[SOLVED] HELP PLEASE!!! I can't boot onto my Linux Mint!

[GuttaMan]

Hey folks, I've been using Linux Mint Dayna 4.0 for over a month and I think it's great, I haven't used Windows XP or Vista setups at all in that same time...but I have a problem...I think I made the big mistake of removing and resizing some partitions on my hard drive via a Gparted boot CD earlier and then I had a problem booting onto Linux Mint; I got a message "Error 15"...

So I decided to search on Google for the problem and thru looking at the Ubuntu boards I stumbled on this link: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=117829&postcount=2 and followed the directions from there to re=install grub...

So after I followed those instructions I restarted my laptop and I seen the Linux Mint grub menu, and I thought my problems were over but then after i pressed enter, i reached another screen with the message: "Error 15: File Not Found"...

Now I noticed at the top that the first line is "root (hd0,9)" which I know is my dev/sda9 where my /home partition is, instead of "root (hd0,8)" where my base installation is installed and where I think it should have been referring to...So I pressed a key to continue to the next page and it took me to another grub menu with the same options on the Linux Mint grub menu, I clicked on the first Linux Mint option and I get the same "File Not Found" error message so I decided to go back to Google but I'm not seeming to find any real solutions except for one telling to edit the boot commands, which I did, I replaced the first line "root (hd0,9)" to "root (hd0,8)", I typed "b" to to boot up, and it started to go...I saw the Linux Mint splash screen and I started to give my two thumbs up and celebrate, and then it took me to the BusyBox CLI

So now I really don't know what to do. I have my Linux Mint setup real nicely and I would hate to have to start from scratch (in addition to losing some of my files, I keep other important files and music on a separate shared NTFS partition).

Is there anyone that can help me save my Linux Mint? Any help will be most appreciated...Thanks!

Edit: I've neglected to specify which version of Linux Mint I was using (Daryna) and my hard drive partirion table, I hope this can be helpful folks:

Partition table before my problem:
sda1 - Windows XP partition (NTFS 9GB)
sda2 - Extension
sda5 - XP Program Files (NTFS 5GB)
sda6 - Vista (NTFS 20GB)
sda7 - Vista Program Files (NTFS 6GB)
sda8 - Media & Documents Partition (NTFS 227 GB)
sda9 - Linux To Windons Shared Partition (Fat32 1GB)
sda10 - Linux Mint "/" Partition (EXT3 17 GB)
sda11 - /home Partition (EXT3 7.25 GB)
sda12 - Linux Swap (6 GB)

Partition table after resizing and removing earlier today:
sda1 - Windows XP partition (NTFS 9GB)
sda2 - Extension
sda5 - XP Program Files (NTFS 5GB)
sda6 - Vista (NTFS 20GB)
sda7 - Vista Program Files (NTFS 6GB)
sda8 - Media & Documents Partition (NTFS 230.5 GB)
sda9 - Linux Mint "/" Partition (EXT3 20.5 GB)
sda10 - /home Partition (EXT3 5 GB)
sda11 - Linux Swap (2 GB)

[Fred]

GuttaMan,

Actually, I am a little bit surprised you didn't have problems booting before you modified your partition table. A lot of BIOSs don't like to boot anything that far down the partition table. Your Mint / (root) is about 250 Gig. down the table. That's a lot. If you have to redo, you should probably move it up the table some.

I think the first thing I would do is find out if your systems have been corrupted. The easiest way I can think of off hand is to download and burn Supergrub iso. Download in a language you understand. You can Google and find it easily. You can then use that iso to boot into Mint and your Windows partitions. That should tell you pretty fast if you have fatal problems with Mint.

Don't panic when you see that your partitions aren't mounted correctly in Mint. You UUIDs will have to be corrected since you changed your partition table.

If Supergrub will boot your installs, post your Mint /boot/grub/menu.lst

That will be a good start.

Fred

[GuttaMan]

Hey Fred, thanx for replying to me...

I was actually ahead of ya on that Super Grub Disk, I found the Linux Mint Wiki and found the link How To Repair Your Grub, which was basically the same instructions from the very first link in my first post, but I noticed at the bottom of the page the link to Super Grub...So I checked it out, downloaded and burned it from another laptop, and ran it on my T61P...and maaan, I got the same results.

I tried to reinstall grub via their instructions and its the same message: Error 15: File Not Found
I also tried booting into each of the three OS's on the laptop and was able to successfully boot into XP and Vista (I might add for the first time since the beginning of January) but not into Mint; When I tried it took me directly to the "2nd Grub Menu" I mentioned in the first post...clicking on the first option, "Linux Mint, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic", gave me the Error 15: File Not Found once again.

I thought the Super Grub was going to do it for me, but now it's starting to not look so good man ...

[Fred]

GuttaMan,

First, stop trying to "fix" grub. You may be just making it worse. Just use Supergrub to boot into the systems. Not to fix anything. At least not at this point.

Use your Mint live cd and post a copy of your Mint /boot/grub/menu.lst and let's see what we have there.

Fred

[GuttaMan]

Alright, no more grub fixing, at least on the lappy I got the copy of the /boot/grub/menu.lst for ya:

Code: Select all

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
default      0

gfxmenu=/etc/grub/message.mint

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout      10

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title      Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root      (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader   +1
#
# title      Linux
# root      (hd0,1)
# kernel   /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### 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=/dev/sda10 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,9)

## 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

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(recovery mode) 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=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## ## End Default Options ##

title      Linux Mint, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root      (hd0,9)
kernel      /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=/dev/sda10 ro quiet splash
initrd      /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
boot

title      Linux Mint, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
root      (hd0,9)
kernel      /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=/dev/sda10 ro single
initrd      /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
boot

title      Linux Mint, kernel memtest86+
root      (hd0,9)
kernel      /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title      Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title      Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root      (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader   +1


[Acid7711]

Yikes man.......not much help here, but damn that's a messy partition table. Quite honestly, when I have trouble booting grub, i use the 'e' option and manually edit it at boot time and play the guessing game. It sucks, but sooner or later I hit the nail on the head no matter what system I'm fooling with.

[Fred]

GuttaMan,

OK, below is a modified menu.lst. Put this in place of what you have starting at the ## ## End Default Options ##.

Then try to boot. If it won't boot, try booting it with Supergrub. Let me know what the results are. I want you to confirm the partition table with Gparted, (it's in the menu of the live cd), and post a copy of Mint /etc/fstab.

Don't change anything but the menu.lst discussed above. Let's do this one step at a time and I think we can recover everything. Since I am an old dumb country boy from the south. I am slow, remember?

## ## End Default Options ##

title Linux Mint, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic
root (hd0,8)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=/dev/sda9 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
boot

title Linux Mint, kernel 2.6.22-14-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,8)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic root=/dev/sda9 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
boot

title Linux Mint, kernel memtest86+
root (hd0,8)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows XP
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,5)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

Fred

[GuttaMan]

GuttaMan,

OK, below is a modified menu.lst. Put this in place of what you have starting at the ## ## End Default Options ##.

Then try to boot. If it won't boot, try booting it with Supergrub. Let me know what the results are. I want you to confirm the partition table with Gparted, (it's in the menu of the live cd), and post a copy of Mint /etc/fstab.

Don't change anything but the menu.lst discussed above. Let's do this one step at a time and I think we can recover everything. Since I am an old dumb country boy from the south. I am slow, remember?

Fred

lol.....Ahhhhh Fred!, it worked!!! I used that modified menu.lst and I was able to get onto my Linux Mint like normal with everything still looking intact...so far so good man!

I got the copy of Mint /etc/fstab here, and I not gonna touch nothing else until I get word, cause sometimes, I try everything under the kitchen sink to get something working and it do more harm...

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/sda10
UUID=e2be5f04-9b9b-40a0-99a5-7bc2547dc016 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /dev/sda11
UUID=364d4a1e-7ea2-4bca-bda7-b9b50d1223d4 /home ext3 defaults 0 2
# /dev/sda1
UUID=E220906F20904C83 /media/sda1 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda5
UUID=3F3A32565EE5F4FC /media/sda5 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda6
UUID=7717B0FD32C7C5EF /media/sda6 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda7
UUID=00DB3A7A0292117A /media/sda7 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda8
UUID=269B050B0B732143 /media/sda8 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda9
UUID=04B6B60545D20E66 /media/sda9 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda12
UUID=fad40e8c-9489-4ae8-b97d-7b42352b1916 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec 0 0

also, here's a screenshot of my GParted Table if thats helpful:

[GuttaMan]

Yikes man.......not much help here, but damn that's a messy partition table. Quite honestly, when I have trouble booting grub, i use the 'e' option and manually edit it at boot time and play the guessing game. It sucks, but sooner or later I hit the nail on the head no matter what system I'm fooling with.

I mentioned that in my first post, I tried to edit the commands, at least the very first line, then it took me straight to the splash screen (jumping for joy!) and then right into BusyBox hell, (flabbergastedly depressed) hahaha.

[Fred]

GuttaMan,

Are we having fun yet!?

Ok, First I want you to make a backup copy of your /etc/fstab file, cause we are going to take a meat cleaver to it. lol

It will be best if you do this part without shutting down or rebooting until you are finished.

Replace the contents of your /etc/fstab file with what I have below. You will have to open the editor as root, or use sudo to open the editor.

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/sda9
UUID=e2be5f04-9b9b-40a0-99a5-7bc2547dc016 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /dev/sda10
UUID=364d4a1e-7ea2-4bca-bda7-b9b50d1223d4 /home ext3 defaults 0 2
# /dev/sda1
UUID=E220906F20904C83 /media/sda1 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda5
UUID=3F3A32565EE5F4FC /media/sda5 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda6
UUID=7717B0FD32C7C5EF /media/sda6 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda7
UUID=00DB3A7A0292117A /media/sda7 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda8
UUID=269B050B0B732143 /media/sda8 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda11
UUID=fad40e8c-9489-4ae8-b97d-7b42352b1916 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec 0 0

Now the next part you must do yourself. I can't do it for you.

You will notice that under # /dev/sda9,10, and 11 there is a line like this:

UUID=fad40e8c-9489-4ae8-b97d-7b42352b1916

That string of numbers/letters is probably wrong for each of those entries. You need to get the correct string for each of the 3 entries. To do that, open a terminal and type:

sudo vol_id -u /dev/sda9

You will get a string of numbers/letters. Replace the one in /etc/fstab for /dev/sda9 with the one you just calculated.

Do the same thing for /dev/sda10 and 11, each time replacing the old value with the new value. Be careful and double check your work. It is very easy to make a mistake. I know, I am an expert at making mistakes.

When you have completed that chore, save the file, and reboot. Now where are we?

Enjoy,

Fred

[GuttaMan]

Aye Fred, I followed all those steps ex-act-ly and they worked out for me as well...

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/sda9
UUID=e2be5f04-9b9b-40a0-99a5-7bc2547dc016 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /dev/sda10
UUID=364d4a1e-7ea2-4bca-bda7-b9b50d1223d4 /home ext3 defaults 0 2
# /dev/sda1
UUID=E220906F20904C83 /media/sda1 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda5
UUID=3F3A32565EE5F4FC /media/sda5 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda6
UUID=7717B0FD32C7C5EF /media/sda6 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda7
UUID=00DB3A7A0292117A /media/sda7 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda8
UUID=269B050B0B732143 /media/sda8 ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
# /dev/sda11
UUID=114d0006-f9bd-4457-a8fc-b5c865a86268 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec 0 0

...one noticeable difference I can tell is that before I changed the UUID values, when I went to check out the resources tab of my System Monitor, it showed the User Swap as "0 bytes of 0 GB" and now it shows "0 bytes of 2 GB". Man, I'm learning so much...this time yesterday, I didn't even know what an UUID was, lol. It's all good! Let me know Fred....

[Fred]

GuttaMan,

Isn't life grand!

Ok poke around and make sure everything seems to be working ok. Make sure you still have access to your ntfs partitions, both read and write.

Also check and make sure you can boot into both of your Windows partitions from the boot screen, like they are suppose to.

If all that works for you and you don't find anything else wrong you should be good to go.

Suggestions:

1) If in the future if you have the need to adjust your partition table or redo your installs I would suggest that you put your / (root) under 120 Gig from the start of the partition table. I always try for under a 100 Gig. but it should boot up to 120 Gig on every BIOS I have ever run into.

2) You are using 20 Gig. in your / (root) partition. I would suggest 10 - 12 Gig. for a general purpose desktop. I have a bit over 6 Gig used in my / (root) and I have all kinds of garbage in mine. I doubt you will live long enough to use more than 15 Gig., unless your get into some pretty heavy development work. All your data and your personal add on program config files go into /home so / (root) just doesn't grow that fast.

3) You only have a few Gig. in your /home folder. This is the folder that grows and grows and grows. Next time you might want to consider putting more space in there instead of / (root).

4) Supergrub can sure come in handy sometimes, but it is a powerful tool and can do hard as well as good. Use its' repair functions sparingly. Somebody on this forum introduced me to it. I use it mostly as a convenient way to boot into a broken system. It can be a life saver sometimes.

Let me know if everything is ok or not, please sir.

Enjoy life,

Fred

[GuttaMan]

GuttaMan,

Isn't life grand!

Ok poke around and make sure everything seems to be working ok. Make sure you still have access to your ntfs partitions, both read and write.

Also check and make sure you can boot into both of your Windows partitions from the boot screen, like they are suppose to.

If all that works for you and you don't find anything else wrong you should be good to go.

Suggestions:

1) If in the future if you have the need to adjust your partition table or redo your installs I would suggest that you put your / (root) under 120 Gig from the start of the partition table. I always try for under a 100 Gig. but it should boot up to 120 Gig on every BIOS I have ever run into.

2) You are using 20 Gig. in your / (root) partition. I would suggest 10 - 12 Gig. for a general purpose desktop. I have a bit over 6 Gig used in my / (root) and I have all kinds of garbage in mine. I doubt you will live long enough to use more than 15 Gig., unless your get into some pretty heavy development work. All your data and your personal add on program config files go into /home so / (root) just doesn't grow that fast.

3) You only have a few Gig. in your /home folder. This is the folder that grows and grows and grows. Next time you might want to consider putting more space in there instead of / (root).

4) Supergrub can sure come in handy sometimes, but it is a powerful tool and can do hard as well as good. Use its' repair functions sparingly. Somebody on this forum introduced me to it. I use it mostly as a convenient way to boot into a broken system. It can be a life saver sometimes.

Let me know if everything is ok or not, please sir.

Enjoy life,

Fred

Yessir, I tested every mounted partition, read and write, and everything seems to be in running order. I also was sucessfully able to boot into both XP and Vista so all of that check out as well. Ya know also I will check into what you're saying about the partitions, I'm still learning ya know...I'm starting school for video production and audio engineering soon so I will need a looootttt of space for different video and audio files as well as the programs, so I'm still really in the process of trying to put it all together and now that I discovered Linux, I'm wanna try everything with Linux

And of course, I have a tremendous amount of gratitude to you Fred for helping save my system. You helped me out big time, I spent so much time tweaking and finding all of these different programs that were similar to the ones I used on windows as well as some important files that I (was starting to think that I foolishly) saved in my /home/documents folder, and not to mention all my visuals, compiz, themes wallpapers, skydomes that I got from all over the place. I would certainly have been irked if I had to start all of that from scratch...I've done that WAAAAAY too much with Windows.

Well Cheers Fred!...Your efforts are much much much appreciated! Believe That!

Take Care Partner
Thanks Again,
GM

[Fred]

GuttaMan,

You are welcome sir. Good luck with your school.

Fred