multi boot error 18

[computador]

Hello I install ubuntu kubuntu and win. Now I have problems with grub

error 18 ... exceed maximum cylinder ......

[Qqmike]

Re: multi boot error 18

We need more information.
From a live CD, run, at Konsole
sudo fdisk -lu
and post the output.

Old machine or newer?
Did you have XP installed first and then installed Kubuntu 8.xx??
When you re-boot, what do you see--what's the boot menu look like.


I'll drop a couple things in case I'm not around and the other guys can pitch in.

Sometimes, for some reason, re-installing GRUB fixes 18.
From Live CD,
Konsole
sudo grub
grub> root (hdx,y)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
$exit
where (hdx,y) is the partition Kubuntu (and GRUB) is in.

grub> geometry (hd0)
grub> geometry (hd1)
etc.
tells how GRUB (and BIOS) sees your drives.

Herman says (altho this stuff gets involved):
http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/p15.htm#18

[computador]

Re: multi boot error 18

sudo fdisk -lu

Disk /dev/sda: 137.4 GB, 137438953472 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 16709 cylinders, total 268435456 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf5de9551

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System
/dev/sda1  *     63  40965749  20482843+  7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2    264510225  268430084   1959930  5 Extended
/dev/sda3    40965750  264510224  111772237+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda4    268430085  312576704  22073310  83 Linux
/dev/sda5    264526290  268430084   1951897+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Old machine or newer?
Older machines more or less 5 years

Did you have XP installed first and then installed Kubuntu 8.xx??

I install first xp after that kubuntu and it work well. In the end I install ubuntu and I see this error.
I use kubuntu live cd to rescue grub. Now kubuntu and xp work well ubuntu instead don't work, when I try it I see grub error cylinder ......

grub> geometry (hd0)
drive 0x80: C/H/S = 16709/255/63, The number of sectors = 268435456, /dev/sda
  Partition num: 0, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
  Partition num: 2, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
  Partition num: 3, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
  Partition num: 4, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x82

grub> geometry (hd1)

Error 21: Selected disk does not exist

grub> geometry (hd2)

Error 21: Selected disk does not exist

grub> geometry (hd3)

Error 21: Selected disk does not exist

grub> geometry (hd1)

Error 21: Selected disk does not exist

grub> geometry (hd4)

Error 21: Selected disk does not exist

[Qqmike]

Re: multi boot error 18

Hmmmm ... partitions not in disk order, but that is OK ... yours are just a little confusing the way they went in, but OK

Your BIOS should be new enough, I would think.

I would try to re-install GRUB.
Live CD
Open Konsole
sudo grub
grub> find /boot/grub/stage1
That should return two results of the form (hdx,y).
We want the one with your Kubuntu in it.
I'd guess that it would be the "smaller" one, call it (hdx',y').
For example, if the two results are (hd0,1) and (hd0,2), let's pick (hd0,1) and put that result in what follows here:

grub> root (hdx',y')
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
$exit
and re-boot to test it.

(I've got to go to "real" work-work and so will be gone awhile ...)

[computador]

Re: multi boot error 18


I try it but i have the same error

[Qqmike]

Re: multi boot error 18

One thing left to try is this stuff:
Herman says (altho this stuff gets involved):
http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/p15.htm#18

... not fun, but maybe one of those ideas will work.


**********
Maybe re-examining your partitioning is in order here, too ?
I'm on the run here and have to leave, but maybe someone else can study that partition table.

[tinker]

Re: multi boot error 18

Maybe re-examining your partitioning is in order here, too ?
I'm on the run here and have to leave, but maybe someone else can study that partition table.

Guess everyone else here is asleep or something.

What I quoted seems good advice.

In the replies have a look at:
drive 0x80: C/H/S = 16709/255/63, The number of sectors = 268435456, /dev/sda
and
/dev/sda4 268430085 312576704 22073310 83 Linux

So, it appears that the partition ends quite a few sectors past the end of the drive and GRUB is telling us that.

[Qqmike]

Re: multi boot error 18

tinker -- yes, good one there on your end.
... and your work motivated me to follow it through:

It goes:

sda1 about 20 GB
then comes
sda3 about 114 GB
then comes
the Extended partition reserving about 2 GB ( !!! )
then comes
>>> sda4 about 22 GB and it starts “after” the Extended partition, making for 3 primary partitions (plus the Extended) BUT in really strange configuration,
AND sda4, as tinker points out, goes beyond the end of the disk.
(and, also, finally, the Swap is within the Extended)

[tinker]

Re: multi boot error 18

Really the only thing that is important for us to notice is that bad partition table entry for /dev/sda4.

The extended physical partition (sda2) was added with a logical partition sda5 for swap, the other primary partitions, presumably for Ubuntu and Kubuntu were added after that. It's really not that strange a configuration and swap can comfortably live on an extended partition, once the error is cleared, this configuration should work fine.

If this was my system, I would wonder what caused the corruption in the first place and try to remember if I saw any error messages while I was doing that last install.

It might be possible to clear this by booting with a live CD and running an fsck on the partition while it is unmounted. I did say might, I can't guarantee.

[Qqmike]

Re: multi boot error 18

Right, tinker. After all, a partition is nothing more than a "pointer." However, it's easier (for me) to think of the Extended as the nth partition, n > 1, and sdan being "in" the Extended.

No matter, I agree, with you. So, how about using GParted to change the size of sda4, or, simply re-do it: delete sda4, create it, format it ext3, then run the installer again and put an OS in it.

[computador]

Re: multi boot error 18

Right, tinker. After all, a partition is nothing more than a "pointer." However, it's easier (for me) to think of the Extended as the nth partition, n > 1, and sdan being "in" the Extended.

No matter, I agree, with you. So, how about using GParted to change the size of sda4, or, simply re-do it: delete sda4, create it, format it ext3, then run the installer again and put an OS in it.

Thanks fr all.
I prefer to re-do all.
How do you advise me to resize the partitions ?
I wont to put kubuntu ubuntu and xp (about 20 GB).
Id like to know order and dimension (swap included). In all I have 160 GB.

[Qqmike]

Re: multi boot error 18

Partitioning—how to, Rog131:
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3090704.0

Use GParted Live CD to do the partitioning (important, I believe).

Keep life simple: put XP on the first partition of the first hard drive = sda1 (in Linux) = (hd0,0) in GRUB.