ubuntu 8.10 GRUB issue

Can you boot up from the Ubuntu Cd and choose the option to "Try Ubuntu without changes" this should get you to a working desktop which we call a "LiveCd session", if it works. Note the LiveCd session is a little slower than the proper install and it tends to forget most of what you do with it. It should be able to surf the internet and see files on your hard-drive. It's not just good as a demo of Ubuntu but is also good for helping fix problems. Please let us know if you can get to a LiveCd session :)

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

18 : Selected cylinder exceeds maximum supported by BIOS
    This error is returned when a read is attempted at a linear block address beyond the end of the BIOS translated area. This generally happens if your disk is larger than the BIOS can handle (512MB for (E)IDE disks on older machines or larger than 8GB in general).

Go into your BIOS setup and look for "Hard disc mode" or something similar. The ususal choices are "LBA or Normal or Automatic". Set it to "Automatic".

My hard disk mode is already set to auto. It's an older computer so
maybe it's to out of date?

Sent from my iPhone

On May 8, 2009, at 4:56 PM, Andre Mangan <<email address hidden>
 > wrote:

> Your question #70415 on grub in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415
>
> Andre Mangan proposed the following answer:
> 18 : Selected cylinder exceeds maximum supported by BIOS
> This error is returned when a read is attempted at a linear block
> address beyond the end of the BIOS translated area. This generally
> happens if your disk is larger than the BIOS can handle (512MB for
> (E)IDE disks on older machines or larger than 8GB in general).
>
> Go into your BIOS setup and look for "Hard disc mode" or something
> similar. The ususal choices are "LBA or Normal or Automatic". Set it
> to "Automatic".
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to
> let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415/+confirm?answer_id=1
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.

Yep, just noticed my bios is 1 yr to old

Sent from my iPhone

On May 8, 2009, at 8:18 PM, tkdgirlms <<email address hidden>
 > wrote:

> Your question #70415 on grub in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415
>
> Status: Answered => Open
>
> You are still having a problem:
> My hard disk mode is already set to auto. It's an older computer so
> maybe it's to out of date?
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On May 8, 2009, at 4:56 PM, Andre Mangan <<email address hidden>
>> wrote:
>
>> Your question #70415 on grub in ubuntu changed:
>> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415
>>
>> Andre Mangan proposed the following answer:
>> 18 : Selected cylinder exceeds maximum supported by BIOS
>> This error is returned when a read is attempted at a linear block
>> address beyond the end of the BIOS translated area. This generally
>> happens if your disk is larger than the BIOS can handle (512MB for
>> (E)IDE disks on older machines or larger than 8GB in general).
>>
>> Go into your BIOS setup and look for "Hard disc mode" or something
>> similar. The ususal choices are "LBA or Normal or Automatic". Set
>> it
>> to "Automatic".
>>
>> --
>> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to
>> let us
>> know that it is solved:
>> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415/+confirm?answer_id=1
>>
>> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
>> following page to enter your feedback:
>> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415
>>
>> You received this question notification because you are a direct
>> subscriber of the question.
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.

Then try "Normal".

"Yep, just noticed my bios is 1 yr to old" - is that a misprint?

If your BIOS is only one year old then it is fine. Bios are flashed only when needed mainly because of incompatibility with hardware.

No, not a misprint. I noticed that the Ubuntu disk says bios 2000 is the
cut-off point and mine is from 1999. I'm working on upgrading bios to try
again with Ubuntu. Thanks!

On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 10:31 PM, Andre Mangan <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #70415 on grub in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Andre Mangan proposed the following answer:
> Then try "Normal".
>
> "Yep, just noticed my bios is 1 yr to old" - is that a misprint?
>
> If your BIOS is only one year old then it is fine. Bios are flashed
> only when needed mainly because of incompatibility with hardware.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
>
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415/+confirm?answer_id=4
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/70415
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

--
Kara Roberts
<email address hidden>
http://tkdgirlms.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/tkdgirlms

That explains it, the BIOS is actually 10 years old.

Hopefully, a newer BIOS will be available from the manufacturer.

Here are 2 walkthroughs for flashing your BIOS:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=318789

http://www.linuxinsight.com/how-to-flash-motherboard-bios-from-linux-no-dos-windows-no-floppy-drive.html

Good Luck.

You can close this thread now.

this may help with that error
Ubuntu Grub: Error 18: Selected Cylinder exceeds maximum 1024 cylinders supported by BIOS.

For Ubuntu 8.4, Ubuntu 8.10, Ubuntu 9.4. One single hard drive dual boot - Ubuntu /xp only

Please back up everything; I don’t want to be responsible for lost of precious moments, porno or school work!! (Use partition magic) to make a partition of unallocated disk space we are going to work with unallocated, because is the simplest way to do this (Be my guest to and to this test).

(Before than anything this error 18: sucks)
1) First boot with Ubuntu live CD.
2) Now star installing Ubuntu normally
3) Do everything as normal language, keyboard etc…..
4) When you get to the part of partitioning use manual partition (I will try to explain in the simplest way).
5) Let say you have a 20, 40, 60, 80, and so on gigs hard drive of unallocated disk space, When partition editor open you would see that space you created.
-------------------------------------------------------Part 1 ext2-------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Now lets make the first partition highlight the partition (press create new) this is the one that is going to be in the first (1024 cylinders) the most important one, you will use from 300mb to 1000gig (I use 1gig my self because I have lot’s of space).

When the window opens up do this:

Mark primary/ them put the number you want 300mb to 1000 gig/mark beginning/ext2 journaling/ mount point  pull down (/Boot) --- click ok----

NOTE: When you click ok you would have your first partition (ext2) plus what ever is left of that unallocated disk space.
-------------------------------------------------------Part 2 swap-------------------------------------------------------------------
7) Now lets make the second partition or what they call SWAP highlight the remain of the unallocated disk space partition (press create new) the swap partition have to be twice the size of your memory so (512mb equals 1024mb, 1gig equals 2gig) etc…

When the window opens up do this:

(Mark primary/put the numbers of twice your memory/mark beginning/pull down choose- (swap) - (click OK).

NOTE: When you click OK you would have your second partition (swap) plus what ever is left of that unallocated disk space.

-------------------------------------------------------Part 3 ext3-------------------------------------------------------------------
8) Now let’s make the third and final partition highlight the remain of the unallocated disk space and create an ext3 partition like this

Mark primary/live the numbers the way they are inside the box don't touch them/mark beginning/ext3 journalist/pull down and use only slash (/) as your mount point - (click ok).

NOTE: When you click OK you would have your third partition (ext3) and nothing left!!!

The window should look something like this
Windows XP
/dev/sda1 ext2 /boot ----300mb to 1000gig
/dev/sda2 swap 512mb equals 1024mb, 1gig equals 2gig
/dev/sda3 ext3 / (what ever is left numbers) as and EXT3

Click forward wait for the Ubuntu to install reboot and you should have you grub!!! palm your self in the back go to your girlfriend apartment and get laid you deserved!!!

Personal note: it took me 2 years to figured this crap out and I wasn’t able to up grade to newest Distros because DELL don’t have newest BIOS for my computer or because people didn’t answer my questions like a regular human being, if we cant explain people to install Ubuntu and by pass this types of errors we would lose them. Sorry for my English lol. Hope this help