Bitten by Grub 18 error!!!! solved : )

[srikar]

Wen i start my pc i get

" Grub loading stage 1.5 please wait......
error 18"

I firstly installed windows and then kubuntu.

windows is on (c drive, the first partion) and kubuntu is on last drive(sda 9)

plzz explain why we get this error(in an understandable fashion) and how to solve this.

[dibl]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

Here's excellent guidance on working out Grub issues with dual boot setups:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

That error is discussed here:
http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/p15.htm#18

Try to determine if something he says there applies to you.
Any reason you put Kubuntu out so far on the hard drive?
How big is your drive?

I’m not sure what is causing your problem, but after reading the link, you’ll get some clues about what can do it.

[filo1234]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

hi in wich side of partition you have installed grub? must reinstall grub on MBR in the first sector of HD ......so on (hd0)

[srikar]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

friends could u guide me to solve this problem of error 18> because wen i run pc for long time its gettin stuck and wen i restart it says error 18.

i hav installed kubuntu on sd9(since i dual boot windows). I hav been advised to chane some thing in MBR. please guide me how to solve this issue.

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

Sriker,

Hi. The only thing I know is what herman says in the bigpond reference I gave you (above).
I have gotten that error several times, even though my case did NOT fit any that herman listed. Each time, I fixed it by re-installing GRUB or changing a menu.lst.
For example, do you have an old BIOS and a new BIG hard drive? That might cause Error 18.

Here’s something you can try:

Use the Kubuntu Live CD.
Open K > System > Konsole.
Type this command and press Enter:
sudo grub
That gives you a GRUB prompt that looks like grub>.
At the grub> type these commands, one at a time, and press Enter after each one:
grub> root (hd0,8)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub > quit
$ exit

Then re-boot to test it (your Live CD will eject and you’ll be asked to remove it, close the CD door, and then press Enter).

Note: There is a space after the command root, and after the command setup. Otherwise, you’ll get Command Not Found.

Note: (hd0,8) means your first hard drive, which is hd0, and the ninth partition, or sda9. GRUB starts counting hard drives and partitions from zero. (hd0,8) is GRUB notation. sda9 is Linux notation. GRUB is your bootloader.

[srikar]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

Thank u Qqmike

I am really thankful, and wondered abt ur huge patience in typing the whole thing in a way a lay man can understand.You really rock at ur work.

in the terminal i did as u said and every thing went good. I want to know wat actually is going in the background , are we re installing grub>> if yes why

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

Hi,

Amazing--It worked just like that? If so, wonderful!

Yes, we are re-installing GRUB. We are installing the GRUB you have in your new Kubuntu (on sdb9) to the Master Boot Record of your hard drive.

Why? I'd really be smart if I knew. My conjecture is that the Kubuntu installer installed GRUB, but, somehow, not quite "right," or maybe something to do with partitioning, or reading partitions; or maybe it did stage_1 right but not stage_2 out there on sdb9. I don't know. But when you do it as you did above, we know it is installed, new, clean, fresh, right & tight.

You can read the hermanzone reference for more on GRUB and dual booting that I gave above; and I've done some here at:

How To GRUB Methods - Toolkit
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0

How To Make GRUB Thumb Drive
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081748.0

(If you have questions after using the How-To's, please post back here under Installation & Boot.)

Psychocats: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/index.php
(another favorite)

Well, glad you got it! Good job.

[srikar]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

Sorry to say >> even after re-installing grub as Qqmike said i again found the same error 18. Any other way to fix it??

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

You really should read what herman @ bigpond said about this error. Strange that it got fixed then flipped back again. It's an error that usually applies to older systems, older BIOSs that are trying to access regions (cylinders) outside their limits. Do you have an old BIOS? and if so, a very BIG drive?

I have not read herman's stuff for a few months, but he covers this thoroughly with references, and I'm sure I could not improve upon his work.

When you ran those commands to re-install GRUB, did it say anything about "failed" at any of the stages, stage_1, _1.5, or _2? Did it say "succeeded at all of them? It should. (You can run the commands again and see.) If we were installing to a partition (not a MBR), it would probably say "failed but not fatal" for stage_1.5 (and that would be OK). But for the MBR, we should see "succeeded" all the way.

I ran into this with flash drives, but then that's another story you could kind of see having problems with anyway, and I fixed them as I said with a re-install.

Just to be sure here, you did check the MD5sum and you did click the option on the Live installer CD to "Check CD for defects," right?

Now, if nothing else, I know what I would do if faced with this and the obvious things did not work. I would make a separate /boot partition for that OS, and I'd move it closer in on the hard drive, as herman explains. /boot would be a full, true boot with the kernel & initrd files and all, not just a dedicated GRUB partition, but it would also contain /grub. I'm just wondering how far out there did you put sda9? and if that's causing this with an old BIOS and a new big HD.

Check herman, re-install GRUB (check for errors), tell us about your BIOS and HD, report back here (if you wish, that is). You have not given us any information, so we are looking at this as a generic case . . .

[srikar]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

Wen i re-installed the grub > it displayed succesfull at all the stages.

How to know our bios version?? i had bought my pc one year back. intel dg101GGc chipset. Sata 2 160 gb hardisk.

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

Your system is new then. That shouldn't be a problem.

You have just one hard drive, with Windows on (hd0,0) and Kubuntu on (hd0,8)? What else is on that HD?

[srikar]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

wat u said is right. in other drives, i hav movies, songs , games n all the other entertaiment stuff.

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

This is puzzling, as this Error often is.
Again, read herman just to see if he says something, or a link says something, that you think might apply.

Your motherboard seems like a good one and so on. 160 GB DOES exceed that 137 GB limit that you often hear about. Windows has the problem, too, but you don't know that because Windows issues update patches for it. It sounds nuts, but I'm just a little suspicious that Kubuntu is out there at the end of this drive and then you get this error. Which is to suggest that I'd like to see what happens if you put Kubuntu in closer to the start of the drive--BUT, you may not be able to do that because you probably would have a big mess re-partitioning. Is that correct? You can use GParted Live CD to do this partitioning, but, again, it sounds like you have the drive filled up with good stuff that you can't easily move/delete.

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub Loading error!!!!

In the best of worlds, what I would do, given your situation, is figure how much space you need for Windows (15-50 GB?). Allocate that. Then put in Kubuntu root (5-10 GB), swap (< 1 GB?), and /home (10-50 GB?). Then your other data files & etc. A re-partitioning (and editing your /etc/fstab afterwards). See if staying under the 137 GB limit helps solve the problem. It's just as much hassle to do this as it would be to make and allocate room for a separate /boot partition. No guarantees that this will fix the problem, but, assuming everything else is correct (the install CD, the installation, the HDD), what's left to check in a 1-HDD system?