Help! Grub Error 15???

[Kakariki]

Soooo...I'm jumping on the Linux bandwagon by assembling a spare-parts PC for my wife. It's an AMD 2500 with a half-gig of ram which we will use as "her box", emailing, browsing, Google Earth, nothing too intensive. I was introduced to Ubuntu Feisty about 6 months ago, and liked it. Downloaded Ubuntu Gutsy and ran as a live cd and it worked fine, so I installed it.

I realized I did not like Gnome and could not figure out how to use KDE in Ubuntu, So I burned Kubuntu 7.10 and figured I would boot that from the CD and install it. When I re-started after installing:

GRUB Loading stage1.5

GRUB loading, please wait
Error 15

Damn. Now it won't boot from the CD!!! No worries, I had a spare HD and plugged that in and re-installed Kubuntu. I ALMOST got it the way I wanted it, then buggered it up trying to get the nvidia drivers to work. I boot from the CD and re-install kubuntu, but on my next reboot:

GRUB Loading stage1.5

GRUB loading, please wait
Error 15

...And I am all out of HDDs. It will not boot from the CD or HDD. NOW what

[nilsA]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

I realized I did not like Gnome and could not figure out how to use KDE in Ubuntu, So I burned Kubuntu 7.10 and figured I would boot that from the CD and install it. When I re-started after installing:

GRUB Loading stage1.5

GRUB loading, please wait
Error 15

Damn. Now it won't boot from the CD!!! No worries, I had a spare HD and plugged that in and re-installed Kubuntu. I ALMOST got it the way I wanted it, then buggered it up trying to get the nvidia drivers to work. I boot from the CD and re-install kubuntu, but on my next reboot:

GRUB Loading stage1.5

GRUB loading, please wait
Error 15

...And I am all out of HDDs. It will not boot from the CD or HDD. NOW what

What's your BIOS boot settings?

The best - in most cases - is to set so that first boot is CD, second C: , third and so don't matter.

If your BIOS is set up this way, I would guess you have a hardware problem - for instance one of the connectors to the CD, betting temporarily fixed when you changed the disks.

The Grub 15 error, if I remember right, is when there is something wrong in one of the grub files - probably the device.map.

Sometimes playing around with the boot order in BIOS may fix this, but the best is to boot from CD and fix from command line.

So, you need CD boot. If you have not been changing the boot order, just wiped the HD's, that may be the reason for the no CD boot, because your BIOS puts the disk before the CD.

In short - check your boot order.

[SheeEttin]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

Also make sure that the jumpers on the drives are set correctly. If they're on cable select, try setting them manually.

[Kakariki]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

Thanks. I have set the boot order in the bios to "CD" first, I still get the error. The jumper is set to "master".

[nilsA]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

Thanks. I have set the boot order in the bios to "CD" first, I still get the error. The jumper is set to "master".

You have set boot order to CD first? And can still not boot CD?

The jumper set to "master" - on CD or HD? Are they on the same interface (lead)?
It should be one of two ways (You probably know this, but if not, it save us going to and fro

Same interface - HD "master" and CD "slave." The HD nearest the motherboard - the CD last/in the end.

Two interfaces - both "master" (Given no other disks etc. IDE.)

Sometimes also IDE bus order can be importantt.

If, however, you can boot from CD, then it's simple to fix. The idea is to boot from the CD, get to the command line, and look at the /boot/grub/device.map.

Copy it and post here - and you will get help. I'm closing down for a bottle of wine right now, so for the next 12-14 hours

[Kakariki]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

Oh, the HDD is master, the CD, slave.

I'll try again when I get home. Thanks!!!!!

[cantab]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

You're in luck! Linux Format 100 (a UK Linux magazine) has a section on "When Linux Won't Boot" 8)

Error 15 from Grub means it can't find the kernel or initrd. This usually means there is something wrong in /boot/grub/menu.lst (or maybe /boot/grub/grub.conf), such that it is referring to a kernel or initrd that doesn't exist.

If the CD is not booting, consider the possibility it's damaged.

Finally, if Ubuntu won't install, or won't work properly, the simplest option may be to just try another distro.

For many boot difficulties, you may find Smart Boot Manager, http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/ helps. It's a powerful boot manager with a curses-type UI that can run from floppy disk or CD.

[SheeEttin]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

Depending on how far you get in the CD (if at all), there is an option to check the files on the CD... try that.

Some BIOSes also offer an option to force boot from a particular device... See if your can do that.

[Qqmike]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

This has nothing to do with your device.map. GRUB doesn't read it when it boots.

It would be your boot menu, the /boot/grub/menu.lst.

If you have two hard drives, and/or you are installing Kubuntu to an external drive, that could cause this Error. (The partitions on the external drive, in the menu.lst, should be named (hd0,y) in the root statement.)

Check:
You checked the MD5sum?
and
Check this CD for Defects?

[Kakariki]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

Well all my dicking around seems to have worked. I booted from the CD and re-installed, works fine. I'm back to being a noob, thanks all!!

[nilsA]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

Well all my dicking around seems to have worked. I booted from the CD and re-installed, works fine. I'm back to being a noob, thanks all!!

One little piece of advice - if you don't have a 100% perfect memory - take notes.

Best case - you will be able to help others.
Worst - you will need it again.

[Snowhog]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

- take notes.

Of all the advice any of us can give to any member, this is the most helpful. I've made the same suggestion to many. I keep several logs of what I do. The notes you take will serve you well!

[Guest]

Re: Help! Grub Error 15

i tried them all but no windows no kubuntu again only grub error 15. i can't boot
and the windows rescue disc isn't working i can't format. what can i do now??