FC4 Bootloader Probs?

xCronus · #1 19th May 2005, 05:45 PM

I was running a dual boot system with FC3 and Windows on separate hd's, but now I have installed FC4 over my old 3 hd, and I cannot boot into either os when both hd's are connected. I receive a disk read error and then my computer prompts me for a restart.

If I disconnect the hd with fedora on it, I can boot into Windows as if my system was not running dual boot. If I disconnect my Windows drive, I get the same disk error message, but that should make sense because I installed grub on my MBR (windows hd).

What would cause this disk error if I was able to reformat and fully install on the hd? (BTW, its not a physical problem with the hd, as I had it on a dedicated FC3 comp, w/o windows)

Thanks.

xCronus · #2 23rd May 2005, 05:21 AM

Anybody, bump?

peters · #3 24th May 2005, 03:59 AM

Like I recommended in a reply to a different posting, I would run GRUB from a floppy disk if I were you. GRUB relies on only one or two sectors of disk to startup, so the load time from a floppy is super-fast.. Also, why are you swapping HDs all the time? Do you not have enough power connectors/HD connectors/case space? Running Windows and Linux in unison is done daily by many Linux users...

I think you might need to give more details on exactly what configuration you have right now.. It sounds like when you put your Linux HD in, you need to boot from the Fedora Rescue CD and re-install GRUB to your HD... Mount your HD root, switch to that directory, run "chroot ." from the root, then do "grub-install /dev/hda" (if hda is your current Linux HD, which I hope it is...)

xCronus · #4 24th May 2005, 05:52 PM

I don't swap HD's all the time, I normally have them both connected....

The boot problem only occurs when I have my linux hd connected regardless of any other hd's that I have connected. That makes me believe that this is just a dying hard drive, but it can't be, I've tested it. (and I was able to read/write to it on fc3)

I also can't use grub from a floppy......no floppy drive...... :~(

peters · #5 24th May 2005, 07:51 PM

Ok then, have you re-run GRUB on that Linux drive?

xCronus · #6 24th May 2005, 10:35 PM

What do you mean by re-run?

If you're referring to reinstalling grub, then yes, I have.

During boot, I can't even get to grub, if that was what you were asking....

peters · #7 24th May 2005, 10:47 PM

Alright, so you've re-installed Grub on your Linux drive. When it boots, you do not get to Grub at all? It just errors out or says to enter bootable media? What does it do at that point?

xCronus · #8 26th May 2005, 05:10 AM

Sorry, late post.....anways.....
Grub is installed on the MBR, which is on my Windows drive, not Linux. Linux hd is secondary(slave)

I don't even get to Grub, I recieve errors before it even goes to it. The error always specifies a device I/O error. This only occurs with my Linux hd plugged in.....

peters · #9 26th May 2005, 03:32 PM

I think I found your problem. Why are you disconnecting any drives if your Linux drive is a slave?

Grub keeps track of what physical drive it can find its files on. If you swap that idea around, it will no longer be able to get to the files. Could you list, step by step, exactly what you are doing and what happens so that we can get an idea of what is going on??