Mint overwrote my grub install with grub2, which wouldn't boot anything. I had to boot from rescue CD into Arch and restore grub. No matter what I add to grub, though, it won't boot Mint. I tried using labels, even, but I still get various errors at boot (no such partition, can't find disk, can't find file, etc.). Here's what's in menu.lst for Mint now:
# (4) Linux Mint
title Linux Mint
root=LABEL=Mint
kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/a26a7941-e589-419a-8cc1-d5c9d1d436ae ro vga=773
initrd /initrd.img
Mint is on /dev/sda2, according to what Arch says, but neither (hd0,1) or any other value works (tried hd0,0, hd1,0, hd1,1, some hdx,msdosx values, and even a few others that there's no disk for, lol). Can anyone assist me? I really want to start using Mint, but I can't solve this.
Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
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Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
Moved here as this is about Arch Linux. And, erm, well here is the help on the Arch wiki: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GR ... 28GRUB2.29 So you need to load the Linux Mint installation DVD again, and manually now install GRUB2 to /dev/sda2. Then follow the example on Arch wiki.
Re: Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
I wondered where it went. :p
I did install it to /dev/sda2 in Mint. When that didn't work, I couldn't boot anything - I think the partition designations are changing from OS to BIOS/grub, is that possible? I used the UUID and label, like I said, but nothing is working.
I did install it to /dev/sda2 in Mint. When that didn't work, I couldn't boot anything - I think the partition designations are changing from OS to BIOS/grub, is that possible? I used the UUID and label, like I said, but nothing is working.
Re: Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
As the example shows, easiest is to chainload GRUB2 from GRUB Legacy. You may try gathering some diagnostics with the boot info script, as detailed here: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 62#p545770. You can run that from the live session of the Linux Mint installation DVD. It will help oyu figure out whether indeed GRUB2 is installed correctly and to which partition. Then just copy & paste the example from the wiki, and adjust to number one down (as example is for /dev/sda3 and you want /dev/sda2).
Re: Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
Here's what I'm getting:
In Arch, however, fdisk lists that drive as /dev/sda, and for some weird reason the other one as /dev/sdd:
and grub legacy boots Arch from root (hd0,0). So where is it actually booting from? I'm confused
Code: Select all
mint@mint ~ $ sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 640.1 GB, 640133946880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 77825 cylinders, total 1250261615 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0000a260
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 58935295 29467616+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 58935296 66426879 3745792 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4 66428775 1250258624 591914925 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 66428838 121124863 27348013 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 121126912 804724735 341798912 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 804726784 1250257365 222765291 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdb: 80.0 GB, 80025280000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156299375 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0004036b
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 63 42203135 21101536+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 42203136 156297215 57047040 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdc: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 63 312576704 156288321 83 Linux
mint@mint ~ $ sudo grub-install /dev/sdb2
grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of /cow.
Path `/boot/grub' is not readable by GRUB on boot. Installation is impossible. Aborting.
mint@mint ~ $ sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
mint@mint ~ $ sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb2
grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of /cow.
/usr/sbin/grub-bios-setup: warning: File system `ext2' doesn't support embedding.
/usr/sbin/grub-bios-setup: warning: Embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and their use is discouraged..
/usr/sbin/grub-bios-setup: error: will not proceed with blocklists.
mint@mint ~ $ sudo chroot /mnt
mint / # grub-install /dev/sdb2
grub-probe: error: cannot find a device for /boot (is /dev mounted?).
Path `/boot/grub' is not readable by GRUB on boot. Installation is impossible. Aborting.
mint / # ls
bin dev home initrd.img.old lib64 media opt root sbin srv tmp var
boot etc initrd.img lib lost+found mnt proc run selinux sys usr vmlinuz
mint / #
Code: Select all
# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80025280000 bytes, 156299375 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0004036b
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 42203135 21101536+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 42203136 156297215 57047040 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdd: 640.1 GB, 640133946880 bytes, 1250261615 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0000a260
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 * 63 58935295 29467616+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdd2 58935296 66426879 3745792 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdd4 66428775 1250258624 591914925 5 Extended
/dev/sdd5 66428838 121124863 27348013 83 Linux
/dev/sdd6 121126912 804724735 341798912 83 Linux
/dev/sdd7 804726784 1250257365 222765291 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes, 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 63 312576704 156288321 83 Linux
Re: Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
Perhaps somebody more knowledgeable can step in and suggest a next step. That disks can be numbered differently with the /dev/sdXY notation is a known problem of that notation, it can even change from boot to boot for some BIOSes. Why did you install with ext2 though? Ext4 is the default and would allow embedding.
Anyway, if you have Linux Mint on a completely separate hard disk you can also try installing GRUB2 to the MBR of that hard disk. That shouldn't need embedding.
(Only difference is the /dev/sdb2 on the last command is changed to /dev/sdb.)
Anyway, if you have Linux Mint on a completely separate hard disk you can also try installing GRUB2 to the MBR of that hard disk. That shouldn't need embedding.
Code: Select all
sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb
Re: Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
That's another weird thing - it is ext4! Don't know why it's saying ext2 there, makes me think it's trying to write somewhere else.
Mint installed grub2 to /dev/sdb during the install. That wouldn't boot anything, which is why I restored grub legacy from within arch. I don't know a next step, either, except maybe try reinstalling Mint and this time selecting "alongside existing OS" instead of "something else," and then hope Mint will install a working grub2 from that option.
Thanks for your answers, it's a tough problem.
Mint installed grub2 to /dev/sdb during the install. That wouldn't boot anything, which is why I restored grub legacy from within arch. I don't know a next step, either, except maybe try reinstalling Mint and this time selecting "alongside existing OS" instead of "something else," and then hope Mint will install a working grub2 from that option.
Thanks for your answers, it's a tough problem.
Re: Can't Boot Mint from an Arch System with Grub
Still can't boot Mint. Not sure how to proceed or what to try next. Don't really want to totally wipe existing Arch installation. Can anyone assist?