Re: Help 10.3 a mess After YOU Upgrade

Rajko M. wrote:
.....
I found one article that is explaining what is root(hd0,x).

It points to boot partition where GRUB can find it's files.
It can be separate boot partition, or as we use one installation for that
purpose it will point to installation that is used to store GRUB files
that are currently used.

http://www.howtoforge.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-944.html
the answer by 'themachine/.

So correct settings for last installation would be root(hd0,7).

Now is time to be a bit more precise.

I just finished small experiment. This essential part of menu.lst.

default 1
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,2)/boot/message
root (hd0,2) # This new added.

title openSUSE 10.3 - 64 (boot)
# root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=dev/sda3 vga=0x31a
initrd /boot/initrd

title openSUSE 10.3 32 bit
# root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda6 vga=0x31a
initrd /boot/initrd

Symlinks point to kernels that are not the same version.

1) Boot to 'openSUSE 10.3 - 64 (boot)' works fine.
I guess that newly added root (hd0,2) below gfxmenu line is used by grub.
Though, I got to check that again.
2) Boot to 'openSUSE 10.3 32 bit' has a problem.
GRUB can't find modules for kernel version that is used on 64 bit, but
does not exist on 32 bit installation.
That means it loaded 64 bit kernel, and that means that root (hd0,2)
pointed GRUB to use kernel from 64 bit installation instead of those
on (hd0,5).
3) removing comment sign # in line with root (hd0,5) brings 32 bit system
back.
title openSUSE 10.3 32 bit
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda6 vga=0x31a
initrd /boot/initrd

So my menu.lst is not messy, but properly configured, with exception of
windows section:
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,2) # Not good, it is used to tell GRUB not to check
# windows root which is (hd0,0), not (hd0,2)
chainloader (hd0,0)+1

New is:
title Windows
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader (hd0,0)+1

So there is bug in script that is creating/changing menu.lst.
I have to collect information and file bug report.

Now your menu.lst should be like this:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAY (the one being used)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Wed Jan 23 19:32:57 UTC 2008
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,7)/boot/message

title MAIN OpenSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda6 vga=0x31a
resume=/dev/sda5 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name:
windows###
title PC-DOS
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader (hd0,0)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name:
linux###
title PLAY openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,7)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda8 vga=0x31a resume=/dev/sda5
splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name:
floppy###
title Floppy
rootnoverify (fd0)
chainloader (fd0)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name:
failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda6 vga=normal
showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0
edd=off 3
initrd /boot/initrd
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope this time without errors :-)

This will allow you to update kernel independently, and still everything
will work.

The same 'root (hd0,x)' can be used on system that has separate boot
partition with all kernel and initrd files that are listed in menu.lst for
each of boot options.

For 2 separate installations that use own /boot 'root (hd0,x)' should point
to place where relevant /boot directory is located, and that means it will
be different for each boot option and point to the same place where points
another root=/dev/sdax which is information for kernel where to look for
root of file system.
------------------

I hope that explanation makes sense.

--
Regards, Rajko.
See http://en.opensuse.org/Portal
.

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