[Bug 482990] Re: Won't boot, GRUB Error 2 @ first boot on 9.10

[dino99]

outdated report & no more maintained distro; please send a new one if
that issue still exist (using ubuntu-bug)

** Changed in: grub (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Invalid

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Title:
  Won't boot, GRUB Error 2 @ first boot on 9.10

Status in grub package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid

Bug description:
  Fujitsu N Laptop, circa 2005, has 2 hard drives, one drive with
  windows+fat-based-ubuntu install, one drive with ext based ubuntu

  Steps taken:
  0. System had grub previously with Ubuntu 8.04 (to be erased by 9.10) and a chainloader to another boot manager than gave a menu between windows and another distinct copy of ubuntu installed from windows
  1. burned the Ubuntu 9.10 x86 desktop ISO to CDROM and installed, taking over one of the drives
  2. Installation looked OK, said reboot to use system
  3. Fails to boot, messages follow:
  GRUB Loading stage1.5.

  GRUB loading, please wait...
  Error 2

  (nothing else happens)
  4.  Downloaded SUPER GRUB DISK.  
  Both Linux and Windows boot and act correctly with super grub disk.
  I am providing the SGD procedure in case that gives clues as to what is installed, where, or how
  grub is handling it.

  When booting SGD, I get "Checking Boot CD-ROM"; then on next screen a
  menu

  GNU GRUB version 1.96
  Boot Ubuntu Gnu/Linux
  AUTO MAGIC BOOT  (all caps)

  selecting "Boot Ubuntu" boots the ubuntu 9.10 on /dev/sda

  selecting "AUTO MAGIC BOOT" gives me a 2nd menu as follows

  Boot Ubuntu Gnu/Linux
  AUTO MAGIC BOOT
  Windows NT/2000/XP loaded (successfully boots XP which is on /dev/sdb)
  Linux 2.6.31-14 generic (this is a fat32 install of an older ubuntu under wubi)
  Linux 2.6.31-14 generic (single user mode)
  Other OS

  
  5. I Did not install anything from super grub disk onto MBR.

  6. Posted this as a Question on Launchpad Ubuntu Answers; received some links about grub, suggestion
  to reinstall grub using "sudo grub-install /dev/sda"  (/dev/sda1 was root so /dev/sda is the mbr).  
  This did not solve problem.

  7. Read about Grub error 2 from link provided by Sam in Answers
  The link below implicates filesystem/bootloader interoperability as the cause, and in older releases of Ubuntu
  as well.  I have no idea if that is correct.  

  8. Read about someone dealing with grub error 2 under intrepid, his solution was to reinstall using ext2 not ext3.
  However, this seems like a poor solution, as the whole point of upgrading is to have the latest software working.

  ===============================================================
  From About error #2
  http://members.iinet.net.au/~herman546/p15.html#2_

  Quoted from the GNU/GRUB manual

      2 : Bad file or directory type
          This error is returned if a file requested is not a regular file, but something like a symbolic link, directory, or FIFO.

  Grub Error 2 seems to be a rare one.

  Here's a link to the first instance of it I've noticed, [ubuntu] GRUB error 2... I want to kill my laptop.
  Note the explanation by caljohnsmith in post #6 there, quote:
  The reason why is because Intrepid now formats its partitions to use a 256 byte inode file system size, whereas previous Ubuntu verions used 128 bytes. The older Grub versions choke on the newer ext3 partitions that use 256 byte inode sizes, and Grub returns an error 2

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