Misplaced Kernel? Boot from GRUB?

[ahmarras]

Re: Misplaced Kernel? Boot from GRUB?

Well, looks like you may have deleted your boot menu, /boot/grub/menu.lst. That's why you still get grub> even after you successfully re-installed GRUB (using root-setup-quit, which DID succeed). (the grub> => there is no stage 2 menu.lst).

And we still don't know what kernel(s) ("vmlinuz"'s) you may have left to boot.

You can check these things using your Live Kubuntu CD. They are in /boot and /boot/grub.

I also know why you got "no grub installed" in your Live Kubuntu CD: you are using the new 9.10 Kubuntu which uses the new GRUB 2.
For now, let's stick with GRUB Legacy (the old one) since that's what we started.

You might also be able to generate a new menu.lst from the live CD, but I'm not sure in GRUB Legacy if you need to chroot into that partition to do so.
You could try from the live CD to mount that partition, then do a
sudo update-grub
and see if that would work (re-boot to test).

Lots of things you can do to fix this, but it gets complicated in the sense that you need to use some Linux techniques.

You can study the GRUB Legacy how-to, learn how to boot from the GRUB prompt (grub>) using TAB completion, and THAT would tell you a simple way to make a boot menu (/boot/grub/menu.lst). (See below.)

But here's two tangible things to try first:

Another simple way to make a menu.lst would be:
Make a text file, as root, say using kate:
At Konsole,
kdesudo kate
call it /boot/grub/menu.lst
and type this into it:

# My homemade menu.lst
timout=15
default=0

title My Kubuntu on (hd0,0) = sda1
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 ro quite splash
initrd /initrd.img

That should work to boot you into the latest kernel listed under /boot (that's where your kernels should be). In fact, try this FIRST at that grub> you keep getting:

grub>
grub>root (hd0,0)
grub>kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 ro quite splash
grub>initrd /initrd.img
grub>boot

(don't copy these lines; actually type them)
You are a GENIUS!!!!! It worked!!! I'm looking at my own desktop again!! I can't thank you enough--truly! This is wonderful and amazing! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! My only question is...is there anything that I need to do to ensure that this stays this way? Oh, thank you!!

[Snowhog]

Re: Misplaced Kernel? Boot from GRUB?

Glad that Qqmike was able to get you through this. A word about 'quoting' here. It is not necessary to quote the entire previous post when replying. Quoting should be done selectively to showcase a particular section of a prior post when such emphasis aids in the understanding of the post you are making. Also, if you quote, don't put your own reply inside of the quote. It should appear after the quoted section.

But otherwise, welcome to KFN!

[ahmarras]

Re: Misplaced Kernel? Boot from GRUB?

I'm not sure that I understand how this works exactly. I can get to Kate and I can open a text file, but what do I do with it? Do I type all this in the Konsole in Kate? Or in the text box for Kate? If the text box, then what do I go with it? I'm sorry for all the detailed questions, but I just want to be sure that everything goes well from here on out; at least in so far as that I am back to where my problem started--no sound, no mic. But, my browser also brought up the Ubuntu thread that I was working from, while trying to solve the sound/mic issue, when I created this problem. I now can say exactly what I was doing/following when I created all this havoc.
Last question: If I create this homemade menu, will this affect any future updates or anything? Is there something that I should do to ensure that everything continues normally? Thank you again for all your help and your patience! Both have been extraordinary and I appreciate it.

Edited by Moderator

[Qqmike]

Re: Misplaced Kernel? Boot from GRUB?

" My only question is...is there anything that I need to do to ensure that this stays this way? Oh, thank you!!"


It is solid as is ... BUT instead of manually typing those 4 commands each time (at the grub>), it's easier/nicer to build that boot menu (/boot/grub/menu.lst) I spoke of in my last post, just a simple one like I gave you there. That's the only thing you are missing--the boot menu.

Now, you CAN try this:
boot into your Kubuntu;
Konsole
sudo update-grub
and see if that automatically creates a file /boot/grub/menu.lst for you. It should, but it sometimes doesn't do as it should.


As for quoting, yes, try not to quote everything ... but then, ahmarras, I must confess that I haven't yet taken time to learn HOW to quote!!!
... someday ... someday soon perhaps ...
(yes, I know there's a guide on site)


Glad you got this -- very nice work on your part, ahmarras!

Now, just be aware that there the two GRUBs -- GRUB Legacy and the new GRUB 2. But for now, don't worry about GRUB 2; might be best to use GRUB Legacy for awhile (a few months or so).


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

GRUB 2 A Guide for Users
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3106368.0
(and see the references)

[Qqmike]

Re: Misplaced Kernel? Boot from GRUB?

Try that
sudo update-grub
first.

Otherwise, you can build that boot menu in Kubuntu.
Right-click on desktop, Create New > Text File,
build it,
then as root copy it into /boot/grub
as
/boot/grub/menu.lst.
(You can open konquer or dolphin as root by
kdesudo konqueror
and work from there in a "root konqueror," copy/paste, drag/drop, etc. Drag it into /boot/grub and drop it.)

Yes, it COULD affect your updates. You really might need the whole template.
For now, don't worry too much.
ACTUALLY, since you are booting by "symlinks" (in those commands I gave you), and you only have the (hd0,0) going on, you MAY be OK anyway.

But try the
sudo update-grub
first.

[ahmarras]

Re: Misplaced Kernel? Boot from GRUB?

Thank you, Qqmike. It worked just as you said it. I updated the grub and it asked me if I wanted to create a boot menu, which I did. Everything is just as it was! Thank you again for your guidance and patience!

[Qqmike]

Re: Misplaced Kernel? Boot from GRUB?

And so, sudo update-grub worked, right?
I was just about to provide you with some sort of template for a more "capable" menu.lst, but looks like that isn't necessary, if I read you right.
And you re-booted to test it?
(You can always keep those 4 commands at grub> handy to boot into Kubuntu manually if needed )
Well, if all is well, good, and good job there, ahmarras!