Grub: Error 15 File not found

Err it looks like maybe the kernels aren't installing properly?

It is definitely time to tidy up your menu.lst and you'll probably have to do that with
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
or something on a command line - but first make a copy of it called menu.010209 or something obvious that you'll know to reinstate if it all goes horribly wrong ;)

When you say only one entry works and then later say "left one working entry 2.6.27-7-generic" i'm a bit unclear which of the list below has an entry that works (or at least worked before following the advice above lol)

2.6.27-11
2.6.27-9
2.6.27-7
2.6.24-12

Hopefully at least one thing in the 2.6.27-11 options worked and then BdG's advice should have completely fixed the entire problem in one easy swoop.

Note that you may have to use the 8.10 disc as a LiveCd to fix the menu.lst on your hard-drive if you can't boot to your hard-drive after modifying the menu.lst file ;) Sorry, that's a bit obvious i guess.

Regards and good luck with this
Tom

Ps i usually edit the titles down to something that looks nicer while booting ;)

Please remove the old or not working kernels:
dont' touch linux-image-2.6.27-7-generic <<<< this works -- all the rest don't

Open a Terminal from the menu Applications → Accessories → Terminal
and type or better copy and past a row a time then press enter:

sudo apt-get --purge remove linux-image-2.6.24-12-generic linux-image-2.6.27-11-generic linux-image-2.6.27-9-generic
sudo apt-get autoremove

(if the system ask you a password give your user password, you will not see nothing when you type it, then press enter)

Then try to reinstall the linux-image-2.6.27-11-generic

sudo apt-get --reinstall install linux-image-2.6.27-11-generic

hope this helps

Thanks a lot ... this seems to have resolved the problem.
I tried removing and re-installing the kernel first -- which didn't work but this did.

Will I have to do this whenever I get an updated kernel?

Can you tell me why this fixed it? What was going wrong?

Thanks again.

Your menu.lst was getting too long and muddled, some blocks of text started calling one thing but ended calling another - it just needed a major spring-clean.

Hello,
I know this is a solved post, but perhaps, you can help me.
I have also the error 15

from the cd-live ubuntu "sudo fdisk -l" I have that :
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 1020 8193118+ 12 Compaq diagnostics
/dev/sda2 * 1021 6119 40957717+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 6120 6152 265072+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 6153 19457 106872412+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 6153 6336 1477948+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 6337 19457 105394401 83 Linux

In "menu.lst" (without the comment) :
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)

default 0
timeout 3

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=4038bffc-47be-46f7-983f-0133c1aa8ab6 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=4038bffc-47be-46f7-983f-0133c1aa8ab6 ro single
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

title Other operating systems:
root

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows NT/2000/XP
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

ls /boot :
abi-2.6.27-7-generic System.map-2.6.27-7-generic
config-2.6.27-7-generic vmcoreinfo-2.6.27-7-generic
memtest86+.bin

  ls /boot/grub
ls: cannot access /boot/grub: No such file or directory

I know, I have something to change in the menu-lst, but I'm not good enough, to know what ?
Thanks for your help !

Please post this as a new question
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+addquestion

Copy and paste is a great way to do this ;)
Each case is slightly different and you need the people at the front-desk to see this to help you solve your case.

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Ok,
First off we need to backup the menu.lst on your hard-drive and i'm unclear from the partitioning exactly what's going on there. This should work though :) Using the LiveCd session go up to the top taskbar and click on

Applications - Accessories - Terminal

into the terminal console, onto the command-line type

cd /dev/sda3
cd boot/grub
ls
sudo cp menu.lst menu.lst.290309

note the "ls" is a lower-case "LS". "ls" shows a list of what's in the folder, note that "dir" also works but doesn't look as nice imo ;) You might get asked for a password although i'm not sure what happens from the LiveCd. Normally it's your normal user password but i don't think you have set one yet. Now continuing with

ls

You should see the new file menu.lst.290309 which is a copy of your menu.lst file.

It could be that i got the first line wrong and that you'll need to do the above steps but replace " /dev/sda3" with " /dev/sda6". I have a feeling the first way is right though.

Some background on this machine? It used to boot into Ubuntu fine but suddenly started having problems? or is this a fresh install? Did you install Ubuntu or was that someone else? Does the machine still boot into Windows? Xp or Vista or both? Do you want to tidy up the titles in the grub boot menu at the same time as sorting the Ubuntu?

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

timeout 3 is very fast! it might be worth making it a bit longer so that you have more time to see the grub boot menu and make a choice?

I've made a new post, it is here :
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/65753

And then when I do
cd /dev/sda3 it say not a directory. ?

3 second, it's ok, normally, because I can do esc if I want to see it.

When I make a cd /dev and ls, sda3 is in the list !

lol, try

cd /dev/sda6

i just thought sda3 was a special partition just for grub but even so it seems very tiny. Try the sda6 instead. Backing up the menu.lst is fairly crucial before doing any of what Michael is talking about i think. Also note that you can "Edit question" (top right) so you can delete the line "I know this is a solved question" lol. Thanks for posting the link :)
Regards from
Tom :)

I did all cd /dev/sda1 to 6, I always have Not a directory ?!

Ooops, sorry. try going up to the top taskbar and click on "Places". Can you navigate into any of those folders from there?

I'm sorry i don't know enough to be able to help with this. I've not replied to the other thread because i want it to remain "Open" and as soon as anyone answers it becomes "Answered" which greatly reduces the chances of anyone else looking into it.

As i said in the other thread doing an install the "Manual Partitioning" route and making sure the "Format Partition?" box is UNticked for each partition should keep all your data, programs and settings safe but will freshen it up and add stuff that's mssing. It's not without risk though! Many people who try it, especially noobs reading through past "Solved" questions, may well end up making a mistake that wipes their partitions by reformatting them. I think you're skilled and experienced enough to go ahead with this but take care to back everything up if you do!

Alternatively if you could buy a new hard-drive (or acquire another one of at least 10 to 15Gb) to add in so that you have 1 Master and 1 Slave drive then you could install Ubuntu to the 'new' one. Again this isn't an ideal answer. I was wondering if it's possible to simply copy the appropriate files into the right places but getting the right files might be tricky. I'm hoping that someone pops in with an answer like that in the other thread, or something better. It might be a long wait but at least you can use Windows in the meantime?

Good luck and regards from
Tom

I think the people in the other thread are asking good questions. Seems like they really know their stuff. Cruncher is good at this sort of thing.

Good luck with this
Regards from
Tom :)

Yes, thanks !
I hope I find a solution !
If I would be good I had made a ghost from the disk, so it would be no problem !
That's for the next time ... the bad is there is a big problem, the good is, with it I learn something !
Thanks for your help !
Regards !
Corinne