Ubuntu
grub2 package

Grub Prompt at boot

Asked by Ian Bower

Hello - I'll try to give as much detail as I can.

this is my very first experience with Linux. Trying to install ubuntu 10.04.

I have two hard drives. I have Windows XP as my OS.

I know next to nothing about command prompts and the inner workings of a PC beyond the windows operating system.

So, I made a Boot CD for Ubuntu, tested it out and liked it. I installed it on my biggest harddrive. (where windows is installed)

After reboot I was confronted with a grub rescue prompt.

After doing some googling, I figured out how to reinstall Grub2.

I did that.

NOW I get just a straight Grub prompt

grub>

Following another post, I rebooted with the Live CD, pressed spacebar with the symbols appear at the bottom and did a Disc test, came back fine.

I am in the middle of doing a memory test, and will still actively pursue solutions by browsing other peoples problems.

But I cant be confident that I can make this work. Can anyone help?

What additional information can I provide you?

Thanks.

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Ubuntu grub2 Edit question
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Ian Bower
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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#1

Please wait erform the memory test to be sure your pc Ram memory is good.

Then using (boot from) the Ubuntu live install cd please open a terminal from Applications→Accessories→Terminal and type:

sudo fdisk -l

copy and paste the result here...

Thank you

Revision history for this message
Ian Bower (ian-bowerphoto) said : 		#2

Thank you for the quick response.

Memory test passed.

Here is what you asked for.

To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x03230323

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 60800 488375968+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa683a683

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 14592 117210208+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdc: 2045 MB, 2045247488 bytes
47 heads, 46 sectors/track, 1847 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2162 * 512 = 1106944 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 1 1848 1997188+ 6 FAT16
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Revision history for this message
Ian Bower (ian-bowerphoto) said : 		#3

Update -

At the grub prompt I typed the following

root(hd0,1)
chainloader +1
boot

at which point it moved on to the windows splash screen and did a disc test

after the disc test, it rebooted and I got the following error

error: ELF header smaller than expected
grub rescue>

=/

Just booted from the live CD. I should note that whenever I use the livecd I get "Installation failed - The installer encountered an unrecoverable error. A desktop session will now be run so that you may investigate the problem or try installing again"

Should I just try reinstalling Ubuntu?

Revision history for this message
Ian Bower (ian-bowerphoto) said : 		#4

Reinstalled - Seems to work now.