RHEL 3 doesn't boot after successful install on HP Vectra 6/150

[Rick Stevens]

Krzysztof wrote:
> Rick,
> 
> Thanks for responding.  Here is the text of two grub.conf files that I tried
> but unfortunately to no avail:
> THIS FILE was generated by Red Hat software automatically.
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> # grub.conf generated by anaconda
> #
> # Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
> # NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition. This means that all kernel and
> #                   initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
> #                   root (hd0,0)
> #                   kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda3
> #                   initrd /initrd-version.img
> #boot=/dev/hda
> default=0
> timeout=10
> splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
> title Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (2.4.21-20.EL)
>            root (hd0,0)
>            kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-20.EL  ro  root=LABEL=/  hdd=ide-SCSI
>            initrd /initrd-2.4.21-20.EL.img
> 
> T H I S file is the one that I modified as I though it would make sense:
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> default=0
> timeout=10
> splashimage=(hd0,2)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
> title Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (2.4.21-20.EL)
>            root (hd0,2)
>            kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.21-20.EL  ro  root=/dev/hda3
> hdd=ide-SCSI
>            initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.21-20.EL.img
> 
> Interestingly enough, the same install and the boot process did not give me
> any
> problems on my ThinkPad laptop even though I installed it on a separate
> VMware
> partition, in parallel with Windows 2000.

Is there a reason you changed the (hd0,0) to (hd0,2) in your edited
version?  Which partition is /boot on?

I have to ask, because the "root=" refers to grub's root, NOT the OS's
root!  Grub has to find its stuff somewhere, and you've now got it set
to look at the third primary partition on the first drive.

By the way, we prefer bottom-posting here.

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rick Stevens" <rstevens at vitalstream.com>
> To: "Getting started with Red Hat Linux" <redhat-install-list at redhat.com>
> Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2004 2:44 PM
> Subject: Re: RHEL 3 doesn't boot after successful install on HP Vectra 6/150
> 
> 
> 
>>Krzysztof wrote:
>>
>>>Installation works like a charm every time.
>>>I have two hard drives, 8GB and 2GB that I partition manually using Disk
>>>Druid.
>>>I create /boot, /, /var, /usr, and swap partition as prescribed.  All is
>>>well.
>>>When the system reboots I get a screen-full of word GRUB.  Oh, well.
>>>I bring the system under the rescue mode and verify if the grub.config
>>>file in there.
>>>   chroot  /mnt/sysimage
>>>   cd  /boot/grub
>>>It is, and it looks good.
>>>The / (root) is on the /dev/hda3 partition which is not on the extended
>>>partition.
>>>Just to make sure, I reinstall the grub:
>>>   grub-install  /dev/hda
>>>   exit
>>>   exit
>>>After the system reboots I get the same problem -  just one GRUB word on
>>>the screen !!!
>>>
>>>Did anyone experience such a behaviour or has some ideas?  Any help
>>>would be appreciated!
>>
>>We need to see the grub.conf file that's involved.
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-        Brain:  The organ with which we think that we think.        -
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