Grub Error Collection [Part 8] [POST GRUB QUESTIONS HERE!]

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:27 pm Post subject:

flacvest,

Everythng you have seen so far is correct. The cyan indicates that the symlink actually points to something.
You only need a backup kernel for times when your new kernel won't boot. It should not be needed to fix Xorg or GDM.

I have never used genkernel, so cannot give explicit instructions. All I can say is do whatever you did when you made your old kernel and inux-2.6.24-gentoo-r8-flacvest will be built and installed into /boot.

You have to add it to grub.conf a little like this thats a browsable image of my laptop.
Its grub.conf has several hand made kernels.

Essentially, you copy your existing booting stanza, thats the

flacvest · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 1:38 pm Post subject: RE: Backup Kernel

Neddy,

I will give your instructions a go. Looks like we're on the same page since a backup kernel is what I want. Thank you for equipping me with the tools to get going. I have learned from my experience with the *Buntus that having a backup kernel is almost essential with Linux... It's better than having "SAFE MODE" on M$ Windows. It will save your bacon for those times when you are too green with Linux to know better and gives you a way to fix your box without a fsck/xfs mount/umount / xfs_repair mount / chroot hailmary. It's been wonderful experience learning that way; however having a backup kernel that boots to a command line is way sweet!

I'm learning tons with Gentoo and the HOWTOs and documentation and I believe anybody with a dualcore or quick system should "upgrade" from a candy distro to the Option "laden" higher quality Gentoo distro: Besides what's better than hand-crafting a perfect system?

Well that's all for the 6am philosopy theorem.

Thanks for helping Linux make sense to me, You're a kind soul,
_________________
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pappy_mcfae · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 6:49 am Post subject:

Neddy,

On this machine, a core2 duo running 64 bit, I can only get black and white to show up with the grub screen. While it works, it's kind of dull looking. What color combinations work, and which don't. Here's my grub.conf:

shazam75 · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:01 am Post subject: cannot open root device 343

Hi

I tried to boot into the new gentoo install but now I get "cannot open root device "343" or unknow-block(3,67)

Anyone know how to resolve this ?

Thanks again
Shelton.

[merged by NeddySeagoon - See your reply 2 posts down]
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NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 12:13 pm Post subject:

pappy_mcfae,

All but one of my systems run 24/7 and headless, so I've not looked into boot time eye candy at all.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject:

shazam75,

Block device (3,43) is hda43 ... That suggests your grub.conf has a kernel paramater (real_)root=/dev/hda43
Such large partition numbers would be unusual but not incorrect.
I suspect you have a typo there.
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NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

pappy_mcfae · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject:

shazam75 · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject:

shazam75 · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:09 am Post subject:

well i am about to give up now - im just completely exhausted - i have tried everything - everything - mentioned here - the tips etc and i keep getting the same problem - kernel panic - i changed from lilo to grub and grub now says cannot open root device on hdb3 and cannot mount on (0,0) .

this is it my last go - running genkernel - gentoo is really neat but unforunately i cannot conquer this problem.

I have a intel chip set ICH7 and tried everything in the kernel - i think the boot cannot see my hard drive - i even removed the CDROM and still no go.

EDIT
Well the genkernel seemed to have got me in - I really dont know why the normal compile of the kernel does not work - what else can i try out? I really want to have control over the kernel ?

Why does genkernel work ? and my manual compile does not?

Can i now manually change the kernel and recompile ?
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flacvest

Hi Neddy,

Here's what I am able to do with my system:

1. boot to the live cd.
2. mount and unmount the filesystems to replay the journals (i guess this is an XFS thing)
3. run e2fsck on the ext2 and ext3 filesystems.
4. run xfs_repair on the xfs partitions.
5. mount the filesystems to /mnt/gentoo*
6. get into a chroot environment
7. see all my files via CLI

What I can't do:

1. boot normally (I'm assuming since the fglrx module isn't loading, and GDM is set to the default runlevel)
2. add a "recovery kernel" set to runlevel 3 (I believe that's the runlevel for CLI, right?) to GRUB menu (GRUB internals are way over my head)
3. start an X session ( I think I just don't have the right info in my xorg.conf??? for this card, it worked with the Radeon HD 2600 Pro, but not this Radeon AIW X1900 XT ).
4. do a GRUB install to add the second kernel to the GRUB menu.

*sign* I've been down for about a week now, and am feeling stupid. When everything was up and running I was running Gentoo and managing it with Porthole just fine, now am lost in a chroot with no GUI. I need industrial strength assistance.

I haven't gotten anywhere so far. Just keep getting teased by my progress. At this point I would even consider scrapping everything and starting over, but I'd rather not do that if possible.

Maybe you have a few ideas?? I hope...

Thanks in advance.
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NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:16 pm Post subject:

shazam75,

Stick with grub or lilo - they both work, its a matter of personal preference.
Grub is easier to use long term as you just edit its grub.conf when you add a kernel.
With lilo, you have to edit lilo.conf and remember to run /sbin/lilo.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:31 pm Post subject:

flacvest,

I hate trying to solve more than one problem at a time but here is dome workarounds to get you going.

shazam75 · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:11 pm Post subject:

Hi Neddy

yea what i am going to do is keep the genkernel as a back up and slowly stip away all the unneed modules and other features that i really dont need that comes with the genkernel compile. Then I can also see what other things i needed in the kernel for it to work. Funny thing is I chose all the options you suggested and it still didnt boot - so must be it needs something else.

Thanks again
Shelton.
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Moriah · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:17 pm Post subject:

I have had situations in the past where it worked as a module, but not as statisly linked. I think it was a timing race condition between software and hardware initialization. Since the module took a bit longer to load and initialize, the hardware was ready for it, but it failed when staticly linked into the kernel. I don't remember what exactly the driver/module was, as it was long ago.

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flacvest · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: Lets step back a bit

Neddy, I think I would like to rebuild a genkernel (with the necessary hardware built-in per your previous posts) as runlevel 3 keyword default and a second one, a copy, built as runlevel 3 appended with the -flacvest denotation from the EXTRAKERNEL slot in the Makefile and assign it to runlevel 3 with some other keyword ( I don't know how to set that up...)

I was able to do everything suggested until we got to the non-fglrx ati-drivers which refuse to work at all. I've tried "radeon" and "ati" and "vesa" as the driver keyword, with the xorgcfg -textmode setup... which created this huge confusing file I couldn't read very well.

So let's ignore X until I can get a pair of kernels booting to CLI, with one as a backup with the -flacvest postpended to it, and one with the normal -gentoo-r8 postpended to it.

About this keyword thing for multiuser CLI... you'll have to explain or give me simple clear instructions and point me to further resources. I'm not stupid, I'm just frustrated and want to take this step by step and build a cleanly working permanent installation. I'm not in the biggest hurry but I would like to be running Xfce again before July... *BIG Grin*

Thanks again for your patience,
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Arcadium86 · n00b Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 7

Hi everyone,

Today I tried to install Gentoo (2007.0) by using the handbook, everything was going allright until the configuration of the bootloader came along.

I configured Grub just like the manual, but after rebooting I receive the following message:

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject:

flacvest,

I'm not sure where to find documentation on Gentoos runlevels.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject:

flacvest,

Go back to your xorg.conf, use the vesa driver as I described. When xorg fails to start, post the content of /var/log/Xorg.0.log
That will indicate the problem.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject:

Arcadium86,

Welcome to Gentoo

Please post your grub.conf file
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

flacvest

Seems that I want everything pared down so that ONLY boot items are in boot, default contains things that, in addition to 'boot' are loaded at default bootup, and here's where my powers of reasoning peter out. You say we can define our own keywords? like 'rescue' or something. That would work for me: if I could get a command prompt running only essential services without X, and just a CLI that would allow maintenance per what I am used to, yes? Or is there pie in my eye?

I'll address your other response seperately.
_________________
.:{flacvest}:.

flacvest

I'm currently in chroot on the live cd for 2008.0.beta2.... I'd hate to waste my time rechecking filesystems and chrooting yet again, but after removing xdm from the default runlevel is it safe to try booting my system without the live cd again??

Whaddya think Neddy?

Awaiting Response...
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Arcadium86 · n00b Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 7

My bad I forgot it could be handy

.

flacvest · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:10 pm Post subject: About the /var/log/Xorg.log.0

It stated at the end that no screens were found...
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NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:30 pm Post subject:

Arcadium86

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:32 pm Post subject:

flacvest,

I need the whole file.