Kernel File Not Found After grub.conf Kernel Command

rhb100 · #1 2nd January 2008, 10:48 PM

This Post might be more appropriate as a new thread but I searched long and hard and found no instructions on starting an new thread in any of the FAQ's.
I am getting a file not find when I attempt to boot into Linux Fedora Core 5 when I use the following grub.conf file.
__________________________________________________ _________________________________
default=0
timeout=5

title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

title Linux Fedora Core 5
root (hd1,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 ro root=/dev/hdb3
# kernel /kernel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 ro root=/dev/hdb3
# initrd /vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.img
__________________________________________________ _________________________________

As indicated above, I have Windows XP on (hd0,0), /dev/hda. From /, I used
grub-install --recheck /dev/hda to install grub into the Master Boot Record of /dev/hda and I am able to boot into Windows XP when I select it or by way of the default when I timeout. However, I get a file not found error after the kernel command when I use
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 ro root=/dev/hdb3
and also when I use
kernel /kernel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 ro root=/dev/hdb3 . I used
rpm -qa | grep kernel
as Bob mentioned in a post. I got the result, kernel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5, but I was not sure whether you were supposed to change it to vmlinuz-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5. Since neither one worked, in addition to this uncertainty there are apparently other problems.

The size and type of the partitions on /dev/hdb are indicated below.

Partition Size Type
hdb1 94MB HPFS/NTFS
hdb2 1.95GB ext2 Linux Swap
hdb3 55.22GB ext2

I originally had my boot partition on hdb1 and it was working fine, but it was overwritten from Windows XP storage management.

Suggestions on what I should do to fix the problem of not being able to boot into Linux other than through system rescue would be appreciated.

***bob*** · #2 2nd January 2008, 11:05 PM

The 'secret' to posting is to click on the Forums link above and then select the right Forum for your post. Then look at the top left and you'll see the New Topic button. Click on it and post away! Since you gave it your best shot at making it work, I've 'split' off your post from the other thread and created a new one for you.

***bob*** · #3 2nd January 2008, 11:10 PM

Hopefully, you're not just installing Fedora Core 5, since it's no longer supported and won't be much use to you as a new distro. If so, you should be at least installing Fedora7 or Fedora8.

That said, you're going to have to 'uncomment' (remove the #) from in front of your 'initrd' line to make things work, assuming that you do have the right kernel, partition and drive number there.

rhb100 · #4 3rd January 2008, 03:05 AM

Thank you Bob for your responses on Grub and Forum use. As you suggested, I removed the comment from the initrd line, but I still had the same problem. When I selected Linux Fedora Core from the Menu, it showed file not found right after the kernel command. It apparently never got to the initrd command. I assume the ro root=/dev/hdb3
at the end of the kernel command is correct. hdb1 is an NTFS partition. hdb2 is a Linux Swap partition. hdb3 is an ext2 partition which has all my files but I don't know what directory the file, kernel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 is in. Could the fact that I am changing the boot drive from /dev/hdb1 to /dev/hdb3 be causing any problem?

This Fedora Core 5 is what I have had for the past year or two and has been working fine. The size and type of the partitions on /dev/hdb are indicated below.

Partition Size Type
hdb1 94MB HPFS/NTFS
hdb2 1.95GB ext2 Linux Swap
hdb3 55.22GB ext2

I originally had my boot partition on hdb1 and it was working fine, until it was overwritten from Windows XP storage management.

***bob*** · #5 3rd January 2008, 03:24 AM

Here's a grub.conf with exactly the same kernel. You can see if you'll need to make corrections/copy/paste and adjust for your drive/partition. http://fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=124198

BTW, you are sure you still have that kernel, right? Not an old one that's been removed by Fedora with updates?

stoat · #6 3rd January 2008, 03:36 AM

The kernel and initial ramdisk files can be in only one place: /boot. That can either be a separate boot partition or a directory in the in the root partition. Under normal circumstances, if you do not have a separate boot partition then /boot must be in the path of the kernel and initrd lines of the grub.conf. Examples...

Separate boot partition:

Code:

kernel /vmlinuz-[version stuff] [parameters]
initrd /initrd-[version stuff].img

No separate boot partition:

Code:

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-[version stuff] [parameters]
initrd /boot/initrd-[version stuff].img

But your boot partition was destroyed, and you never explained how you recovered from that. The real problem in this case could be that the files don't exist anywhere. What did you do after the boot partition was destroyed to recover from that?

rhb100 · #7 4th January 2008, 07:30 PM

Stoat, I thank you for responding. You are right the kernel file, the initrd file, and others in the boot partition were destroyed. I have not been able to recover from that. I tried to use restore but I could not find these files in the file volumes created by the backup program dump. This is apparently because I performed a dump from / in hdb3 and it didn't backup the files in the boot partition, hdb1. Do you know of any method of restoring the boot partition files while working in the rescue mode or have other suggestions?

philip4567 · #8 4th January 2008, 08:25 PM

I think the easiest thing would be to go into windows, copy all your /home/[user] files into your windows partition and re-install.

When I used to boot into windows and linux from there same machine, I used "explore2fs" to do this.
You can download it from here: http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/lin...ore2fs-old.htm

rhb100 · #9 4th January 2008, 08:37 PM

OK, phillip4567, thank you for responding. You may be right. I also have "explore2fs". It is a good tool and I do have a 250GB hard drive for Windows XP. If I do reinstall, I hope I can find a Fedora version which has the ability to read NTFS. It took some time to get that installed and working on my Fedora Core 5.

philip4567 · #10 4th January 2008, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhb100

I hope I can find a Fedora version which has the ability to read NTFS. It took some time to get that installed and working on my Fedora Core 5.

I believe it's no problem with Fedora 8. I've not had opportunity to try it, though.