...

    I'm assuming this:

    /dev/hda => the primary disk
    (hd0,0) => /dev/hda1 => /boot
    (hd0,1) => /dev/hda2 => swap
    (hd0,2) => /dev/hda3 => /tmp
    (hd0,3) => /dev/hda4 => /

    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9 => kernel
    /boot/initrd-2.6.12-9.img => initrd image file


    If your first partition (/dev/hda1) is '/boot' then the following is what you would want to do in order to setup grub.


    I first run the grub-install util to install to the Master Boot Record:

    Code:
    grub-install /dev/hda

    Then, setup grub by executing the 'grub' command:

    Code:
    # grub
    
    grub> root (hd0,0)
    
    grub> setup (hd0)
    
    grub> quit

    Again, as stated above, in this section 'root' refers to the 'root directory that grub is installed' which is the first partition on our hda disk (/dev/hda1 => /boot). If you do *not* have a separate '/boot' partition... then this will be the '/' partition.

    After this you should have the folder '/boot/grub' with associated files. Assuming your kernel is something like '/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9' then you would need, at the least, the following in '/boot/grub/grub.conf':

    (Please note that some distros recognize '/boot/grub/menu.lst' rather than '/boot/grub/grub.conf'... and most link them one way or the other so that both work.)

    Code:
    timeout 5
    default 0
    
    title Linux Kernel (vmlinuz-2.6.12-9)
    	 root (hd0,0)
    	 kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.12-9 root=/dev/hda4
    	 # if using initial ramdisk, uncomment the following line
    	 # initrd /initrd-2.6.12-9.img
    
    line 1) Title line (obvious)

    line 2) root(hd0,0) specifies the partition that holds grub ('/boot')

    line 3) specifies where the kernel is on (hd0,0)... i.e '(hd0,0)/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9' is the same as '/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9' and since you have specified 'root (hd0,0)' then the same thing is written as '/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9'. The second part to this is the 'root=' line. This directive specifies where your ROOT partition is... i.e '/'. So if '/dev/hda4' is the partition that is mounted as '/'... then you would want 'root=/dev/hda4'.

    line 4) Specify where the initrd is found. This depends on how your kernel was compiled. To see, grep your kernel .config file (usually found as '/boot/config-[kernel version]') or wherever you compiled the kernel ('/usr/src/linux-2.6.12-9/.config' ... etc). Typing the following will show whether it was compiled:

    Code:
    cat /boot/config-2.6.12-9 | grep -i initrd
    
    CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD=y
    
    for 'yes', or 
    
    CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD=m
    
    for 'module', or
    
    CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD=n
    
    for 'no'
    


    SAVING YOURSELF.... FROM A BROKEN GRUB INSTALL...


    If you gotten yourself in a pickle, don't fret. Basically, when the system boots to the GRUB boot loader you can manually execute what *should* be in your /boot/grub/grub.conf.

    So, you boot to GRUB and it does nothing.... do the following:

    type 'c' for a grub> command prompt.
    type 'root(hd0,0)' or whatever your 'grub root partition is'.

    you should see something like:

    Code:
    grub> root (hd0,0)
    Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
    if not, you might see
    Code:
    grub> root(hd0,2)
    Filesystem type unkown
    or something like that. Then type your kernel line (note that you can use TAB COMPLETION just like in bash... very nice!)

    Code:
    grub> kernel (hd0,0)/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9 root=/dev/hda4
    	 [Linux-bzImage, setup=0x1400, size=0x124587]
    
    if you type it wrong

    Code:
    grub> kernel (hd0,0)/vmlinuz2.6.12-9 root=/dev/hda4
    	 Error 15: File not found
    If you need to specify an initrd... just type that line too:

    Code:
    initrd (hd0,0)/initrd-2.6.12-9
    Once your done, just type 'boot' and you should be good to go.
     
  11. Tbagz

    Tbagz New Member

    thanks machine, what you said seemed to work but on par with my current streak with gentoo I type boot and it seems to hang there. so I may just hang it up and begin from the begining again...lol. But your help is greatly appreciated.
     
  12. falko

    falko Super Moderator ISPConfig Developer

  13. themachine

    themachine ISPConfig Developer ISPConfig Developer

    I think the key word here is.... "gentoo". Do yourself a favor, learn to hate gentoo.... and never look back. NEVER LOOK BACK!!! ;)
     
  14. Tbagz

    Tbagz New Member

    Ha, yeah I heard I should not start with gentoo. but I have heard good things. We'll see. i may start to fell the same way after one or two more of these. I think my main problem is not the version or linux. it is just me being a noob and not sure what im doing yet.
     

Share This Page