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Friends,

While there are a ton of posts about how to fix the problem I'm
currently having, none of them actually seems to fix it. It's likely
due to my negligence, but I can't figure it out. Here's the problem:

I have two hard SATA hard drives on my Dell XPS 600. The first is a
160GB Samsung, running Windows XP Pro (also has a recovery partition
from Dell). The second is a 100GB Maxtor, onto which I have installed
Fedora Core 5 from a dvd. When I did the installation, I manually
partitioned the 100GB (/dev/sdb) into three (/boot, swap, and /), and
had grub install itself onto /boot. All seemed to go okay, but when I
rebooted, it went straight to XP. Not unusual, I thought, since it's
not really loading into the MBR.

So then I did a linux rescue, and went to /boot, where I did the dd
trick (dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootlinx.bin size=512 count=1) to
copy 512 bytes onto a floppy.

I then rebooted, copied the bootlinx.bin file to C: and inserted a line
into my boot.ini.

Rebooted again, and gave me an option to boot into XP or Linux. Chose
Linux. On a new screen, I received "Grub _" on the upper left corner.

Tried reinstalling grub using "grub-install /dev/sdb1" and then
rebooted after doing the dd trick again, and still no luck.

Here's some info:
# more device.map
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb

#fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
/dev/sda1 Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 (active) HPFS/NTFS
Disk /dev/sdb: 100GB
/dev/sdb1 (active) Linux
/dev/sdb2 Linux swap
/dev/sdb3 Linux

#df
/dev/sdb3 mounted on /
/dev/sdb1 mounted on /boot

Hope someone can help!!! Thanks in advance,

Kartik

ggtuki@gmail.com wrote:

> Friends,
>
> While there are a ton of posts about how to fix the problem I'm
> currently having, none of them actually seems to fix it. It's likely
> due to my negligence, but I can't figure it out. Here's the problem:
>
> I have two hard SATA hard drives on my Dell XPS 600. The first is a
> 160GB Samsung, running Windows XP Pro (also has a recovery partition
> from Dell). The second is a 100GB Maxtor, onto which I have installed
> Fedora Core 5 from a dvd. When I did the installation, I manually
> partitioned the 100GB (/dev/sdb) into three (/boot, swap, and /), and
> had grub install itself onto /boot. All seemed to go okay, but when I
> rebooted, it went straight to XP. Not unusual, I thought, since it's
> not really loading into the MBR.
>
> So then I did a linux rescue, and went to /boot, where I did the dd
> trick (dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootlinx.bin size=512 count=1) to
> copy 512 bytes onto a floppy.
>
> I then rebooted, copied the bootlinx.bin file to C: and inserted a line
> into my boot.ini.
>
> Rebooted again, and gave me an option to boot into XP or Linux. Chose
> Linux. On a new screen, I received "Grub _" on the upper left corner.
>
> Tried reinstalling grub using "grub-install /dev/sdb1" and then
> rebooted after doing the dd trick again, and still no luck.
>
> Here's some info:
> # more device.map
> (hd0) /dev/sda
> (hd1) /dev/sdb
>
> #fdisk -l
> Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
> /dev/sda1 Dell Utility
> /dev/sda2 (active) HPFS/NTFS
> Disk /dev/sdb: 100GB
> /dev/sdb1 (active) Linux
> /dev/sdb2 Linux swap
> /dev/sdb3 Linux
>
> #df
> /dev/sdb3 mounted on /
> /dev/sdb1 mounted on /boot
>
> Hope someone can help!!! Thanks in advance,
>
> Kartik

Ditto here, I used to have this working under 64 bit SUSE 10.0 but when
I switched to 32 bit I couldn't get it to work. My first 4 disks are
SATA soft raid and are not accessible from Linux. My 5th IDE disk is
devoted to Linux. I too got "Grub _". If I write a MBR record to the
Linux disk and move it over I get a worse error.

Larry Luther wrote:

>> I have two hard SATA hard drives on my Dell XPS 600. The first is a
>> 160GB Samsung, running Windows XP Pro (also has a recovery partition
>> from Dell). The second is a 100GB Maxtor, onto which I have installed
>> Fedora Core 5 from a dvd. When I did the installation, I manually
>> partitioned the 100GB (/dev/sdb) into three (/boot, swap, and /), and
>> had grub install itself onto /boot. All seemed to go okay, but when I
>> rebooted, it went straight to XP. Not unusual, I thought, since it's
>> not really loading into the MBR.
>>
>> So then I did a linux rescue, and went to /boot, where I did the dd
>> trick (dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootlinx.bin size=512 count=1) to
>> copy 512 bytes onto a floppy.
>>
>> I then rebooted, copied the bootlinx.bin file to C: and inserted a line
>> into my boot.ini.
>>
>> Rebooted again, and gave me an option to boot into XP or Linux. Chose
>> Linux. On a new screen, I received "Grub _" on the upper left corner.
>>
>> Tried reinstalling grub using "grub-install /dev/sdb1" and then
>> rebooted after doing the dd trick again, and still no luck.
>>
>> Here's some info:
>> # more device.map
>> (hd0) /dev/sda
>> (hd1) /dev/sdb
>>
>> #fdisk -l
>> Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
>> /dev/sda1 Dell Utility
>> /dev/sda2 (active) HPFS/NTFS
>> Disk /dev/sdb: 100GB
>> /dev/sdb1 (active) Linux
>> /dev/sdb2 Linux swap
>> /dev/sdb3 Linux
>>
>> #df
>> /dev/sdb3 mounted on /
>> /dev/sdb1 mounted on /boot
>>
>> Hope someone can help!!! Thanks in advance,

I'm no expert, but I don't understand why you installed grub
on /dev/sdb1 -
surely the normal procedure is to install it on /dev/sda ,
ie on the MBR of the first disk.
I don't see why the BIOS would (or should) look on
the first partition of the second disk for a boot-loader.



--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (<80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

Timothy Murphy wrote:

> Larry Luther wrote:
>
>>> I have two hard SATA hard drives on my Dell XPS 600. The first is a
>>> 160GB Samsung, running Windows XP Pro (also has a recovery partition
>>> from Dell). The second is a 100GB Maxtor, onto which I have installed
>>> Fedora Core 5 from a dvd. When I did the installation, I manually
>>> partitioned the 100GB (/dev/sdb) into three (/boot, swap, and /), and
>>> had grub install itself onto /boot. All seemed to go okay, but when I
>>> rebooted, it went straight to XP. Not unusual, I thought, since it's
>>> not really loading into the MBR.
>>>
>>> So then I did a linux rescue, and went to /boot, where I did the dd
>>> trick (dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootlinx.bin size=512 count=1) to
>>> copy 512 bytes onto a floppy.
>>>
>>> I then rebooted, copied the bootlinx.bin file to C: and inserted a line
>>> into my boot.ini.
>>>
>>> Rebooted again, and gave me an option to boot into XP or Linux. Chose
>>> Linux. On a new screen, I received "Grub _" on the upper left corner.
>>>
>>> Tried reinstalling grub using "grub-install /dev/sdb1" and then
>>> rebooted after doing the dd trick again, and still no luck.
>>>
>>> Here's some info:
>>> # more device.map
>>> (hd0) /dev/sda
>>> (hd1) /dev/sdb
>>>
>>> #fdisk -l
>>> Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
>>> /dev/sda1 Dell Utility
>>> /dev/sda2 (active) HPFS/NTFS
>>> Disk /dev/sdb: 100GB
>>> /dev/sdb1 (active) Linux
>>> /dev/sdb2 Linux swap
>>> /dev/sdb3 Linux
>>>
>>> #df
>>> /dev/sdb3 mounted on /
>>> /dev/sdb1 mounted on /boot
>>>
>>> Hope someone can help!!! Thanks in advance,
>
> I'm no expert, but I don't understand why you installed grub
> on /dev/sdb1 -
> surely the normal procedure is to install it on /dev/sda ,
> ie on the MBR of the first disk.
> I don't see why the BIOS would (or should) look on
> the first partition of the second disk for a boot-loader.
>
>
>

The sd (SATA) disks are configured as software assisted RAID which
doesn't have any support in the kernel. The grub boot loader
can't access these disks. The IDE drive dedicated to SUSE 10.0
can boot by itself if I move it to first position in boot priority.
So I know that it's MBR is correct etc.

Larry Luther wrote:
> ggtuki@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > Friends,
> >
> > While there are a ton of posts about how to fix the problem I'm
> > currently having, none of them actually seems to fix it. It's likely
> > due to my negligence, but I can't figure it out. Here's the problem:
> >
> > I have two hard SATA hard drives on my Dell XPS 600. The first is a
> > 160GB Samsung, running Windows XP Pro (also has a recovery partition
> > from Dell). The second is a 100GB Maxtor, onto which I have installed
> > Fedora Core 5 from a dvd. When I did the installation, I manually
> > partitioned the 100GB (/dev/sdb) into three (/boot, swap, and /), and
> > had grub install itself onto /boot. All seemed to go okay, but when I
> > rebooted, it went straight to XP. Not unusual, I thought, since it's
> > not really loading into the MBR.
> >
> > So then I did a linux rescue, and went to /boot, where I did the dd
> > trick (dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootlinx.bin size=512 count=1) to
> > copy 512 bytes onto a floppy.
> >
> > I then rebooted, copied the bootlinx.bin file to C: and inserted a line
> > into my boot.ini.
> >
> > Rebooted again, and gave me an option to boot into XP or Linux. Chose
> > Linux. On a new screen, I received "Grub _" on the upper left corner.
> >
> > Tried reinstalling grub using "grub-install /dev/sdb1" and then
> > rebooted after doing the dd trick again, and still no luck.
> >
> > Here's some info:
> > # more device.map
> > (hd0) /dev/sda
> > (hd1) /dev/sdb
> >
> > #fdisk -l
> > Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
> > /dev/sda1 Dell Utility
> > /dev/sda2 (active) HPFS/NTFS
> > Disk /dev/sdb: 100GB
> > /dev/sdb1 (active) Linux
> > /dev/sdb2 Linux swap
> > /dev/sdb3 Linux
> >
> > #df
> > /dev/sdb3 mounted on /
> > /dev/sdb1 mounted on /boot
> >
> > Hope someone can help!!! Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Kartik
>
> Ditto here, I used to have this working under 64 bit SUSE 10.0 but when
> I switched to 32 bit I couldn't get it to work. My first 4 disks are
> SATA soft raid and are not accessible from Linux. My 5th IDE disk is
> devoted to Linux. I too got "Grub _". If I write a MBR record to the
> Linux disk and move it over I get a worse error.

Hi;
realize the OP is likely long-gone - but I must reply

[ Requoted from above ]
> > So then I did a linux rescue, and went to /boot, where I did the dd
> > trick (dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootlinx.bin size=512 count=1) to
> > copy 512 bytes onto a floppy.

You should've likely use the "bs=1024" -- why ? (besides, there is no
"size=" option AFAIK in 'dd') ...because GRUB stage 1.5 does NOT reside
in the first 512Bytes (the MBR(440bytes)+ MPTs (64bytes)) in CHS 0,0,1
- IIRC stage 1.5 lives in the next 512bytes, but I may be wrong...but
either way stage 1.5 is needed to reash stage 2 (the Bootup Options
screen) in Grub.

Besides that - you shouldve installed Grub into the MBR, but OK - I
understand as Larrry states - who's likely using a buggy Mobo Onboard
RAID setup and Controllers (and it'slikely 2 separate controllers to
manage 4 SATA ports). FWIW - atleast Kernel 2.6.x is necessary for SATA
disks, but remember -- many Onboard SATA RAID scenarios are a type of
SoftRAID (they're Emulated) and NOT a true Hardware RAID ...Cheap is
Cheap - so be it...it's Ok

Remember Microshaft's MBR (since FAT32 era) spans MORE than the first
512bytes, and is callled a VBR or xMBR -- and occupies atleast 3 full
512 byte sectors...usually 63-65 - and the mirror is not far away. The
NTFS MBR also contains NTFS specific info within the bytes between 440
and 446 of the 1st 512Byte block on the HDD

Hope you get 'something/anything' out of the info;

Regards

iforone wrote:

>
> Larry Luther wrote:
>> ggtuki@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> > Friends,
>> >
>> > While there are a ton of posts about how to fix the problem I'm
>> > currently having, none of them actually seems to fix it. It's likely
>> > due to my negligence, but I can't figure it out. Here's the problem:
>> >
>> > I have two hard SATA hard drives on my Dell XPS 600. The first is a
>> > 160GB Samsung, running Windows XP Pro (also has a recovery partition
>> > from Dell). The second is a 100GB Maxtor, onto which I have installed
>> > Fedora Core 5 from a dvd. When I did the installation, I manually
>> > partitioned the 100GB (/dev/sdb) into three (/boot, swap, and /), and
>> > had grub install itself onto /boot. All seemed to go okay, but when I
>> > rebooted, it went straight to XP. Not unusual, I thought, since it's
>> > not really loading into the MBR.
>> >
>> > So then I did a linux rescue, and went to /boot, where I did the dd
>> > trick (dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootlinx.bin size=512 count=1) to
>> > copy 512 bytes onto a floppy.
>> >
>> > I then rebooted, copied the bootlinx.bin file to C: and inserted a line
>> > into my boot.ini.
>> >
>> > Rebooted again, and gave me an option to boot into XP or Linux. Chose
>> > Linux. On a new screen, I received "Grub _" on the upper left corner.
>> >
>> > Tried reinstalling grub using "grub-install /dev/sdb1" and then
>> > rebooted after doing the dd trick again, and still no luck.
>> >
>> > Here's some info:
>> > # more device.map
>> > (hd0) /dev/sda
>> > (hd1) /dev/sdb
>> >
>> > #fdisk -l
>> > Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
>> > /dev/sda1 Dell Utility
>> > /dev/sda2 (active) HPFS/NTFS
>> > Disk /dev/sdb: 100GB
>> > /dev/sdb1 (active) Linux
>> > /dev/sdb2 Linux swap
>> > /dev/sdb3 Linux
>> >
>> > #df
>> > /dev/sdb3 mounted on /
>> > /dev/sdb1 mounted on /boot
>> >
>> > Hope someone can help!!! Thanks in advance,
>> >
>> > Kartik
>>
>> Ditto here, I used to have this working under 64 bit SUSE 10.0 but when
>> I switched to 32 bit I couldn't get it to work. My first 4 disks are
>> SATA soft raid and are not accessible from Linux. My 5th IDE disk is
>> devoted to Linux. I too got "Grub _". If I write a MBR record to the
>> Linux disk and move it over I get a worse error.
>
> Hi;
> realize the OP is likely long-gone - but I must reply
>
> [ Requoted from above ]
>> > So then I did a linux rescue, and went to /boot, where I did the dd
>> > trick (dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/mnt/floppy/bootlinx.bin size=512 count=1) to
>> > copy 512 bytes onto a floppy.
>
> You should've likely use the "bs=1024" -- why ? (besides, there is no
> "size=" option AFAIK in 'dd') ...because GRUB stage 1.5 does NOT reside
> in the first 512Bytes (the MBR(440bytes)+ MPTs (64bytes)) in CHS 0,0,1
> - IIRC stage 1.5 lives in the next 512bytes, but I may be wrong...but
> either way stage 1.5 is needed to reash stage 2 (the Bootup Options
> screen) in Grub.
>
> Besides that - you shouldve installed Grub into the MBR, but OK - I
> understand as Larrry states - who's likely using a buggy Mobo Onboard
> RAID setup and Controllers (and it'slikely 2 separate controllers to
> manage 4 SATA ports). FWIW - atleast Kernel 2.6.x is necessary for SATA
> disks, but remember -- many Onboard SATA RAID scenarios are a type of
> SoftRAID (they're Emulated) and NOT a true Hardware RAID ...Cheap is
> Cheap - so be it...it's Ok
>
> Remember Microshaft's MBR (since FAT32 era) spans MORE than the first
> 512bytes, and is callled a VBR or xMBR -- and occupies atleast 3 full
> 512 byte sectors...usually 63-65 - and the mirror is not far away. The
> NTFS MBR also contains NTFS specific info within the bytes between 440
> and 446 of the 1st 512Byte block on the HDD
>
> Hope you get 'something/anything' out of the info;
>
> Regards

bs=1024 didn't change the behavior
"GRUB _" is still the only thing I see.

My motherboard is a Tyan dual Opteron with NVIDIA RAID.
The first 2 disks are mirrored and the second 2 are striped.
But the gist of the NVIDIA RAID is that it is not supported
by the Kernel and can't be booted. I did have this working
under 64 bit Linux.