GRUB error 17

[NTICompass]

I just updated my installation of Kubuntu from dapper to edgy (using apt-get ...). Now when I select to load Kubuntu from GRUB, I get error 17 (cannot mount). What's wrong? I am able to boot Windows from GRUB just fine. Why do I get error 17?

[analyticalman]

Re: GRUB error 17

I assume from your earlier posts that you are now using Grub as your bootloader in your MBR and that this worked for Dapper - Is this correct?

Before we look at your problem there is stuff floating around the web right now that suggests that upgrading to edgy via apt-get sometimes works and sometimes doesn't - therefore if you downloaded the actual edgy image and re-installed it may just work.

However, if you want to work with what you've got then we need a bit of info. Error 17 means that the partition you are trying to boot linux off exists, but can't be mounted. Thats often because the menu.lst is pointing to the wrong partition and we just have to type the correct stuff into it. So please post your menu.lst. There are a number of ways to do it but the simplest if you have a live CD is to run the live CD and mount your partition where Kubuntu is (as simple as clicking o it with some live CD's) then navigationg to /boot/grub/menu.lst and reporting what is there. Do this as root fdisk -l and report that - this will say what the partitions are on your disk. From that we should be able to see why Grub can't mount your linux partition.

[NTICompass]

Re: GRUB error 17

Correct, GRUB worked for Dapper. Will re-installing erase my previous installation?

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System
/dev/sda1  *      1    13158  105691603+  7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2      13159    14464  10490445  83 Linux
/dev/sda3      14465    14593   1036192+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

menu.lst

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#      grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#      grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#      and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default		0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout		10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Splash Image
splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/grubcircle.xpm.gz

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#   password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root		(hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader	+1
#
# title		Linux
# root		(hd0,1)
# kernel	/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
##   kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##   kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=a9dadf24-751a-45e3-bff9-5ef3966073ff ro
# kopt_2_6=root=/dev/evms/sda2 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##   alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##   lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##   lockold=true
# lockold=false

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##   altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##   howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##   memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-386
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-386 root=/dev/evms/sda2 ro quiet splash
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-27-386
savedefault
boot

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-386 (recovery mode)
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-386 root=/dev/evms/sda2 ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-27-386
boot

# title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-386
# root		(hd0,0)
# kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-386 root=/dev/evms/sda2 ro quiet splash
# initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-26-386
# savedefault
# boot

# title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-386 (recovery mode)
# root		(hd0,0)
# kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-386 root=/dev/evms/sda2 ro single
# initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-26-386
# boot

title		Ubuntu, memtest86+
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title		Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title		Windows XP Media Center Edition
root		(hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1

[penguin.ch]

Re: GRUB error 17

At first sight, what makes me wonder is that all (!) entries are pointing to /dev/sda1 as root / boot partition - what should make sense for your Windoze system residing on this very same partition, but may cause some irritation on the side of your Linux system, which is to be found on /dev/sda2 ... therefore, for the Linux boot entries, I would suggest to change the line root (hd0,0) to root (hd0,1), therewith "resetting the pointer by one partition".

What I am not sure about, is the line root=/dev/evms/sda2 from your menu.lst - on my machine (running Kubuntu 06.10) this line reads root=/dev/sda2, according to /dev/sda2 hosting the root file system ... what does "evms" mean?

HTH
Birdy

[analyticalman]

Re: GRUB error 17

EVMS Enterprise Volume Management System - Something which I know nothing about but has something to do with software RAID systems :P

Anyway - Your Error 17 is now explainable - as Penguin.ch says your menu.lst is pointing to the wrong partition so making the change as he points out should fix it.

[NTICompass]

Re: GRUB error 17

Thanks, that worked. Changing (hd0,0) to (hd0,1) worked, as my Linux in on the 2ns partition. I don't know why the update edited my menu.lst to thew wrong values...