[nflug] GRUB error 18
Cyber Source
peter at thecybersource.com
Fri Mar 7 14:20:08 EST 2008
I was thinking about this too but if one of the stanza's boots, then I
would think the others should, thus ruling out this a a potential problem.
Robert Meyer wrote:
> Maybe I'll chime in, here... There are a lot of really old machines
> out there with terminally limited BIOS. These machines cannot address
> anything beyond cylinder 1023 on bootup. The standard solution to the
> problem is to create a /boot partition at the very beginning of the
> drive that is just big enough for the kernel, the initrd file and grub
> configs, etc. Frequently, there will be enough extra space for
> multiple copies. Here is the partition map on a machine that I work
> with that does this:
>
> Disk /dev/hda: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders
> Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
>
> Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
> /dev/hda1 * 1 13 104391 83 Linux
> /dev/hda2 14 12161 97578810 8e Linux LV
>
> The 'df' output of this machine looks like:
> Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
> /dev/mapper/VolGroup00-LogVol00
> 187150052 3822516 173667532 3% /
> /dev/hda1 101086 11966 83901 13% /boot
> tmpfs 513476 0 513476 0% /dev/shm
>
> So, I would try using that methodology to see if it solves the problem...
>
> Sometimes it's good to be a dinosaur...
>
> Cheers!
>
> Bob
>
> --
> "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth
> with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you
> will always long to return."
> --Leonardo da Vinci
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Cyber Source <peter at thecybersource.com>
> To: nflug at nflug.org
> Sent: Friday, March 7, 2008 1:50:16 PM
> Subject: Re: [nflug] GRUB error 18
>
> All the stanzas are the same except the the boot images. I would think
> then that it's not a grub problem but rather a problem with the
> images/kernels.
>
> Steve Petersen wrote:
> > Thanks again for your help - yes, when I pick one of the kernels it
> boots.
> >
> > uname -l output;
> >
> > Linux liza 2.6.17-10-generic #2 SMP Tue Dec 5 22:28:26 UTC 2006
> > i686 GNU/Linux
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Mar 7, 2008 at 10:01 AM, Cyber Source
> > <peter at thecybersource.com <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>>>
> wrote:
> >
> > Does anything in that grub file boot?
> >
> > Steve Petersen wrote:
> > > I've attached my /boot/grub/menu.lst file. Thanks again.
> > > Steve
> > >
> > > On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 11:36 PM, Cyber Source
> > > <peter at thecybersource.com <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>>
> > <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>
> > <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>>>> wrote:
> > >
> > > Show me your /boot/grub/menu.lst file
> > >
> > > Steve Petersen wrote:
> > > > Thanks for the help! I'm afraid I can't make much of it
> > though.
> > > As I
> > > > say, I've been using linux for about 10 years, but that
> > doesn't mean
> > > > I've been /understanding/ much of it. I have only the
> > vaguest grasp
> > > > of UUIDs and cylinder geometry. I don't know what the
> > "stanzas" are
> > > > and I'm not sure what you mean by "the actual drive /dev use"
> > > (unless
> > > > you just mean /dev/hda, which I believe it is, though
> > there is a
> > > > second hard drive I mount separately).
> > > >
> > > > Below I give the "fdisk -l" output. Thanks again for any
> > help.
> > > > Steve
> > > >
> > > > Disk /dev/hda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
> > > > 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
> > > > Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
> > > > Disk identifier: 0x0008fac7
> > > >
> > > > Device Boot Start End Blocks Id
> > System
> > > > /dev/hda1 * 1 38560 309733168+ 83
> > Linux
> > > > /dev/hda2 38561 38913 2835472+ 5
> > Extended
> > > > /dev/hda5 38561 38913 2835441 82
> > > Linux swap
> > > > / Solaris
> > > >
> > > > Disk /dev/hdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
> > > > 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
> > > > Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
> > > > Disk identifier: 0x000b8293
> > > >
> > > > Device Boot Start End Blocks Id
> > System
> > > > /dev/hdb1 1 19103 153444816 83
> > Linux
> > > > /dev/hdb2 19104 19457 2843505 5
> > Extended
> > > > /dev/hdb5 19104 19457 2843473+ 82
> > > Linux swap
> > > > / Solaris
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 9:40 PM, Cyber Source
> > > <peter at thecybersource.com <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>>
> > <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>>>
> > > > <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>
> > <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>>
> > > <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>
> > <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com
> <mailto:peter at thecybersource.com>>>>> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Whatever the bios is told as a boot device, if it's a hard
> > > drive, it
> > > > will go to "first" partition on that drive that has a
> > "boot"
> > > flag
> > > > (fdisk
> > > > -l), it will be the partition with a "*" declared.
> > > > First off, I would suspect a problem with the CHS
> > > > (cylinder,head,sector)
> > > > geometry that the drive has or is being interpreted by the
> > > bios as, to
> > > > the kernel.
> > > > Second off, I would think it's how the stanzas are written
> > > and the
> > > > UUID's (always a problem I've seen) are being used.
> > Try changing
> > > > to the
> > > > actual drive /dev use.
> > > > Tell me those things and I'll tell you my reasoning
> > later, if
> > > > applicable, sorry lazy typer.....
> > > > Steve Petersen wrote:
> > > > > Hi NFLUGgers,
> > > > >
> > > > > I've been using some form of linux for about 10
> > years, but I'm
> > > > still a
> > > > > newbie in many ways, and I wonder if you can help
> > me. For
> > > some time
> > > > > now my home desktop computer - which has Ubuntu 7.10
> > on it and
> > > > nothing
> > > > > else - won't boot any of the more recent kernels the
> > > update-manager
> > > > > downloads. It gives me
> > > > >
> > > > > Error 18: selected cylinder exceeds maximum
> > supported
> > > by BIOS
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > until I choose in GRUB an old enough kernel that
> > BIOS can
> > > reach,
> > > > > apparently. I don't know if I have a separate boot
> > > partition; it's
> > > > > however Ubuntu set it up default. (No separate boot
> > > partition shows
> > > > > up on the 'mount' command - but would it?) I also
> > don't know
> > > > what my
> > > > > motherboard is - that's where the BIOS lives, right? As
> > > you see I'm
> > > > > still pretty ignorant of some basic computing concepts.
> > > > >
> > > > > Anyway this has been going on for over a year, probably,
> > > but the
> > > > > kernel's old enough now that (without good evidence
> > either
> > > way) I'm
> > > > > starting to worry it'll be sub-optimal in noticeable
> > ways.
> > > It's
> > > > > 2.6.17-10-generic, though /boot lists versions as
> > recent as
> > > > > 2.6.22-14-generic.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks in advance for any help or thoughts.
> > > > >
> > > > > Steve
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > >
> > > > > http://stevepetersen.net
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > nflug mailing list
> > > > > nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>
> > <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>>
> > > <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>
> > <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>>>
> > > > > http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
> > > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > nflug mailing list
> > > > nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>
> > <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>>
> > > <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>
> > <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>>>
> > > > http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > >
> > > > http://stevepetersen.net
> > > >
> > >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > nflug mailing list
> > > > nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>
> > <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>>
> > > > http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
> > > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > nflug mailing list
> > > nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>
> > <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>>
> > > http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > http://stevepetersen.net
> > >
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > nflug mailing list
> > > nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>
> > > http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
> > _______________________________________________
> > nflug mailing list
> > nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org
> <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>>
> > http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > http://stevepetersen.net
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > nflug mailing list
> > nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> > http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
> >
> _______________________________________________
> nflug mailing list
> nflug at nflug.org <mailto:nflug at nflug.org>
> http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> nflug mailing list
> nflug at nflug.org
> http://www.nflug.org/mailman/listinfo/nflug
>
More information about the nflug
mailing list