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**dibl** · Nov 30, 2006, 01:12 PM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

I'm waiting eagerly to hear the answer on how one chooses where GRUB is to be installed -- I want it to install on my hardrive #1 (a SATA drive) along with the rest of Linux, and leave the Win XP system on hard drive #2, which is an IDE drive. But GRUB seems to have a special relationship with that IDE drive .....

On the Nvidia driver, download and install Automatix2 from

http://www.getautomatix.com/wiki/ind...tion&Itemid=38

and then use it to install the Nvidia driver, which will be one of the offered installation packages. It's a no-brainer -- just read the instructions on the web site for installing Automatix2.

**Rog131** · Nov 30, 2006, 02:46 PM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

I put the find /boot/grub/stage1 command at the grub> prompt, it says Error 15: File Not Found !

Well this tells that you don't have /boot/grub/stage1

Check that you have /boot/grub directory.
If not :

Code:

sudo mkdir /boot/grub

/1/ mkdir - make directories

Copy stage1 and other essentials to the /boot/grub

Code:

sudo cp /lib/grub/i386-pc/* /boot/grub/

Note
I'm not sure what is minimum (stage1, stage2 and e2fs_stage1_5 ? )
I have in the /boot/grub:

e2fs_stage1_5
fat_stage1_5
jfs_stage1_5
minix_stage1_5
reiserfs_stage1_5
stage1
stage2
xfs_stage1_5

Now you have /boot/grub/stage1

In the konsole:

Code:

:~$sudo grub

Checking where is /boot/grub/stage1

Code:

grub> find /boot/grub/stage1
(hd2,0)

In this example (my machine) it is in (hd2,0) (=sda1, it's third drive: hda, hdb, sda).

Note from /2/

2 Naming convention

The partition numbers are counted from zero, not from one.

and

GRUB does not distinguish IDE from SCSI - it simply counts the drive numbers from zero, regardless of their type.

Tell grub it.

Code:

grub>root (hd2,0)
Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83

Putting grub into first disk mbr.

Code:

grub>setup (hd0)
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"... 16 sectors are embedded.
succeeded
Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 d (hd0) (hd0)1+16 p (hd2,0)/boot/grub/stage
2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded

From/2/

This command will install the GRUB boot loader on the Master Boot Record (MBR) of the first drive. If you want to put GRUB into the boot sector of a partition instead of putting it in the MBR, specify the partition into which you want to install GRUB:

grub> setup (hd0,0)

Quitting:

Code:

grub>quit

You need grub menu:

Code:

sudo update-grub

/3/ update-grub - program to generate GRUB’s menu.lst file

If you aren't happy with kubuntu (removing grub)
Fixing MBR with Windows (9X to XP) /4/

The simplest way to repair or re-create MBR is to run Microsoft's standard utility called FDISK with a parameter /MBR, like

A:\> FDISK.EXE /MBR

FDISK is a standard utility included in MS-DOS, Windows 95, 98, ME.

If you have Windows NT / 2000 / XP, you can boot from startup floppy disks or CD-ROM, choose repair option during setup, and run Recovery Console. When you are logged on, you can run FIXMBR command to fix MBR.

/1/ man mkdir
/2/ GNU GRUB Manual 0.97
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html
/3/ man man update-grub
/4/ http://www.ntfs.com/mbr-damaged.htm

**SubnetMask** · Nov 30, 2006, 04:48 PM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

Thanks rog131!

But... well I'm not going to lie to you, that was the most confusing reply I've ever received!

I have no idea how to navigate the console or what the commands mean... but i see there is the copying of file happening there... is there no way to simply drag the files into the other window?

Thanks for the help anyway

**SubnetMask** · Nov 30, 2006, 06:18 PM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

Originally posted by dibl

On the Nvidia driver, download and install Automatix2 from

http://www.getautomatix.com/wiki/ind...tion&Itemid=38

and then use it to install the Nvidia driver, which will be one of the offered installation packages. It's a no-brainer -- just read the instructions on the web site for installing Automatix2.

Thanks dibl but more bad news... the installation failed! Reading the feedback to the commands i put into the terminal it seems I got a 404 error when trying to contact the site. Is there nowhere else I can get my drivers

Why do I have to type everything into a confusing terminal anyway? I thought Linux had moved on to graphical user interfaces!

**analyticalman** · Dec 01, 2006, 02:43 AM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

I think we need to go back to basics here

Sorry if the answer below sounds a a little slow and patronising - its not meant to be, I just don't know how much you know about linux and your computer so don't want to confuse things.

Tell us a bit about your computer - How many hard disks does it have? Have you partitioned it/them? Do you know where Windowa and Kubuntu are installed?

To help us get a clearer picture lets ask the computer the same questions. We can do it in a couple of easy ways

Firstly, do you have any partitioning software on XP (like partition magic)? If you do, post a screenshot of your disk partitions.

If not, get into kubuntu using the method you said (booting from disk off your live CD.

Then you have to go to your terminal - I'm not in kubuntu right now but it will either be on your bottom bar of programs (looking like a blank screen) or it will be in your list of programs - accessed through the K menu where it will be likely called konsole.

Then type this sudo fdisk -l (thats a small L at the end - not a 1) you will be asked for your user password and you will then be given a list of information about your disks and partitions - please post it to us.

Then open up Konqueror (its probably on your bottom bar looking like a globe with a K on it - if not it will be in your K menu under internet (because its a combined web browser and file browser) Navigate using the up or back buttons on the top toolbar until you are in the top level and can't go higher. You will be in the / directory. You should see lots of folders with names like /var and /usr and /media etc and there should be one called /boot. Click to open it. Does it have a folder inside called /grub? If it does, click to open it and tell us what files are inside.

That should give us a lot of info about the state of your booting system and we can work out where and how to put grub back.

**Tynach** · Dec 01, 2006, 08:36 AM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

But, by default, all of those folders are hidden. Go to Veiw > show hidden files and folders (or something like that) to see what he's talking about. Otherwise, you only see home and media.

**Rog131** · Dec 01, 2006, 01:02 PM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

SubnetMask:

is there no way to simply drag the files into the other window?

Yes, you could use konqueror or filemanagers. (Same way as in the Windows)

This may help: Editing Files that Belong to Root (http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/permissions)

Konsole/terminal problems: Where's the terminal? (http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/terminal)

Motherlode: Ubuntu Linux Resources (http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/)

If your kubuntu installation is new one:
The easiest way to install grub/dualboot is new install. You don't loose anything (only time

). This may help: Illustrated Dual Boot Site (http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/).

Tynach:

But, by default, all of those folders are hidden

This is Edgy (6.10) feature.
Opinions

:
Topic: KDE is hiding root subdirectories (http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=11435.0)
Topic: Root directory contents hidden? (http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=10519.0)

If you are using Dapper (6.06) - then you don't have this problem.

**marshallbanana** · Dec 04, 2006, 12:58 AM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

Not a fix, but it may help. Download the Super Grub Disk from http://supergrub.forjamari.linex.org/ You can use this to boot to Kubuntu in the meantime (thats what I was doing while my GRUB was stuffed). Not sure but you may even be able to reinstall it using this.

Also for dibl, using the Super Grub Disk you can relocate GRUB simply by following a number of prompts. Helps avoid the command line

To be honest I'd have to say what may be the easiest option would be to redownload the Kubuntu Live CD and reinstall it as GRUB should be installed in working order right out of the box. I get the impression that without grub working you probably won't be losing many files at this point.

**dibl** · Dec 05, 2006, 01:23 PM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

Thank you Marshallbanana -- I'm going to try your advice and make a Super Grub Disk. I finally gave up on getting grub to install onto my SATA drive -- when I changed it to sd*anything the installer puked and died every time. So I threw in the towel and let it go to the IDE drive. But my strategy was to have all of Linux except a spare data backup partition on my SATA drive, as I don't particularly trust that Maxtor IDE drive, and I don't like it being in the chain of failure because I think it's probably the weakest link. I'll confirm if I get some success with the Grub disk.

**dibl** · Dec 05, 2006, 07:36 PM

Re: Very very new - how do I install GRUB?

Welllllllllllllll!

This Super Grub program is some little piece of work! :P I made the floppy diskette version, played around looking at the many options, had a glass of wine, played around some more, but in the end I was not able to discern exactly what would be the change needed to move Grub over to my SATA drive (too many choices for such a noob, probably). Upon reflection, I think maybe I'll accept the present boot arrangement for the time being. Except for that minor, and perhaps theoretical issue, I have a fully-functional, totally satisfactory Edgy system, which meets all my needs. In the future (Feisty install time?), I'll spring for a second fast SATA drive, and do away with the old Maxtor IDE drive, and then when it is a choice between 2 SATA drives, the new installation can probably be controlled a little better.

I appreciate the excellent advice and pointers to very cool tools.

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