quint Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 Hi all, RH 9.0 is really very nice (this time around), except that I just ran the "updates" - (one of which was kernel update 2.4.20-13.9) - it suggested I re-boot as soon as possible, which I did. Upon trying to re-boot, it just reads: Grub with a flashing cursor. Tried giving it 10 minutes, still nothing but a flashing cursor. Put in the RH9 boot disk, and can get to RH9 ok, put in the Knoppix boot disk - fine, ELX boot disk - fine. Thank goodness for having listened and created boot disks. But is there any way to repair GRUB? Won't be upgrading to that kernel again, unless I know it's something I did wrong. The "Up2Date" program said all installed updates were successful, but... Any help would be most appreciated.P.S. am now seeing just part of why so many of you have stressed making boot disks, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 Quint,I guess Grub still points to the old kernel for boot-up ( ? ) search google ¨ linux grub new kernel¨ look under ¨groups¨ the yellow tab. Or wait for someone with Grub-knowledge to answer you. ( Fran or Peachy ) Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 Quint, you need to edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf file and change the default entry to default=0 if its showing default=1.You will see this if it has two entries: the old kernel, which is 2.4.20-8 and the new one, which is 2.4.20-13.That is, the first block of code will be show the 2.4.20-13 block (this is default=0) and the second code block will show 2.4.20-8 (this is default=1).Make sure you have these lines:kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-13 ro root=LABEL=/initrd /initrd-2.4.20-13.img Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 16, 2003 Author Share Posted May 16, 2003 Quint,I guess Grub still points to the old kernel for boot-up ( ? ) search google ¨ linux grub new kernel¨ look under ¨groups¨ the yellow tab. Or wait for someone with Grub-knowledge to answer you. ( Fran or Peachy ) BrunoThanks, Bruno. The funny part was, when I initially installed RH9, I selected LILO. Guess RH wanted nothing but GRUB. And you were so right about boot disks. After trying out 6 different flavors, I definitely lean toward Mandrake 9.1 and Knoppix, but must say that ELX has been trouble-free, and is quite nice...just wish they would upgrade. Had an interesting thing happen: The penguin avatar I uploaded from RH9, I'm on Knoppix right now; when I first logged in, my avatar was of quint, with the size that I chose for the penguin avatar. Have since corrected it, but am I just over-looking something obvious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 Had an interesting thing happen: The penguin avatar I uploaded from RH9, I'm on Knoppix right now; when I first logged in, my avatar was of quint, with the size that I chose for the penguin avatar. Have since corrected it, but am I just over-looking something obvious? Are we talking about the forum or about the software on your computer ?? Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 16, 2003 Author Share Posted May 16, 2003 Quint, you need to edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf file and change the default entry to default=0 if its showing default=1.You will see this if it has two entries: the old kernel, which is 2.4.20-8 and the new one, which is 2.4.20-13.That is, the first block of code will be show the 2.4.20-13 block (this is default=0) and the second code block will show 2.4.20-8 (this is default=1).Make sure you have these lines:kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-13 ro root=LABEL=/initrd /initrd-2.4.20-13.imgThanks, peachy, as soon as I can, I'll try that. Was checking that file, but was not certain what to do, so I just left it. Thanks very much, really didn't want to lose RH9; one question however, why didn't it show up in the first place? When I updated the kernel in Mandrake 9.1, and re-booted, LILO gave me an added choice to the new kernel. Will try as you suggested; must I log-in as root, to make the changes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 16, 2003 Author Share Posted May 16, 2003 Had an interesting thing happen: The penguin avatar I uploaded from RH9, I'm on Knoppix right now; when I first logged in, my avatar was of quint, with the size that I chose for the penguin avatar. Have since corrected it, but am I just over-looking something obvious? Are we talking about the forum or about the software on your computer ?? Bruno Sorry for being unclear, meant the forum. Originally chose the quint avatar in Windows, and when I first used Linux here, there wasn't any problem with the avatar; it really is no problem, was just curious as to what may have happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 First look at your Grub ! That is more important.Your avatar looks O.K. to me ! Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 Thanks, Bruno. The funny part was, when I initially installed RH9, I selected LILO. Guess RH wanted nothing but GRUB. And you were so right about boot disks. After trying out 6 different flavors, I definitely lean toward Mandrake 9.1 and Knoppix, but must say that ELX has been trouble-free, and is quite nice...just wish they would upgrade. Oops! There's the culprit. The update installs GRUB by default and if you have LILO installed, it wipes that out. Two ways to fix it.First, if you want to keep GRUB, create and edit the the /boot/grub/grub.conf file and make sure it contains this at minimumdefault=0timeout=10splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gztitle=Red Hat Linux (2.4.20-13) kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-13 ro root=LABEL=/ initrd /initrd-2.4.20-13.imgThe other way is to fix LILO by first editing your /etc/lilo.conf file and making sure the correct kernel version is in there. Then save and quit then type /sbin/lilo -v to reinstall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 16, 2003 Author Share Posted May 16, 2003 Oops! There's the culprit. The update installs GRUB by default and if you have LILO installed, it wipes that out. Two ways to fix it.First, if you want to keep GRUB, create and edit the the /boot/grub/grub.conf file and make sure it contains this at minimumdefault=0timeout=10splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gztitle=Red Hat Linux (2.4.20-13) kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-13 ro root=LABEL=/ initrd /initrd-2.4.20-13.imgThe other way is to fix LILO by first editing your /etc/lilo.conf file and making sure the correct kernel version is in there. Then save and quit then type /sbin/lilo -v to reinstall.Mega-thanks, peachy. You've given me two choices, now to decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 Since you have GRUB already installed, why not just edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf file and have done with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 16, 2003 Author Share Posted May 16, 2003 Since you have GRUB already installed, why not just edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf file and have done with it?Believe that's my choice. One more question for the inexperienced: if, after the edit, I use the boot floppy, will it bring me to the new kernel, or should I make another boot disk...and where do I do that in RH? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 Believe that's my choice. One more question for the inexperienced: if, after the edit, I use the boot floppy, will it bring me to the new kernel, or should I make another boot disk...and where do I do that in RH? TIAFrom a console type:mkbootdisk --device /dev/fd0and make sure you have a disk in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 17, 2003 Author Share Posted May 17, 2003 Peachy,It worked! Well, partly; the editing went smooth, the bootdisk went smooth (after entering the kernel #), but when I re-booted, got some kind of error message saying that I had too many cylinders (or something to that effect), so I just slipped in that new bootdisk, hit the reset, and here I am /w the new kernel. But to be quite honest with you, I don't notice any differences. But the learning process is making me more and more distant from MS; it's making me eager to learn more and more. Thank you, and Bruno, and all the Linuxites. P.S. on a lighter note, do we call Bruno's bevy of Linux gals: "Brun-ettes"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 Peachy,It worked! Well, partly; the editing went smooth, the bootdisk went smooth (after entering the kernel #), but when I re-booted, got some kind of error message saying that I had too many cylinders (or something to that effect), so I just slipped in that new bootdisk, hit the reset, and here I am /w the new kernel.Quint, sounds like your Linux boot partition is past the 1024-cylinder disk limit. Are you dual booting? Did you place the / or /boot partition past the 1024 cylinder?Quickest way to reinstall GRUB would be to type: /sbin/grub-install /dev/hda to put GRUB in the MBR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted May 17, 2003 Author Share Posted May 17, 2003 Quint, sounds like your Linux boot partition is past the 1024-cylinder disk limit. Are you dual booting? Did you place the / or /boot partition past the 1024 cylinder?Quickest way to reinstall GRUB would be to type: /sbin/grub-install /dev/hda to put GRUB in the MBR.Peachy, YAY! that did the trick. Thank you much. Yes, I set up a quadruple boot, though not correctly, as I come to find out. You have helped with the biggest part of the correction; guess I didn't follow Bruno's tips, that I printed out, closely enough. I see now where I went wrong. You guys / gals are the greatest. Thanks again, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 Peachy, YAY! that did the trick. Thank you much. Yes, I set up a quadruple boot, though not correctly, as I come to find out. You have helped with the biggest part of the correction; guess I didn't follow Bruno's tips, that I printed out, closely enough. I see now where I went wrong. You guys / gals are the greatest. Thanks again,Amaaaazing!!!!! Glad to hear it worked. You shall be rocking, dude! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 You just keep amazing me Quint ! Congrats ! Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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