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Gushy
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2002 1:27 pm    Post subject: "Error loading operating system" on reboot Reply with quote

ok. I got 1.4 rc1 installed (had to use the vanilla kernel cos the gentoo one kept throwing up errors) but on reboot I have a few problems.

Grub is not loading (I intalled it on the MBR), all I get is "Error loading opertaing system". I've booted using the cd, resintalled grub, checked the config file and the partitions in fdisk. All is fine.

It's a dual boot system, and prior to gentoo I had RH running on the same partitions with grub on the MBR.

This is where it get's strange. I decided to stick my Win2K cd in an set the mbr back to ntloader; but I wasn't paying attention and I didn't press a key to load from the cd so instead it tried to load from the hard disk.

And suddenly up comes my nice gentoo installed Grub, with my options and Gentoo boots. Strange? I think so.

Anyone know why it does this and how to fix it, I don't want to have to keep the win2k cd in. :(
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really
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2002 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

can we see your grub.conf ?
and the partitiontable?
and did youu tpye root (hd0,0) or something else?
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Gushy
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2002 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ok my partition table goes:
Code:

hda1 - ntfs - bootable

hdb1 - ext3 - /dev/boot - bootable
hdb2 - swap
hdb3 - ext3 - /
hdb4 - fat


So when setting up grub I did
Code:

root (hd1,0)
setup (hd0)
exit


My grub.conf looks like:
Code:

default 0
timeout 7
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz


# gentoo
title=Gentoo Linux 1.4rc1
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/hdb3

# windows
title=Windows 2000 Professional
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1


Like I said once grub loads it's fine, it's just that for some reason it will only load after my win2k bootable cd has loaded first. Quite strange. I have no other cd's that boot, but then give the option to load from hard disk so i don't know if it works with others. :?

I tried re-emerging grub and setting it up again but that didn't help.

I just can't think of why it wouldn't be able to intiate the MBR on boot without help, especially as it worked with grub before and nt loader. :(

It's not a rush to get this working now, I'm sticking suse back on as this is my work system and I need it up and running with all my stuff by the morning :( (certianly not enough time left to fix the problem, build X, gnome and my apps!), but hopefully if someone can figure this out I can try again next weekend. :wink:
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2002 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

aaah. instead of root (hd1,0)
root (hd0,0)
;)

you seem to have written the grub to hdb's mbr, your bios probably searches for the hda mbr. where your winshitloader is :D

so write it to that disk and it will do the trick.
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Gushy
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2002 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

no I think it might be something different, although your thoughts certainly make sense. According to the install manual the root command tells grub where the boot partition is (ie /boot) and setup is what writes the loader to the mbr.

And then there's the fact that I've just installed Suse and I've got the same problem, so trying to install gentoo has definitely shagged something. :( That's assuming Suse can get grub to install right (I did select MBR).
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2002 8:06 pm    Post subject: Solved it Reply with quote

Yeah I solved it :D

I don't have a bloody clue how it happened, but a quick google lead me to beleive that there might be an incosistency with the bios setting for the how the MBR is formatted and how the MBR is read. I didn't know what I was looking for but I looked anyway.

Seems it was my fault. I had to change the bios to boot from the cdrom first so I could install gentoo, and I set the second device to the first hdd in the list, which should as struck me as wrong but it didn't, hdd-1. :oops: For some reason hdd-0 is not with the other 3 hdd options, it's between scsi and something else. :(

All sorted now though. Question is, can I install a gentoo system before going to bed, so that I can install X over night. worth a shot I think! ;)

Thanks for your help Nano :D
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