grub

Issues about the boot loader grub

We prefer the boot loader 'grub' compared to 'lilo', because grub has many useful features and also, because you do not have to re-install it every time you make changes to /boot/grub/menu.lst, as it is the case, when you modify /etc/lilo.conf (then you always have to enter the command lilo in order to make your changes effective).

A good description about grub and on how to create a boot floppy can be found on http://www.linux-france.org/lug/ploug/tutoriaux/l-grub-a4.pdf.

Should you have a (previously) running system on one of your partitions on your disk, but the system cannot be booted, because a message appears like:

GRUB Loading stage1.5

but nothing happens and the system hangs, the following procedure might help you (as it did in our case, where we cloned a Debian Linux partition from one PC to the other, using rsync).
In our case, the directory /boot/grub is on the first disk on partition number 3; when using 'grub' you should know, that disk and oartition numbers always start at '0'. So, disk 1 becomes '0' and partition 3 becomes '2'. In order to install the grub boot loader correctly, we do the following:

- Boot a rescue system, such as Knoppix
- Enter the following commands:

grub
root (hd0,2)
find /boot/grub/stage1
setup (hd0)
quit

Should you have the system up and running, you may install the Master Boot Record (MBR) on e.g. disk 1 by entering the command:
grub-install /dev/hda