oooops...help with grub/installing anything!

[bvc]

To make a loooOOOooog story short I allowed Partition Magic to fix some LBA CHS, or whatever probs, just like I've done 20 times b4. This time, no lilo, no grub, couldn't install them manually and the only thing that worked was ML9.1 CD1 rescue modes "Restore the bootloader". The reason.....PM decided my hdb7 needed to be hdb10 thus everything but hdb1 and 5 were altered. In the process of getting rid of lilo to have Libranets grub I did

 

grub-install '(hd0,0)' :shock: which is hda1 Win98se....a 2 year old install.

 

I should have done...and did

 

grub-install '(hd0)' which installs grub to hda's MBR.

 

 

I've googled and googled and searched forums, looked at

info grub

man grub

and all docs including the web. All I find for uninstalling grub is fdisk /mbr, which won't help.

 

Any ideas?

 

I'll try parted next.

 

Thanks!!!

[pmpatrick]

If I understand your post, you somehow managed to install grub to your win98 partition instead of the MBR. If you can still boot into mandrake, you can check out the win98 partition and possibley find and remove the grub files. I would assume they would be in the win root directory. Can you still boot into windows after grub did its work? You could also certainly set up an entry for libranet in mandrake's lilo if necessary, make sure it works and then try reinstalling grub properly. If it get's screwed up again you could restore the working mandrake lilo from the rescue mode. I guess it's not really clear where your at as far as what you can boot into so it's hard for me to figure out where you can go from here.

[bvc]

Thanks pmpatrick! I haven't run parted yet but I don't think that'll help anyway.

 

-I can boot to everything on hd1 (hdb-ML9.1, Libranet-2.8, RH9) but not Win98 on hd0 (hda).

-I'm using Libranets grub

 

I've looked through C and the windows dir of win98 and don't see it :shock: ..... :shock: :P I really am in shock....where the heck is it? I installed slocate and it turned up grub everywhere but Win98 :shock:

 

Parted didn't help either

root@localhost:/home/bvc# parted -i

GNU Parted 1.6.4

Copyright (C) 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

This program is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License.



This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY

or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.



Using /dev/hda

Information: The operating system thinks the geometry on /dev/hda is 1245/255/63.  Therefore, cylinder 1024 ends at 8032.499M.

(parted) print                                                            

Disk geometry for /dev/hda: 0.000-9768.383 megabytes

Disk label type: msdos

Minor    Start       End     Type      Filesystem  Flags

1          0.031   3020.031  primary               boot

2       3020.032   9766.076  extended              lba

5       3020.062   9766.076  logical   fat32       

(parted) check 1                                                          

Error: Could not detect file system.                                      

(parted) check 5                                                          

(parted) rescue 0.031 3020.031                                            

(parted) rescue 3020.062 9766.076                                         

(parted) check 1                                                          

Error: Could not detect file system.                                      

(parted) q                                                                

Information: Don't forget to update /etc/fstab, if necessary.             



root@localhost:/home/bvc#

Any other ideas? Looks like it's time to reinstall. It is more like a 1.5 year install which is great for Win98. I just hate to spend the time on it to have games, office2000, and photoshop. I need them, but not often. :wink:

[pmpatrick]

It sounds like the grub install corrupted the file system somehow. If you have the boot floppies for Partition Magic you might try runing them and see how PM sees your windows partition or boot off a windows startup disk and try running scandisk. If you have data you want to save in windows, I'd it backup to your linux partitons before trying scandisk however.

[bvc]

It sounds like the grub install corrupted the file system somehow.

I think so as well.

If you have the boot floppies for Partition Magic you might try runing them and see how PM sees your windows partition

I was shocked that the PM boot apps even started. When I've had probs in the past it usually detects some error and won't do anything but exit, which is when I break out parted. I checked everything, moved/resized the partitions but that's just moving data so it didn't do any good.

or boot off a windows startup disk and try running scandisk.

Tried this too. No errors. Nothing finds errors but parted 8)

 

Then I tried to reinstall but it gives a "memory allocation error when trying to write to the MBR" and the only option is to exit. I've ran fdisk /mbr, reinstalled lilo, and grub, and fdisk /mbr several times.

I ended up deleting partitions (C & D) on hda with diskdrake, booted to a Win98bootfloppy, and ran fdisk, rebooted and ran format. Still won't install and gives the memory allocation error. From my googling it appears the hd is kicking the bucket. I've had boot probs for about 4-6 months or so, and it's at radom. Sometimes 10 times a day and sometimes 3 days without a prob, but basically when my wife (usually) would boot to Win98 it would just freeze. I thought I found that the prob was a few missing files, and I never got a chance to replace them to know for sure (always in linux :wink: ).

 

I'm booting with a grub floppy so I can get to mandrake, libranet and red hat, and here's what I have

 

hda =10GB Seagate ST310212A

hdb =30GB Maxtor 5T030H3

 

bvc@localhost:~$ df -h

Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on

/dev/hdb7             5.1G  2.7G  2.5G  52% /

/dev/hdb8             3.1G  296M  2.8G  10% /home

/dev/hdb1             5.9G  2.9G  3.1G  49% /mnt/ml

/dev/hdb5             3.0G  763M  2.2G  26% /mnt/ml/home

/dev/hdb9             6.3G  1.7G  4.6G  27% /mnt/rh

/dev/hdb10            5.1G  2.5G  2.7G  49% /mnt/ftp

/dev/hda1             9.6G  917M  8.7G  10% /mnt/c

bvc@localhost:~$

/ =libranet

/home =libranet

/mnt/ml=mandrake

/mnt/ml/home =mandrake

/mnt/rh =red hat

/mnt/ftp =data/backups

/mnt/c =currently....(drum roll) WinMe

 

Yes that's right, the stinking OEM restore CD didn't have any prob putting WinMeCrap on hda and has no prob booting but won't really know for a couple of days whether my previous boot probs were Win98 related or hd related. But we shall see. I'm not buying another hd so, I'm either going to overwrite ML9.1 with Win98 and have one hd, or attempt to keep WinMe if no boot probs occure and keep 2 hd's.

 

:?: I know this has been answered but my brain is fried right now....well always is :lol: but..... If I format over ML9.1 with a fat32 partition will Win98 stop there, or will it wipe out libranet, rh, and my bkups?

 

Thanks for all your help!

[pmpatrick]

Try checking your Seagate drive with the manufacturer's disk utility. You can download it here:

 

http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/

 

If necessary you can zero fill the entire drive with this utility wiping the disk totally clean(low level format) just in case there's something in the MBR messing with your attempts to install win98.

A win98 install shouldn't touch your linux partitions since it can't see them but I'm not sure you can install win98 on a slaved drive. I think it likes to be on the first partiton on the primary master. I would try running the seagate diagnostics and if it comes up OK, zero filling the disk. I think that will probably allow a wn98 install on hda. I've had to zero fill more than one hard drive that linux partitoning tools have worked on in order to partition, format and/or install win98 on the drive.

[bvc]

Thanks for the link! Don't know why I didn't think of that since I've done it for my maxtor hd. I'll give it a go. I guess I was just frazled by the idea of having to spend so much time in windows. BTW, if I were to decide to install on the slave....it wasn't going to be the slave any longer and I was just going to ditch the seagate and have one drive. :) Easily done....just install/edit the bootloader and fstabs :P

[bvc]

I don't believe this. I've tried everything except flashing the bios or replacing the MoBo, replacing the ide cables, or having only a master and no slave. Currently, I have nothing, notta, zilch. I've low level formated both hd's and still get the same memory allocation error writting to the mbr. Before the low level format of what I thought was the good hd (30gb maxtor), installing lilo gave me;

"Error Fatal: no valid signature found on the first sector of the harddisk"

 

I've replaced the cmos battery and things are a little snappier. This clears the cmos but I've done it as well. My first thought was........with the boot probs I had the surface of the hd (10GB Seagate) was damaged. Now, the other hd is doing the same but even worse (can't instal lilo :shock: ) All test for both hd's passsed, but maybe they don't test the first sector or mbr? From my limited knowledge of how this works, the bios/cmos doesn't have anything to do with the mbr/first sector of the hd but I could be wrong. I've also disabled DMA. Last week, when installing Libranet, when I went to boot to ML9.1 it would freeze at

loading keymap: us

Ater a couple of times this cleared up, but happened again yesterday just b4 the lowlevel formats. Also, My logitech usb optical wheel mouse wouldn't work in WinMe and when it finally did.....stopped working in all linux OS's. I don't have any options in my bios for usb, but I know they're there...just hidden in my cheap OEM version of my phoenix bios, which probably means "auto"....whatever this does?

 

Time to flash the bios? I just assume boot with floppies til I can afford another hd. This sucks

[pmpatrick]

Those hd diagnostics sould check every sector, including the mbr and low level formats should zero fill the mbr. It's inconceivable to me that you could have two hard drives with damaged mbr sectors. Did you try running your Maxtor as master and get the same error? I'd try removing the seagate completely and see if it helps.

You can do some basic hardware stuff. Faulty ram or powesupplies can cause all kinds of wierd problems. You indicate that things are running OK if you boot from a floppy which is very puzzling and seem to not indicate problems in these areas.

Since you got a reported memory allocation error, try checking your ram with memtest. Check to see that the ram is seated properly by removing and reinserting. If you have more than one stick of ram, try removing one and running with just one stick then the other. If you have an extra power supply, try swapping it out. If you have an extra ide cable about, you can try swapping cables, however you'd think that if the cable was faulty, it would show up in the hd diagnostics.

Given the memory allocation error, I'd check the ram before flashing the BIOS. BIOS flashing is not for the faint of heart. If the BIOS is corrupted, I think you would be getting some errors on boot like checksum errors, where you have to reset the BIOS.

[bvc]

It's inconceivable to me that you could have two hard drives with damaged mbr sectors. Did you try running your Maxtor as master and get the same error?

I agree, and yes, but I'll try to remove the Seagate and vice versa.

 

Faulty ram or powesupplies can cause all kinds of wierd problems.

I'll check the ram next, if I can even install a linux. The 120W :shock: powersupply on this emachine 600is is famous for failing even within the first 6mths. I've always wanted to replace it with a 250W but figured I'd wait til something like this happeed. One of the main reasons I always backed up everything regularly :wink:

You indicate that things are running OK if you boot from a floppy which is very puzzling and seem to not indicate problems in these areas.

Actually I've had the random boot probs, keyboard, and mouse not loading/found probs????

 

No errors from the bios.

 

Thank you so much, and I'll post what I find.

[pmpatrick]

Further thoughts on your wierd problem.

 

That's a pretty dodgey power supply you've got there. Running only one hard drive will reduce the load on it and is an excellent idea for troubleshooting.

 

In the boot process, the BIOS finds and enumerates the bootable devices and loads the boot loader from the mbr into ram where it is run. The memory allocation error indicates a problem either in the ram or the BIOS doing it's job or some corruption in the mbr. My point is don't rule out BIOS but I think the ram is more likely. On the other hand, out of spec power can cause the ram to malfunction.

 

Having buggerd mbrs on two hard drives cannot happen randomly. It can conceivably happen through the malicious activity of a boot sector virus. I say this because you run windows. I'd think zero filling would get rid of it but not if the virus is on a floppy where it could reinfect. Just a paranoid thought, but you may want to try scanning your hard drives and boot floppies with an up to date virus scanner if all else fails just to rule it out.

[Ixthusdan]

After reading everything here, the fact that you have had other weird problems caught my attention. I would say power supply, except that you have experienced actual damage. Usually a bad power supply simulates errors. In order to do actual damage, the power supply would have to be really bad. So, I conclude that it is two things: your power supply, and the chipset. You need a remake! :wink:

[bvc]

That's a pretty dodgey power supply you've got there

Heh....tell me about it! I have a geforce2 mx200 (32MB) because at the time of purchase the mx400 64MB reqired a 250W ps. Now, I'm ancient in the video dept. :roll:

 

In the boot process, the BIOS finds and enumerates the bootable devices and loads the boot loader from the mbr into ram where it is run.

Hmmm...ok, I mentioned boot probs right? Well, linux's would always boot and win98 would freeze at random on boot, but what was even more random was lilo and grub taking oh....3-4 sec to load as opposed to 1 sec. In the past 3 mths, twice they took a little longer than that, the win98 splash screen would slowly appear, and the hd would grind, sounding like a train :shock:

 

I ran memtest86 tonight and the ram passed. So, I guess that leaves the bios and powersupply. (BTW, ML9.1 installed ok tonight as well!) :?

 

 

 

except that you have experienced actual damage

Umm....what damage? HD and mem test have all passed.

 

 

I tried to install Win98 again and instead of the mem allocation error I get...nothing. Just the next screen where the error appears, but it doesn't now. I don't know if this means it got past the error and it's a good thing....or if it can't even determine or display the error and it's a very bad thing. I'll get a ps Friday after work.

 

Thank you both for the help! I'll_be_back. Ahhh...good to be back in ML9.1. :)

[Ixthusdan]

"actual damage" is a term I use when a problem is certifiable, like the partition table is corrupted, or the memory will not pass testing. Many times with bad power supplies, I can take the parts affected, put them in my bench computer, and have no problems, including supposed bad partition tables. That would be a symptom of the actual problem, which is the power supply. But if the hard drive is actually "damaged" in some way, whether program or physical, I call that "actual damage". A bad power supply can take out components with it, cpu or chipset.

 

Either way, replacing the power supply is the thing to do first.

[bvc]

fdisk>reboot>format c:>and having only the maxtor as master and no slave got win98 and ML9.1 installed...BUT they both froze at the very end (for some reason). I'm going to go ahead and get a ps tonight. Thank you both for the help, and hopefully this is all.

 

bvc :)