The Grub boot loop

[spaulding]

This I'm pretty sure is all over the place but so far I haven't found a fix with google searches. When attempting to boot into Kubuntu it just takes me to the dreaded

Minimal bash like line editing is supported.* For the first word Tab lists possible command completion. Anywhere else tab lists possible device / file completions"

How the deuce do I resolve this. So far all I have found doesn't work (btw can't do startx, sudo, or any of that crap and keep getting the no kernel crap).

BTW I'm also running x64 Wubi install.

[dibl]

Re: The Grub boot loop

There should be an Error # at the top of that screen. What is the number?

[Snowhog]

Re: The Grub boot loop

BTW I'm also running x64 Wubi install.

But what version of Kubuntu?

[Qqmike]

Re: The Grub boot loop

Sounds like a BusyBox or an inintrfs prompt/message. If it were GRUB, it would say so, and then you'd say so, too.

[spaulding]

Re: The Grub boot loop

It's Kubuntu 9.10

No Error number because it doesn't start to load anything. Shows the NFTS part then the GRUB screen stating the grub version.

Then of course I get the sh:grub> prompt. Change it to root (hd0,1) tried (hd0,0) so I can see all the Windows and Kubuntu files but I can't do anything else. Everything just states it has no kernel every time I try to boot from the prompt leaving the only option that I've found to do something is reboot and exit.

[Snowhog]

Re: The Grub boot loop

Are you presented with the Grub menu at boot? If 'yes,' select the single user (recovery) mode boot line and see if you get to a normal CLI (as root). If you do, copy your /etc/fstab file as well as your /boot/grub/menu.lst file (assuming you are running Grub Legacy and not the new Grub). This may help us to identify the problem.

[spaulding]

Re: The Grub boot loop

There is no boot menu what so ever. I'll go take a crappy recording with my cell and upload it so you can see what it does. As I said though it does the NFTS thing then straight to GRUB prompt.

[Qqmike]

Re: The Grub boot loop

I just noticed:
"BTW I'm also running x64 Wubi install."

That leaves me out (I think), as I don't know anything about Wubi.

[spaulding]

Re: The Grub boot loop

Here's what it boots to.

After I select Kubuntu it says

NFTS (hd0,1):

then this screen.

[Qqmike]

Re: The Grub boot loop

That screen is the standard GRUB 2 screen, showing the GRUB 2 CLI and the GRUB 2 prompt. But, as I say, I have no clue about Wubi installs. Kubuntu is installed inside Windows or what? If Kubuntu were on its own partition, like (hd0,2), you could try to boot it somehow, or try a re-install of GRUB 2. I think these other guys have used Wubi.

[spaulding]

Re: The Grub boot loop

Yea it's kind of interesting how Wubi works. It's installed inside Windows <volume>:/ubuntu with the "partition" actually being a file at <volume>:/ubuntu/disk/root.disk which holds all of the OS's information. Down side to this is that you can't go in and move around and copy over files ect.

[spaulding]

Re: The Grub boot loop

Well I can get to BusyBox with the following commands.

linux /vmlinuz.old (when trying vmlinuz it states wrong magic number)

If I put root=/dev/xxxx ro it'll give me a doesn't exist error

Then I'll do

initrd /initrd.img (if I run this one it'll fail because it'll say the -14 stuff doesn't exist but no errors when I run initrd.img.old)

boot

Get various messages before BusyBox starts up but always goes into it.

[Qqmike]

Re: The Grub boot loop

"If I put root=/dev/xxxx ro it'll give me a doesn't exist error"
That's because of this Wubi thing.

You can also try
grub>ls
or
grub>ls /
to see what devices it sees at the level you are at.
Btw, TAB completion should also work at
grub>
So, you can start typing (e.g., /vmlinuz) then press the TAB key and see if GRUB can give you more choices.

I don't know, why not try your first command to be
grub>insmod /boot/grub/_linux.mod
to load Linux modules. See if that makes any difference as you continue to try
linux /vmlinuz
etc

I can't remember what to try at the Busybox prompt (you can google it). I have some on it in my notes here but can't find them at the moment.
The Wubi deal seems to change this picture. Maybe GRUB 2 doesn't get along well with it either, I don't know.

[Qqmike]

Re: The Grub boot loop

Where's our Wubi guys? Jeez, everyone recommends it to anyone wanting to try out Kubuntu, but where are they now!

WAG-ing it now ...

You might experiment with the path to the kernel.
For example, you said:
"It's installed inside Windows <volume>:/ubuntu with the "partition" actually being a file at <volume>:/ubuntu/disk/root.disk"
so maybe you could try a path using that somehow (hoping it could then find the kernel).
grub>linux /some/path/vmlinuz
and ditto for initrd.

[vinnywright]

Re: The Grub boot loop

well I'm confused ......... (agin vinny)

I'v never done a wubi install but from what I'v ben reading it seams as though it should be using the windows boot loader and not grub2.

OP (spaulding) did you have a wubi install in windows and then do regular install with grub?

or did wubi give you an option for grub?

I think Qqmike is prob right about grub2 not looking in the rite place for a kernel to boot but for wubi wouldent it be more like c:\ubuntu\disks\boot or the sutch..........I'm asking realey.

VINNY