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**Snowhog** · Dec 21, 2008, 01:38 PM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Post your /boot/grub/menu.lst file for a review.

**eDaniel** · Dec 25, 2008, 02:21 PM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Hello Snowhog,

Unfortunately I can't login to my Kubuntu after I tried to install the Realtek sound drivers (from the official site). Thus I haven't access to my menu.lst.

Please advice me how to diagnose the problem. I'm not sure whether the mentioned drivers are the problem because the system start to freeze after the third restart.

How to find the log file where the boot messages are logged? I really like my Kubuntu (I'm Windows luzer) and this problem makes me crazy.

The behavior: When I enter my name/pass I notice that Compiz-Fusion starts successfully. Several seconds after that the screen freezes and the system becomes unresponsive.

I noticed the following:

Ctrl + Alt + Backsp crashes the system totally
Ctrl + Alt + Numeric successfully opens the console

Looking forward to your answer! Thanks in advance.

**eDaniel** · Dec 28, 2008, 12:41 PM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Here is the requested file:

gfxmenu (hd1,6)/home/daniel/Desktop/75443-kde.tar.gz
default 4
timeout 10

### 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=91b4a7e3-688a-4eb9-b250-a9e55fd2b476 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=91b4a7e3-688a-4eb9-b250-a9e55fd2b476

## 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 vga=789

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

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## 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=1

## 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

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-9-generic
root (hd1,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-9-generic root=UUID=91b4a7e3-688a-4eb9-b250-a9e55fd2b476 ro splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-9-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-9-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd1,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-9-generic root=UUID=91b4a7e3-688a-4eb9-b250-a9e55fd2b476 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-9-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
root (hd1,6)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

title Other operating systems:
root

title Windows Vista Ultimate (loader)
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
savedefault
makeactive

title Windows XP Professional (loader)
root (hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1
savedefault
makeactive

**dibl** · Dec 28, 2008, 03:44 PM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Originally posted by eDaniel

The behavior: When I enter my name/pass I notice that Compiz-Fusion starts successfully. Several seconds after that the screen freezes and the system becomes unresponsive.

I noticed the following:

Ctrl + Alt + Backsp crashes the system totally
Ctrl + Alt + Numeric successfully opens the console

This sounds like trouble beyond Grub. I'm a little suspicious about the hardware -- is this a new system, have you run a serious memory test (like overnight), is it overclocked, is it real stable with Windows running, or do strange things happen there, too?

**eDaniel** · Dec 29, 2008, 05:46 AM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Hello dibl,

Thanks for the answer. Actually I managed to overcome this problem by changing the xorg.conf file to my 'backup' version.

Unfortunately the problem with GRUB still exists. I appreciate your input on this issue.

Regards,
Daniel

**Qqmike** · Dec 29, 2008, 07:02 AM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

From your original post, I agree with dibl--it doesn't sound liek aGRUB problem. It sounds like something to do wtih 8.10 not rebooting correctly, cleaning, rightly, etcetera-ly. It boot right in XP. It boot right after a 2nd reboot.
IMO.

**eDaniel** · Dec 29, 2008, 07:44 AM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Hello Qqmike,

I understand your point of view, but I'm a bit unsure how to proceed further.

Can you please suggest me what to check in order to find out the exact reason for this problem? This is very annoying problem.

Thanks in advance.

**Qqmike** · Dec 29, 2008, 07:51 AM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Not sure i know exactly. You need to run some sort o diagnostic that reports what's happening when you re-boot/boot. Is that something like the command dmesg? Or maybe some special kernel options in the boot menu. Not thinking just now what it might be.
You need one of the diagnostic guys to chime in here with their magic commands.
I've seen something analogous with flash drives not exiting cleanly, but that's not relevant other than to suggest that something seems not to be shutting down right.

**dibl** · Dec 29, 2008, 08:47 AM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

In /var/log/ are several potentially useful log files, that are updated at every boot. There is one for the X server, but it sounds like that problem may be resolved at the moment. There is another log for the system, which might or might not have useful details.

However, I'm still concerned about the hard drive initial seek time. Are you saying that when you start the system from a total shutdown, that it won't boot Linux, but when you use the restart button for a warm reboot, it always boots correctly? That is a symptom of a slow initial seek, or sometimes a slow spin-up of the disk itself.

**eDaniel** · Dec 29, 2008, 10:19 AM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

If I shutdown the computer from Windows (Vista or XP) the next time it will boot Linux (or other OS). No matter if it's cold or warm start. If I shutdown the computer from within Kubuntu the next time the computer freezes after "Updating DMI Pool data..." (or something similar). The only workaround I found here is to restart the PC again.

So I suppose the other assumption may be a bit closer (shutdown problem).

I don't believe it's hardware issue since all hardware is working as expected with Windows.

When I go home (I'm at work now) I will past the last lines of the depicted log files + dmesgoutput.

**dibl** · Dec 29, 2008, 10:37 AM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Interesting. OK, one thing to consider is that the log files get overwritten or appended whenever you boot the Linux system. So maybe the thing to do would be to boot Linux, then shut down Linux, then boot a Live CD, mount the hard drive, and see what the sys.log shows at the tail end of it -- it seems like that might reveal whether an error was detected during the shutdown process. An error condition during shutdown could potentially be picked up during the next boot process and cause an issue (I'm kinda speculating here ...).

Another approach would be to hit the kill switch when it "freezes" in an unsuccessful boot attempt, then boot the Live CD and again grab the sys.log file and see what was going on when it froze.

Finally, just for fun, when you think it is well-frozen, try pressing Alt-SysRq and while holding them down, press R S E I U B slowly in sequence, and see what happens, if anything.

**eDaniel** · Dec 29, 2008, 03:53 PM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

Hello again dibl

Very interesting solutions you have at hand

In a few minutes (I hope) I will have some results on this matter...

**eDaniel** · Dec 29, 2008, 05:36 PM

Re: Weird problem with GRUB

I noticed several things:
- the problem exists even after the reboot was started from the Kubuntu LiveCD (system halted after Verifying DMI Pool Data ...., right before the first Grub message to be shown on the screen)
- Alt + SysRq combinations had no effect although I believe it's expected behavior, because CTRL + ALT + DEL had no effect too

- the first reboot was totally unsuccessful - the system stopped responding (no CTRL + ALT + DEL, no xxxLock lights on the kbd)

I saved two groups of log files - one for the unsuccessful restart, and one for the next one which was successful.

To be honest I slept on the keyboard thus I will continue tomorrow.

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Weird problem with GRUB

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