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**Snowhog** · Aug 09, 2008, 09:36 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

Many would suggest that you download and burn the LiveCD of GParted (version 0.3.4-7 is a solid version). Use it to prepare the partitions and do the formating of the HD you want to install Kubuntu to. It is more reliable than the version of the installer that is included with the Kubuntu LiveCD.

GParted version 0.3.4-7 can be downloaded here.

The latest 'stable' version can be downloaded here.

The (excellent) documentation for GParted is available here.

**Qqmike** · Aug 10, 2008, 06:38 AM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

Maybe because of wrong partitioning, or because the installer got confused about partitions, or because partitioning has left artifacts that shouldn't be there, perhaps GRUB did not get installed correctly.

First, you need to explore your drive and be sure what's on it.
From a Kubuntu Live CD,
open Konsole
sudo fdisk -lu

That will show you the partitions on your drive (you might post that result here for us to see).

Then you can try to re-install GRUB to the Master Boot record of the drive using the GRUB files located in your Kubuntu partition:

Live CD
Open Konsole
sudo grub
grub> find /boot/grub/stage1
(that should tell you where the Kubuntu partition is: (hdx,y), and put that in this next step

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

Whee (hdx,y) is GRUB notation for the Kubuntu partition.
And (hd0) is notation for the MBR of the drive.

The how-to shows details:

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

hope there's not too many spelling errors ... just waking up here ...

**niteowl69** · Aug 10, 2008, 06:41 AM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

Thank you i will try that. But will the gpart program boot the computer? The only thing that happens now on start up is the start of kubuntu and then the grub error. Or do i need a program to reformat the whole hard drive first and then try

Thank you for your help

**Qqmike** · Aug 10, 2008, 06:47 AM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

GParted will boot the PC.
And it will show you your drives and partitions -- copy that down.
Your partitions * may * be OK. We can't tell yet.
The Live CD will show you
sudo fdisk -lu
another view of your partitions.

Your Kubuntu may be fine; maybe it's just the GRUB bootloader that's messed up somehow.

**niteowl69** · Aug 10, 2008, 02:01 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

OK went and used gpart and terminal from there shows me

Device Boot start end blocks ID System
/dev/hda1 * 63 74862899 37431418+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 74862900 78156224 164662+ 5 extended
/dev/hda5 74862963 78156224 164631 82 Linux swap/solaris

Sorry this is on another machine that is not hook to anything yet

The gpart report showed the same stuff

The terminal shows

root@debian:~#

please what is next

**Qqmike** · Aug 10, 2008, 03:12 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

Back to my post above:

Then you can try to re-install GRUB to the Master Boot record of the drive using the GRUB files located in your Kubuntu partition:

Live CD
Open Konsole
sudo grub
grub> find /boot/grub/stage1
That should tell you where the Kubuntu partition is: (hdx,y), and put that in the next step --
It looks like it will be (hd0,0).
grub> root (hdx,y)
This will be root (hd0,0).
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
and re-boot to test it.

EDIT added:
Hope I didn't confuse things.
So you do all this by running the Kubuntu Live CD; then open Konsole.
Konsole is at:
K-Menu button (lower left of the Desktop) > System > Konsole
Then type
sudo grub
and press Enter.
You get a GRUB prompt:
grub>
at which you type, one at a time these commands, each followed by Enter:
grub> find /boot/grub/stage1
(note the space after find; same for the other commands below)
That should return (hd0,0).
grub> root (hd0,0)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
Then exit out of the Live CD
K > Log Out > Restart
and re-boot to test it..

**niteowl69** · Aug 11, 2008, 07:13 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

Qqmike

OK i was successful at following the instructions but after the reboot I am back to the same error as before. As i see it right now i can find a way to reformat the computer and start over or i do have the Unbuntu disk and i can try to install that. And then try to install Kubuntu.

It seems to work in the live cd version but that's is as far as i can go

open for ideas

**Qqmike** · Aug 11, 2008, 07:38 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

I am now suspicious of the Kubuntu disk -- maybe the download was not good? Checked the MD5 sums?
I'm also assuming that you have just one hard drive, right?
KVM switch -- I don't know about that.
You might run the Live CD and then
Open Konsole
sudo fdisk -lu
and see what the drive and partitions look like (and/or post the result here for us to see).

Re-installing GRUB should have worked (you didn't get any error messages?). Stage_1.5 indicates that GRUB could not connect to the boot menu, /boot/grub/menu.lst, or maybe stage_1.5 (following the MBR) is bad.

Now, if you suspect problems with bad partitions, you can use GParted Live CD to delete all partitions, then make new ones, then install Kubuntu.

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

Ubuntu will be the same as Kubuntu here. May as well stick with Kubuntu.

Edit added ******
"When i installed did a full install so the windows xp and the wubi kubuntu that were on the machine should be gone. The set up is connected to a KVM switch."

Remember, Stage_1.5 problems indicate that GRUB cannot find what it needs to connect to the boot menu located at /boot/grub (and which is in the Kubuntu partition).

**niteowl69** · Aug 11, 2008, 08:08 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

Thank you i can see i will be busy the next few days. i will post as i go along

**Qqmike** · Aug 11, 2008, 08:13 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

Burning iso, MD5 sums, etc.:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto

Also, nothing wrong with using GParted to delete all partitions and start over. Some of us do it all the time. But first, if you run (from the Kubuntu Live CD) & post
sudo fdisk -lu
here, maybe something else will be obvious.

**niteowl69** · Aug 11, 2008, 08:26 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -lu

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders, total 78165360 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xbce1bce1

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 37238669 18619303+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 37238670 78156224 20458777+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 74862963 78156224 1646631 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 37238796 73192139 17976672 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 73192203 74862899 835348+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

**Qqmike** · Aug 11, 2008, 08:31 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

Looks OK.
Just an observation, though:
Where did you put Kubuntu, in sda1 or in sda6?
If in sda1, the when you re-install GRUB, the root statement is:
root (hd0,0)
If in sda6, it would be
root (hd0,5).

The root -- setup -- quit re-installing of GRUB should have solved this ... unless some GRUB files are damaged or something like that. You didn't get any errors when your ran
root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
?
(e.g., Error 15: File Not Found)

**niteowl69** · Aug 11, 2008, 08:39 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

I did get the error 15 file not found but when I re typed the command it went through and i thought it was my typing error
I went to computer and there are 2 volume (ext3) listed and when i looked both have a boot file with a grub file in it
at this point i think i am going to reformat with gpart and then install on a fresh drive.

One good thing is coming out of this the more i learn and play with the program the more i like it

**Qqmike** · Aug 11, 2008, 08:54 PM

Re: Grub stage 1.5

"One good thing is coming out of this the more i learn and play with the program the more i like it"
-- yeah, it's interesting, and it's all "right there" for you to see and work with, just like woodworking, mechanics, or anything else. -- All very do-able.

"File not found" indicates that your GRUB files may be messed up or misplaced.

Also, "Partitions not in disk order" is OK, however:
(1) we try to avoid that, just because it's more difficult to read our partitions (and where they are located);
and
(2) sometimes it indicates the end result of a heavily used and re-used disk, where partitions got jumbled up! (I get that message after I've deleted and reused and moved and re-used partitions, using GParted.)

If you don't mind doing it, starting over, cleaning up that disk & making new partitions is a nice way to go.
When GParted asks you if you want a new disk label and it offers you some DOS label (or something like that), say OK (if GParted does that to you after deleting all partitions).

Follow Rog131's guidelines in his how-to for partitioning.

******** Edit:
And don't forget to check the MD5 sums (as per the how-to link).

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