grub / kernel problem(s)

**Pantheus** · 08-21-2004, 03:46 AM

up2date popped up that there was a new kernel to install.

Using FC2, on i686 and was using 2.6.7-1.494.2.2 and 2.6.8-1.521 was available in up2date. I had already once updated a kernel and it went perfect recently, but this time it did install the 2.6.8 kernel but DIDN't write to grub.

I tried manually to add the new info to grub.conf and while a perfect rendition refused to boot into it.

I tried using apt-get/synaptic to do the same, (after deleting the "install&quot

and it also "installed" the kernel, but didn't write grub.conf

I finally got a clue when I tried to do the same with yum.
Here are the messages yum left me. It appears that the "install" went fine, but grub.conf / bootloader isn't able to play ball.

Code:

[root@server root]# yum update
Gathering header information file(s) from server(s)
Server: Fedora Core 2 - i386 - Base
Server: Fedora Core 2 - i386 - Released Updates
Finding updated packages
Downloading needed headers
Resolving dependencies
Dependencies resolved
I will do the following:
[install: kernel 2.6.8-1.521.i686]
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages
Getting kernel-2.6.8-1.521.i686.rpm
kernel-2.6.8-1.521.i686.r 100% |=========================|  15 MB    01:51
Running test transaction:
Test transaction complete, Success!
kernel 100 % done 1/1
grubby fatal error: unable to find a suitable template
/
Kernel Updated/Installed, checking for bootloader
No bootloader found, Cannot configure kernel, continuing.
Installed:  kernel 2.6.8-1.521.i686
Transaction(s) Complete
[root@server root]#

Can anyone diagnose the problem, provide some clues, or advice? What to do next?

TIA,

Ken

**pbharris** · 08-21-2004, 05:35 AM

hey ken,
is the 2.6.8-1.521 in /boot/ ? and is there a 2.6.8-1.521 directory in /lib/modules/ ? if so add the entry to /boot/grub/grub.conf - copy another kernel entery and modify it for the 2.6.8-1.521 kernel.
hth
paul

**Pantheus** · 08-21-2004, 06:12 AM

[quote author=pbharris link=board=1;threadid=9700;start=0#msg88108 date=1093066532]
hey ken,
is the 2.6.8-1.521 in /boot/ ?
[/quote]

Hello, Paul !
Yes, there are at least three 2.6.8-1.521 files in /boot ... I checked first

and is there a 2.6.8-1.521 directory in /lib/modules/ ?

Yes, there is ...I hadn't known to check there, but yes there is

if so add the entry to /boot/grub/grub.conf - copy another kernel entery and modify it for the 2.6.8-1.521 kernel.

hmmmmmmmmmm, I had been editing /etc/grub.conf ... but upon your as usual great advice I added it to /boot/grub/grub.conf too

To my amazement the 2.6.8 kernel did show up in grub menu, but so did the following error message ...poooh !

Code:

Booting &#039;Fedora core FC2 (2.6.8-1.521)&#039;
root (hd1,0)
File System type is ext2fs partition type is 0x83
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.521 ro root LABEL=/ rhgb quiet hdd=ide-scsi hde=ide-scsi mem=nopentium

Error 15 File not found

Press the any key

Incidently I can no longer access either CD or CD-RW even after adding the ide-scsi lines, but must be progress as I at least now don't get "isn't a block device".... but xcdroast still hates it.

But I still like FC2 ! in spite of the pain ;-) and surely appreciate your help.

Ken

**Compunuts** · 08-21-2004, 05:42 PM

[quote author=Pantheus link=board=1;threadid=9700;start=0#msg88111 date=1093068767]
Yes, there are at least three 2.6.8-1.521 files in /boot ... I checked first
[/quote]
Is vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.521 one of them?

Yes, there is ...I hadn't known to check there, but yes there is

This is where kernel place loadable modules for your system.

Incidently I can no longer access either CD or CD-RW even after adding the ide-scsi lines

Are you booting 2.6.8? or is it happenig in 2.6.7?

What you could also do is try upgrading again. I heard FC2 is a nightmare.
Also make sure if you want it to boot automagically, you need to modify the link from /vmlinuz to be /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.521 .
HTH ..

**Pantheus** · 08-22-2004, 04:49 PM

[quote author=Compunuts link=board=1;threadid=9700;start=0#msg88127 date=1093110130]
[quote author=Pantheus link=board=1;threadid=9700;start=0#msg88111 date=1093068767]
Yes, there are at least three 2.6.8-1.521 files in /boot ... I checked first
[/quote]

Is vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.521 one of them?

[/quote]
Yes, the three are: (4 actually)
vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.521
System.map-2.6.8-1.521
initrd-2.6.8-1.521.img
config-2.6.8-1.521

Incidently I can no longer access either CD or CD-RW even after adding the ide-scsi lines

Are you booting 2.6.8? or is it happenig in 2.6.7?

When I attempt to use grub to boot the 2.6.8 kernel it produces the error message in the previous post, but if I drop down a line to the 2.6.7 kernel all is well with the world.

What you could also do is try upgrading again. I heard FC2 is a nightmare.

I'd sure hate to lose the WiFi setup and the networking and server/PHP/MySQL setup that *does* work

Also make sure if you want it to boot automagically, you need to modify the link from /vmlinuz to be /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.521 .
HTH ..

I don't find a /vmlinuz but of course there is a /boot which contains vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.521

One clue that may be the problem, and I don't know enough how to repair it, is that /boot apparently resides on hda1 whille FC2 and all the total install is on hdb Some how this issue is a left-over from a previous install of RH9 which is now gone and the only thing that is on hda is /boot.

All attempts to move /boot to hdb leave me with an UNbootable (into *any* kernel), so the mess I have now is the best of all evils except now I can't use the "latest" kernel.

Thanks for the help!!

Ken

**chessforce** · 08-22-2004, 10:28 PM

Kernel 2.6.x does not need ide-scsi to access a CD-RW drive like 2.4.x did.

**Pantheus** · 08-23-2004, 05:17 PM

Thanks, chessforce for this, I dinna know

Kernel 2.6.x does not need ide-scsi to access a CD-RW drive like 2.4.x did.

Here is the /boot/grub/grub.conf contents, showing there seems to be no issue with grub, but I'm at a loss as to where else the issue may lie.

The second and third 'title' DO work, but the first does not. It produces the press any key error as posted above.

Code:

# 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/hdb1
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
boot=/dev/hdb
default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd1,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Fedora Core FC2 (2.6.8-1.521)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-1.521 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet mem=nopentium
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.8-1.521.img
title Fedora Core FC2 (2.6.7-1.494.2.2)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.7-1.494.2.2 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet mem=nopentium
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.7-1.494.2.2.img
title Fedora Core FC2 (2.6.5-1.358)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.5-1.358 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet mem=nopentium
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.5-1.358.img

I see no issues, does anyone else? I'm stumped.

Ken

**cloverm** · 08-23-2004, 05:33 PM

For some odd reason kernel 2.6.5 recognized my primary master IDE hard drive as hde. When I upgraded to 2.6.7 it recognized it as hda. I had to change stuff over in my grub.conf and fstab.conf. I suggest you change root=LABEL=/ to root=/dev/hda1 in your grub.conf