How do I stop PC booting the wrong partition ?[SOLVED]

[ron_h]

OK. I'm currently booted from LMDETEST on sda8 and I'm not happy with the results of mkconfig.

The first couple of menuentries look OK to me if the fact that I booted from sda8 means that sda8 now gets 'pole position' (sounds logical to me)

Code: Select all

menuentry 'LMDE Cinnamon 64-bit, 3.11-2-amd64 (/dev/sda8)' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	load_video
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos8)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 015fac40-f127-11e3-ad5a-2b2b889acdff
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.11-2-amd64 ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64 root=UUID=015fac40-f127-11e3-ad5a-2b2b889acdff ro  quiet splash
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64
}
menuentry 'LMDE Cinnamon 64-bit, 3.11-2-amd64 (/dev/sda8) -- (recovery mode)' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	load_video
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos8)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 015fac40-f127-11e3-ad5a-2b2b889acdff
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.11-2-amd64 ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64 root=UUID=015fac40-f127-11e3-ad5a-2b2b889acdff ro single 
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64

}

The Win 7 menuentries look OK and (touch wood) there's not been any problem booting Win 7 (not that I want to, if I can avoid it, the netbook is so slow

Then come the sda6 entries and they look OK to me as well

Code: Select all

Found LMDE Cinnamon Edition (1) on /dev/sda6
menuentry "LMDE Cinnamon 64-bit, 3.11-2-amd64 (/dev/sda6) (on /dev/sda6)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos6)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root c456e7bd-e79e-496c-93a1-5c522359fdaa
	linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64 root=UUID=c456e7bd-e79e-496c-93a1-5c522359fdaa ro quiet splash
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64
}
menuentry "LMDE Cinnamon 64-bit, 3.11-2-amd64 (/dev/sda6) -- (recovery mode) (on /dev/sda6)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos6)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root c456e7bd-e79e-496c-93a1-5c522359fdaa
	linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64 root=UUID=c456e7bd-e79e-496c-93a1-5c522359fdaa ro single
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64
}

But then there's another menuentry, just one, not 'main' and 'recovery', which I don't like the look of it at all as it contains both of the UUIDs

Code: Select all

menuentry "LMDETEST Cinnamon 64-bit, 3.11-2-amd64 on /dev/sda8) (on /dev/sda6)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos6)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root c456e7bd-e79e-496c-93a1-5c522359fdaa
	linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64 root=UUID=015fac40-f127-11e3-ad5a-2b2b889acdff ro quiet splash
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64
}

I don't know how to interpret this, but it doesn't look good to me. I suspect this menuentry would boot sda6 based on past results.

I will restart with the sda6 system and see if I get the same result there. Real Soon Now.

I was just having fun using the LMDETEST system to -er- do some testing and I will finish before I restart.

Ron

[Spearmint2]

changing UUID's. If you boot a LIVE DVD and then go to the drive with the partitions, unmount any that may have mounted (none should have), open GParted, then right clk, you can choose to get a new UUID for that partition.

[ron_h]

Thank you. I didn't know I could get a new UUID that way. Does it make sure the new UUID is reflected in every place that a UUID is actually stored ? From the experiences so far, UUIDs are not just in one place, nor does everything that needs the UUID look in the same place.

Ron

[Spearmint2]

Does it make sure the new UUID is reflected in every place that a UUID is actually stored ?

I do not know, but don't think so. It seems though if you'd just gotten a new UUID and then run update-grub before doing all the other stuff, you'd have it solved by now. One reason people use a boot partition is to avoid these needed cross boot situations.

[ron_h]

I've restarted booting from LMDE partition, and while the results are not the same as on LMDETEST, they are not right, either.

I'll keep things as they are for a while longer then I'll start again, different approach, to get both a current and a test partition on this hard drive, able to boot either.

I'll post this thread as SOLVED, because the original problem is solved, but I don't like all aspects of the solution.

Ron