Mint on ext drive?

[kallen]

Hello all. I have never used Mint, so I here am new. I have been Linux off and on sporadically for a few years, so I am still really a noob. Which brings me to my problem...
I am running a Toshiba Satellite, currently dual booting with Windows XP and Mandriva Linux. I decided the other day to try this flavor (Mint) of Linux. Rather than install Mint on the internal HDD, I decided to install it on an ext. USB HDD. However, I have thus far been unable to boot into Mint. I have my bios set up to boot to USB before HDD, but it still skips and loads the Mandriva GRUB... ok, so in Mandriva, I edited the GRUB to include Mint on the USB. When I boot and select Mint, I get a GRUB Error 13. So I am not sure how to get Mint to boot.

I thought that with USB set to boot prior to the HDD, I wouldn't even see the Mandriva GRUB, so I assume that the problem lies with my install or Mint or with the Mint GRUB (equivelant)....help?
Thanks!

[Decemberdoom]

Do you have GRUB installed to the Linux partition of the external Drive, or to it's MBR? (I know little about external drives, but as far as I do know, they are the same as internal ones, just with USB connections).

Try installing it to MBR if not. From what I've read online, Error 13 usually can be resolved from editing menu.lst . Make sure your Menu.lst lists Mint as being on a USB device rather than on a HD.

[kallen]

I honestly don't know...the BRUB that comes up when I boot in on the internal HDD... When I installed Mint from the LiveCD, it installed on the ext. HDD with no issues. however, during install, there were no options presented regarding the installation or setup of the GRUB. I assumed that the reason i wasn't able to boot Mint from the Mandrive GRUB was because it is on the internal HDD, thus the USB has already been bypassed during the boot process...Mint apparently did not install a GRUB on the ext HDD, or it would be detected during boot and not make to the Mandriva GRUB...
I do not know how to fix that....

[Fred]

kallen,

Boot into your Mandriva install. Mount your external drive if it doesn't do so by default and open your Mint /boot/grub/menu.lst on the external drive. Post that menu.lst to the forum and let's have a look at it.

Fred

[kallen]

Thankyou!

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-legacy-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.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default		0

## Graphical boot menu location
gfxmenu=/boot/gfxmenu/default.message

## 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/sdb1 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd1,0)

## 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

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##      lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(single-user) 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

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Linux Mint 6, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic
root		(hd1,0)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=/dev/sdb1 ro quiet splash 
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet

title		Linux Mint 6, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic (recovery mode)
root		(hd1,0)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=/dev/sdb1 ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title		Linux Mint 6, kernel Last successful boot
root		(hd1,0)
kernel		/boot/last-good-boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb1 ro quiet splash  last-good-boot
quiet

title		Linux Mint 6, memtest86+
root		(hd1,0)
kernel		/boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### 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 Media Center Edition
root		(hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title		linux (on /dev/sda3)
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=45070b9b-6f17-44fc-80e5-c49cccc01d6c resume=UUID=4281f4ab-0855-4330-9568-e2313e33e550 splash=silent vga=788 
initrd		(hd0,2)/boot/initrd.img
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title		linux-nonfb (on /dev/sda3)
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux-nonfb root=UUID=45070b9b-6f17-44fc-80e5-c49cccc01d6c resume=UUID=4281f4ab-0855-4330-9568-e2313e33e550 
initrd		(hd0,2)/boot/initrd.img
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title		failsafe (on /dev/sda3)
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=failsafe root=UUID=45070b9b-6f17-44fc-80e5-c49cccc01d6c failsafe 
initrd		(hd0,2)/boot/initrd.img
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title		2.6.27-desktop586rc8-2mnb (on /dev/sda3)
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-desktop586-0.rc8.2mnb BOOT_IMAGE=2.6.27-desktop586rc8-2mnb root=UUID=45070b9b-6f17-44fc-80e5-c49cccc01d6c resume=UUID=4281f4ab-0855-4330-9568-e2313e33e550 splash=silent vga=788 
initrd		(hd0,2)/boot/initrd-2.6.27-desktop586-0.rc8.2mnb.img
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title		desktop586 2.6.27.10-1mnb (on /dev/sda3)
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.10-desktop586-1mnb BOOT_IMAGE=desktop586_2.6.27.10-1mnb root=UUID=45070b9b-6f17-44fc-80e5-c49cccc01d6c resume=UUID=4281f4ab-0855-4330-9568-e2313e33e550 splash=silent vga=788 
initrd		(hd0,2)/boot/initrd-2.6.27.10-desktop586-1mnb.img
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda3.
title		desktop586 2.6.27.14-1mnb (on /dev/sda3)
root		(hd0,2)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.14-desktop586-1mnb BOOT_IMAGE=desktop586_2.6.27.14-1mnb root=UUID=45070b9b-6f17-44fc-80e5-c49cccc01d6c resume=UUID=4281f4ab-0855-4330-9568-e2313e33e550 splash=silent vga=788 
initrd		(hd0,2)/boot/initrd-2.6.27.14-desktop586-1mnb.img
savedefault
boot

[Fred]

Kallen,

Open your Mandriva /boot/grub/menu.lst for editing. You must be root to edit that file.

Look down toward the bottom of the file where you will see the boot stanzas. After the Mandriva boot stanzas put the lines below in that file. Save and close the editor. It will then be in your Mandriva menu when you boot. Select it and Mint should start for you, if the external drive is connected.

title Linux Mint 6, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=/dev/sdb1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet


Fred