Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

[evans62]

I'm getting the Error 15: File Not Found from GRUB after I updated the kernel. I am still learning about Kubuntu. I know the problem has to do with boot the right disk and partition.

First I tried booting Live and trying to fix from Konsole.

Then I tried editing lines using GRUB.

Then I tried SUPERGRUB and still had the same problem after it supposedly fixed it.

Can someone walk me thru this please?

[dibl]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

If you will do the following, perhaps I can help.

1. Open the Konsole and enter

sudo blkid

, and then copy the output and paste it into your reply here.

2. Do Alt-F2 "kdesu kate /boot/grub/menu.lst" with no quote marks, to open the Kate editor in Super User mode. Copy just the last part where it shows the menu titles and kernel boot information, and paste that also into your reply. You can leave it open because you're going to make a couple of edits there.

Maybe this won't be too tough -- otherwise we'll be calling Qqmike.

[evans62]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

I will definitely do what you asked me above - after a few more dumb questions. ..

My Kubuntu machine is a separate machine from this machine. Do I copy the output to a thumb drive, if so, how?

I do have an old W98 partition I can boot into from the Kubuntu machine and could get it networked if I had to, but I think you want me to boot from Kubuntu CD Live to get the capture you mentioned above, right?

Thanks for helping out the noob!

[dibl]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

No no no, sorry.

OK, I see the problem -- you don't have the browser running on the Kubuntu machine, so you can't do a paste from there.

No, I don't think I want to extend this into troubleshooting a thumb drive .....

Tell me, which hard drive partition did you THINK you were installing Kubuntu on?

[Qqmike]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

Is it not possible to use the Live Kubuntu CD on the Kubuntu machine?
And, while you are there, to use the Konqueror browser to access the Internet and this site?

[evans62]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

Yes, I will do that. I thought it would mess up the config you wanted to see.

I installed 7.10 a few months ago and it worked fine. Everytime I toyed with it, I would add a few programs and updates. The last couple times it had problems after installing updates due to "unsatisfied dependencies" etc.

Then I turned it on and now cannot get past GRUB. It has the File 15 error no matter I choose regular boot or restore.

[evans62]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

OK here it is.....

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo blkid
/dev/hda1: LABEL="BRIAN" UUID="43BE-D7F9" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/hda2: UUID="f5e99e88-803e-45f9-8aea-a50c206fbc33" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"
/dev/hda5: UUID="058de547-9e17-4f3f-bd14-686489683904" TYPE="swap"
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

...and when I do an Alt-F2 and put in
kdesu kate /boot/grub/menu.lst

I get an empty file! Is it 'cuz I am Live CD not booting from HD?

[Qqmike]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

You got an empty file maybe because you didn't access the mounted hard drive containing menu.lst, or you need root privileges (rare, because you can usually access menu.lst without being root, but not edit it unless you are root).


In your boot menu, in the file on your Kubuntu partition named /boot/grub/menu.lst,
there is a device or file reference that is wrong (messed up, doesn't exist).
It is in one of 3 statements:
root (hdx,y)
kernel including the root=UUID part
initrd

There's a name or a device that is wrong (it may be something like vmlinux instead of vmlinuz, or even a wrong (hdx,y)).
It's easy to fix; you just have to find it.

And you may have to re-install GRUB from the Live CD at Konsole using:
root (hdx,y)
setup (hdz)
quit
(=> And I'll bet you will, since this somehow got goofed up during an update.)
=> If from Live CD you run
sudo grub
then
find /boot/grub/stage1
the result, some (hdx,y), is what goes in the root (hdx,y) statement.
Looks like x=0, y=1, z=0, based on your blkid output.


A how-to is the following, and note the part about accessing menu.lst from a live CD:
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0

So, we need to see that last part of menu.lst that dibl mentioned.

Also blkid. But, from a live CD, you will probably have to use:
ls /dev/disk/by-uuid/ -alh
(we just need your UUIDs).
EDIT: oops, looks like you got this done.


I would first try this, after reading your post:
So Kubuntu is on (hd0,1) (it look like it).
You have Windows on the first partition?
If all of this is so, then to reinstall GRUB from Live CD:
sudo grub
grub> root (hd0,1)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
exit
re-boot (eject & remove the Live CD when prompted)
That MAY fix it.

Also at Konsole (from the Live CD)
sudo fdisk -lu
That output would be useful
=> HOWEVER, if you re-install GRUB as suggested, it may fix all this (we hope!).

(This evening, I may be in and out here, on no particular schedule, or pulled away.)

[evans62]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

I did your second step first, before reinstalling grub:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -lu

Disk /dev/hda: 20.4 GB, 20490559488 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2491 cylinders, total 40020624 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000dd090

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 63 21944789 10972363+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/hda2 21944790 39150404 8602807+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda3 39150405 40017914 433755 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 39150468 40017914 433723+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Now I will go and reinstall grub as you suggested...thanks!

[evans62]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

Reinstalling GRUB like you suggested didn't work...still get the same error 15.

What should I try next? Editing at boot using the e command? I think I tried hd1,0, hd1,1, hd0,0 and none of them worked either >



I would just reinstall 7.10 but I am afraid I will just end up with the same problem a week or two down the road when some upgrade/update gets installed...

[Qqmike]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

1
In the live CD, at the grub> prompt, try
grub> find /boot/grub/stage1

just to see if the GRUB files are there (in (hd0,1)).

2
And we should look at the menu.lst (use the how-to to access menu.lst from Live CD).

3
When you did the re-install,
you did
root (hd0,1)
setup (hd0)

right?

This is fixable. And you are right, no need to re-install just because of 15!

[toad]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 63 21944789 10972363+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/hda2 21944790 39150404 8602807+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda3 39150405 40017914 433755 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 39150468 40017914 433723+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Okay, just been flying over this thread, but only hda1 is bootable - is this intended?

[evans62]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

"only hda1 is bootable...is this intended?" <--- Definitely not! I kept W98 when I installed 7.10 a few months ago 'cuz I wanted to get some files off of there first. This is an old machine and was running 7.10 fine up until I added some upgrades/updates last week.

I want to try and save my existing 7.10 install and not use the Live CD. How do I fix it so that hda2 is the first to boot?

[Qqmike]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

We still haven't seen your menu.lst.

[Fintan]

Re: Error 15 problem - other posts don't seem to help me

@evans to access your linux partition from the live cd do this:
go to kmenu->systemsettings->advanced->harddisks&files->adminmode. Now chose the partition where your linux lives (sda2) and activate it if it isn't already.
Now open up konqueror and navigate to /media/sda2, open that up and go to /boot/grub/menu.lst open that in kate and paste the last part(remember dible) to this post.

You can also compare the uuid of had2:

/dev/hda2: UUID="f5e99e88-803e-45f9-8aea-a50c206fbc33" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"

with the one in your menu.lst and see if they correspond.