Re: [PLUG] Re: Need to reinstall grub

[Art Alexion <art.alexion@verizon.net>]

Jeff Kaufman wrote:

> Art Alexion wrote:
>  
>
> > Art Alexion wrote:
> >
> >    
> >
> > > Art Alexion wrote:
> > >
> > >      
> > >
> > > > Grub was installed on my MBR on hda.  It seems that hda has given up
> > > > the ghost.  Not much lost (win98 that came with computer), but now I
> > > > can't boot (currently running knoppix).  Boot is a continuous loop
> > > > from the mem test to going through the BIOS-defined boot drives, then
> > > > back to the mem test.
> > > >
> > > > How can I get the computer to boot from hdb (where linux, the kernel,
> > > > and the grub program are located).  To be more precise, I don't
> > > > really understand where the grub program is located, but I think most
> > > > of it is in /boot/grub on /dev/hdb2.
> > > >
> > > > If anyone can walk me through this using knoppix, that would be
> > > > wonderful.  I have the Knoppix 2.6.9 kernel loaded.  I know that the
> > > > Ubuntu kernel on /dev/hdb2 is a 2.6 kernel, but I am not sure of the
> > > > exact version.
> > > >        
> > >
> > >
> > > I mounted /dev/hdb2 and it looks like the Ubuntu kernel that I am
> > > using is 2.6.8-1
> > >      
> >
> > Getting there, but still stuck.
> >
> > I ran /sbin/grub
> >
> > At the grub> prompt, I ran
> >
> >   root (hd1,1)
> >
> > because the kernel is on /dev/hdb2, and I am led to believe that grub
> > always starts at 0.  Then I ran
> >
> >   setup (hd1)
> >
> > The command seemed to work, but I still can't boot, because hdb (or hd1)
> > is not the boot drive.  Do I change this in the bios or with cfdisk?
> >    
>
> You can set a drive to be bootable in cfdisk, and your linux drive will
> need to be bootable.  In some BIOSs you can set the boot order for the
> hard drives, but in others you can't.
>  
I think I can (haven't checked lately, but I think I can set the boot 
order in BIOS)

Do I need to do both?

> Is your dead hard drive still inside and connected?
>  

Yes.

I intend to install another hard drive that I have laying around.  I 
don't want to make this more complicated than it has to be.  That is, I 
don't want to mess up anything that points to hdb (slave on primary IDE) 
by removing the shot drive and making hdb, hda.  I guess, I'll make the 
new drive the master (the way it was before). 

Then again, my linux system (the only one I really use on this machine) 
is on hdb2 because it evolved that way.  That is, originally installed 
Red Hat as a dual boot on hda2.  Got hdb installed and made hdb1 the 
/home partition for Red Hat.  Installed Ubuntu on hdb2 and after 
insuring that I liked and could get work done on it, zapped Red Hat from 
hda2 and used the partition to store ogg files.  Kept windows on hda1 in 
case I needed to use it to maintain this non-standard-seeming Compaq 
hardware.  Never have.

So, if it isn't hard, in terms of messing up the installed distro to 
make the remaining drive the primary (hda), maybe I should do that and 
keep the new drive for the ogg files as hdb.  suggestions?

Thanks for your help.

Art

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