Can't boot linux with GRUB

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Debian User

Greetings;

I can boot to Windows OK, fortunately.

So, forgetting the problem with GRUB, how can I boot
to my new Debian/linux system?

Many TIA!

Dennis

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Can't boot linux with GRUB

Submitted by Douglas Tutty on Mon, 2007-03-19 19:00.

On Mon, Mar 19, 2007 at 06:05:05PM -0600, Dennis G. Wicks wrote:
>
> After many starts and stops and restarts I got Deb
> installed via the web. GRUB was installed, did a
> shutdown/restart and I can't boot to Deb/linux. It
> spews out all sorts of messages too fast for me to
> read them and then locks the system. I have to hit
> RESET to restart it.
>

> So, forgetting the problem with GRUB, how can I boot
> to my new Debian/linux system?
>

Welcome, Dennis,

The best way to get a proper answer to this is to follow the
instructions in the installation manual on submitting an installation
report. Subscribe to the debian-boot list to follow the discussion.

If grub didn't work, then the kernel wouldn't boot. Likely, you got the
kernel to boot but grub isn't passing the right parameters to debian.

I would suggest you submit an installation report, include the grub
menu.lst file and the last few lines on the screen before your reset the
box.

You can also try booting the install CD in rescue mode and tell it to
reinstall grub. That might fix it.

Good luck.

Doug.

Can't boot linux with GRUB

Submitted by Jorge Peixoto d... on Mon, 2007-03-19 19:00.

After many starts and stops and restarts I got Debinstalled via the web. GRUB was installed, did a
shutdown/restart and I can't boot to Deb/linux. Itspews out all sorts of messages too fast for me toread them and then locks the system.Be more clear. The message appear before or after the kernel starts?
Also, maybe you can pause the messages by hitting the pause/break key or the scroll lock key (I have realized that in some situations the scroll lock key pauses things. I don't understand it).
-- Software is like sex: it is better when it is free.

Can't boot linux with GRUB

Submitted by Andrew Sackvill... on Mon, 2007-03-19 21:00.

On Mon, Mar 19, 2007 at 06:05:05PM -0600, Dennis G. Wicks wrote:
> Greetings;
>
> After many starts and stops and restarts I got Deb
> installed via the web. GRUB was installed, did a
> shutdown/restart and I can't boot to Deb/linux. It
> spews out all sorts of messages too fast for me to
> read them and then locks the system. I have to hit
> RESET to restart it.

sounds like GRUB is not the problem. sounds to me like you're having
trouble with X. did you select the "desktop" option when installing?

if so, then try this:

when the grub menu comes up, use the arrow keys to move to the debian
single-user line. it might be labeled "Debian GNU/Linux,
kernel... (recovery mode)". now press enter to boot into single-user
mode. this will prevent the X system from starting. You should get to
a prompt asking for the root user's password. enter that and you're in
at init level 1. That is the maintenance mode.

assuming you're still with me, you should be able to reconfigure the x
system from here: dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg (or xserver-xfree86,
if you're running sarge). review all your selections for the video
card and monitor and try again. to see if it works, you would type
"exit" on the command prompt to exit single user mode and continue on
to multi-user mode which will start x for you again.

>
> I can boot to Windows OK, fortunately.

this suggests that grub is working and that your problem is x.

report back!

grub

Submitted by bobsetch@comcast.net on Thu, 2007-05-31 10:00.

I'm still a linux newbie and I've gone from bad to worst. I used to have a working etch system but in an attempt to get my printer working I reinstalled etch several times and when it reboots it comes up in grub instead of the gnome desktop. Any ideas out there?

Bob

grub

Submitted by Kevin Mark on Thu, 2007-05-31 11:00.

On Thu, May 31, 2007 at 01:42:19PM +0000, wrote:
> I'm still a linux newbie and I've gone from bad to worst. I used to have a
> working etch system but in an attempt to get my printer working I reinstalled
> etch several times and when it reboots it comes up in grub instead of the gnome
> desktop. Any ideas out there?
We need more info.

'grub' is a name of the boot loader and is a name of the program in
/usr/sbin/grub that updates the boot loader.

'gnome' is a desktop environment that normally uses gdm, gnome themes
and sawfish, or metacity window managers.

What I think you are saying is that you used to be able to login to the
gnome desktop with gdm, but now your x window system is not working and
your system is only showing a console login (a black screen).
If this is the case, you need to reconfigure X window and this will fix
the issue.

grub

Submitted by Douglas Tutty on Thu, 2007-05-31 12:00.

On Thu, May 31, 2007 at 01:42:19PM +0000, wrote:
> I'm still a linux newbie and I've gone from bad to worst. I used to
> have a working etch system but in an attempt to get my printer working
> I reinstalled etch several times and when it reboots it comes up in
> grub instead of the gnome desktop. Any ideas out there?
>

Hi Bob,

FYI, you need to wrap your lines at about 72 rather than send one long
line.

I'm not sure what you mean "comes up in grub". Grub is a boot loader
that should present you with a menu with a default boot that will
automatically boot after a few seconds delay.

If you don't get a gnome desktop you are probably getting a regular
login prompt.

Please post exactly what you see on the screen that you are calling
"comes up in grub".

Also, for further reference, you don't have to reinstall just to get
printing working.

Doug.

grub

Submitted by Andrew Sackvill... on Thu, 2007-05-31 12:00.

On Thu, May 31, 2007 at 01:42:19PM +0000, wrote:
> I'm still a linux newbie and I've gone from bad to worst. I used to have a working etch system but in an attempt to get my printer working I reinstalled etch several times and when it reboots it comes up in grub instead of the gnome desktop. Any ideas out there?

if you are seeing a GRUB prompt after booting, then that is just the
bootloader and your /boot/grub/menu.lst has gotten hosed. you'll have
to boot it manually. please substitute appropriate information as
needed.

grub> root (hd0,0)

this assumes your boot partition is the first partition on the first
drive.

grub> kernel /vmlinux

this will give you a tab completed list of kernels. you'll have to put
in a couple things like root= etc. here's mine.

grub> kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-k7 root=/dev/hda2 ro vga=791

this will load the kernel

grub> initrd /initrd.img-2.6.18-4-k7

this should match the kernel number...

grub> boot

will boot the system. once you're up, then as root run 'update-grub'
to fix that up.

grub

Submitted by Ron Johnson on Thu, 2007-05-31 13:00.

On 05/31/07 08:42, wrote:
> I'm still a linux newbie and I've gone from bad to worst. I used

You might be too newbie for Debian. Ubuntu might be more your
speed, until you become more experienced.

> to have a working etch system but in an attempt to get my printer
> working I reinstalled etch several times

That's the Microsoft mentality. Hardware issues (upgrading or
breakage) should be the *only* reason you *ever* reinstall.

> and when it reboots it
> comes up in grub instead of the gnome desktop. Any ideas out
> there?

It's *supposed* to start in grub. That's the bootloader.

--
Ron Johnson, Jr.
Jefferson LA USA

Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day.
Hit him with a fish, and he goes away for good!

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