I installed Linux Mint 14 on my laptop today. The whole installation process seemed to work fine, but now when I try to boot I get a black screen with the prompt
error; file not found.
Grub rescue>
Previously, my HDD had three main partitions: one for Windows 7, one shared one for data (both NTFS), and one ext4 partition for Ubuntu. I wiped the Ubuntu partition and installed Linux Mint on it. My BIOS was set to boot to this partition with GRUB so I could either let it continue to Linux or select to boot to Windows. So I'm guessing that some part or dependency of GRUB got erased when I formatted the ext4 partition, and GRUB now needs to be reconfigured with Linux Mint. I can still boot with the Live USB drive I used to install Linux Mint, so I should be able to use that to fix the problem. What do I do?
EDIT: I also appear to be able to access most of the files on my Linux Mint partition when booting from the USB stick.
Installed Linux Mint 14, GRUB Broken
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Installed Linux Mint 14, GRUB Broken
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Installed Linux Mint 14, GRUB Broken
Please download the Boot Info Script and run it from a Linux emergency system. Post the RESULTS.txt file that the script produces, either between code tags or as a link. That will provide debugging information that's vital for figuring out what's wrong.
Re: Installed Linux Mint 14, GRUB Broken
Code: Select all
Boot Info Script 0.61 [1 April 2012]
============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
=> Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector
1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and
looks in partition 6 for (,msdos6)/boot/grub.
=> Syslinux MBR (3.61-4.03) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb.
sda1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7: NTFS
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD
sda2: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7: NTFS
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files: /Windows/System32/winload.exe
sda3: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7: NTFS
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files:
sda4: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sda5: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sda6: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Grub2 (v1.99)
Boot sector info: Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the boot sector of sda6
and looks at sector 1258242408 of the same hard drive
for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
in partition 72 for .
Operating System: Linux Mint 14 Nadia
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab
sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: vfat
Boot sector type: SYSLINUX 4.03 2010-10-22
Boot sector info: Syslinux looks at sector 393448 of /dev/sdb1 for its
second stage. SYSLINUX is installed in the /
directory. According to the info in the boot sector,
sdb1 starts at sector 0. But according to the info
from fdisk, sdb1 starts at sector 62.
Operating System:
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /syslinux.cfg
/efi/BOOT/grubx64.efi /ldlinux.sys
============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================
Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sda: 750.2 GB, 750156374016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 91201 cylinders, total 1465149168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System
/dev/sda1 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2 206,848 488,357,887 488,151,040 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda3 488,357,888 1,074,386,943 586,029,056 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda4 1,074,388,990 1,465,147,391 390,758,402 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 1,074,388,992 1,097,824,255 23,435,264 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 1,097,826,304 1,465,147,391 367,321,088 83 Linux
Drive: sdb _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sdb: 2002 MB, 2002747392 bytes
62 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1017 cylinders, total 3911616 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 62 3,909,347 3,909,286 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________
Device UUID TYPE LABEL
/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 E84A83CF4A8398C8 ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sda2 5EDCFDE2DCFDB3FD ntfs
/dev/sda3 F248D7E148D7A2A1 ntfs
/dev/sda5 26632d70-9032-48cf-aab5-b3dc74664d7c swap
/dev/sda6 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa ext4
/dev/sdb1 02AE-3E5D vfat
================================ Mount points: =================================
Device Mount_Point Type Options
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sda6 /media/mint/45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks2)
/dev/sdb1 /cdrom vfat (ro,noatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro)
=========================== sda6/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
menuentry_id_option=""
fi
export menuentry_id_option
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
insmod all_video
else
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod ieee1275_fb
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
fi
}
if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos6'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos6 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos6 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos6 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
fi
font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi
if loadfont $font ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
set gfxpayload="$1"
if [ "$1" = "keep" ]; then
set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
else
set vt_handoff=
fi
}
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Linux Mint 14 MATE 64-bit, 3.5.0-17-generic (/dev/sda6)' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos6'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos6 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos6 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos6 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic root=UUID=45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic
}
menuentry 'Linux Mint 14 MATE 64-bit, 3.5.0-17-generic (/dev/sda6) -- recovery mode' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos6'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos6 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos6 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos6 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
fi
echo 'Loading Linux 3.5.0-17-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic root=UUID=45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa ro recovery nomodeset
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos6'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos6 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos6 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos6 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
fi
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos6'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos6 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos6 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos6 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa
fi
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-chain-E84A83CF4A8398C8' {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 E84A83CF4A8398C8
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root E84A83CF4A8398C8
fi
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=============================== sda6/etc/fstab: ================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=45ff03d0-5f86-4542-a801-149f9508a7aa / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=26632d70-9032-48cf-aab5-b3dc74664d7c none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=================== sda6: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
613.630958557 = 658.881224704 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
569.936050415 = 611.964174336 boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic 2
679.618125916 = 729.734406144 boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic 1
569.936050415 = 611.964174336 initrd.img 2
?? = ?? initrd.img.old 1
679.618125916 = 729.734406144 vmlinuz 1
=========================== sdb1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod gfxterm
terminal_output gfxterm
fi
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
menuentry "Start Linux Mint" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper iso-scan/filename=${iso_path} quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Start Linux Mint (compatibility mode)" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper xforcevesa iso-scan/filename=${iso_path} ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw noapic noapci nosplash irqpoll --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Check the integrity of the medium" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper integrity-check iso-scan/filename=${iso_path} quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Test memory" {
linux16 /install/mt86plus
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
============================== sdb1/syslinux.cfg: ==============================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
default menu.c32
prompt 0
menu title UNetbootin
timeout 100
label unetbootindefault
menu label Default
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper quiet splash --
label ubnentry0
menu label Start Linux Mint
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper quiet splash --
label ubnentry1
menu label Start in compatibility mode
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper xforcevesa nomodeset b43.blacklist=yes ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw noapic noapci nosplash irqpoll --
label ubnentry2
menu label Integrity check
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz boot=casper integrity-check quiet splash --
label ubnentry3
menu label Memory test
kernel /isolinux/memtest
append initrd=/ubninit
label ubnentry4
menu label Boot from local drive
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit
label ubnentry5
menu label Start Linux Mint (compatibility mode)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper xforcevesa iso-scan/filename=${iso_path} ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw noapic noapci nosplash irqpoll --
label ubnentry6
menu label Check the integrity of the medium
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz boot=casper integrity-check iso-scan/filename=${iso_path} quiet splash --
label ubnentry7
menu label Test memory
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
?? = ?? boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
================= sdb1: Location of files loaded by Syslinux: ==================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
?? = ?? ldlinux.sys 1
?? = ?? menu.c32 1
?? = ?? syslinux.cfg 1
?? = ?? syslinux/vesamenu.c32 1
============== sdb1: Version of COM32(R) files used by Syslinux: ===============
menu.c32 : COM32R module (v4.xx)
syslinux/vesamenu.c32 : COM32R module (v4.xx)
========= Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive: =========
sdc
=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================
FIBMAP: Invalid argument
No volume groups found
Re: Installed Linux Mint 14, GRUB Broken
I think these are the critical entries:
This indicates that GRUB 1.97 or 1.98 is installed in the MBR of the disk. This version of GRUB will execute. It appears to be intact and it looks for its support files in /dev/sda6's /boot/grub directory. By itself, this seems OK; but....
Another version of GRUB (1.99) is installed in the boot sector of /dev/sda6. Since 1.99 > 1.98, my hunch is that your Ubuntu installation put GRUB 1.97 or 1.98 in the MBR; then when you installed Mint, it put its newer GRUB in /dev/sda6, leaving the MBR-resident GRUB code "orphaned" and unable to work correctly because it's relying on support files that no longer exist -- they've been replaced with newer incompatible support files.
The solution to this problem is to re-install GRUB in the MBR of /dev/sda. There are a number of ways to do this. The one that I find easiest to explain is:
Code: Select all
============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
=> Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector
1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and
looks in partition 6 for (,msdos6)/boot/grub.
Code: Select all
sda6: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Grub2 (v1.99)
Boot sector info: Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the boot sector of sda6
and looks at sector 1258242408 of the same hard drive
for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
in partition 72 for .
Operating System: Linux Mint 14 Nadia
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab
The solution to this problem is to re-install GRUB in the MBR of /dev/sda. There are a number of ways to do this. The one that I find easiest to explain is:
- Download the Super GRUB2 Disk and burn it to a CD. (I think it'll also work on a USB flash drive, but I'm not positive of that.)
- Boot the Super GRUB2 Disk and play with its menu until you find an option that gets Mint to boot. (There are several options, and you may need to try several. IIRC, "Detect any GRUB2 configuration file" usually works for me.)
- Once in Mint, open a shell and type "sudo grub-install /dev/sda".
- Remove the Super GRUB2 Disk and reboot to test.
Re: Installed Linux Mint 14, GRUB Broken
I thought it was something like this. I will try Super GRUB2 as soon as possible; thanks. Out of curiosity, is there anything I could have done before installing Linux Mint to prevent this from happening?srs5694 wrote:Another version of GRUB (1.99) is installed in the boot sector of /dev/sda6. Since 1.99 > 1.98, my hunch is that your Ubuntu installation put GRUB 1.97 or 1.98 in the MBR; then when you installed Mint, it put its newer GRUB in /dev/sda6, leaving the MBR-resident GRUB code "orphaned" and unable to work correctly because it's relying on support files that no longer exist -- they've been replaced with newer incompatible support files.
Re: Installed Linux Mint 14, GRUB Broken
Probably not before, but possibly during. There should be an option in the installation that enables you to specify where GRUB is installed -- in the MBR (/dev/sda) vs. in the Mint boot partition (/dev/sda6, in your case). Selecting the former rather than the latter would have avoided the problem. That said, I don't know offhand if Mint's installer actually presents such an option. Some distributions have attempted to make installers more "user-friendly" by eliminating such "confusing" options and instead relying on algorithms to try to figure out the best approach to take. Unfortunately, such algorithms invariably fail in some cases, leading to more problems for at least some users.dpitch40 wrote:I thought it was something like this. I will try Super GRUB2 as soon as possible; thanks. Out of curiosity, is there anything I could have done before installing Linux Mint to prevent this from happening?
Re: Installed Linux Mint 14, GRUB Broken
Anyway, your solution worked like a charm. Thank you very much.