GRUB Error 18 on HD bootForum: HD Install Topic: GRUB Error 18 on HD boot started by: celica0774 Posted by celica0774 on April 05 2007,03:04
Please help.I've been trying to do my first DSL hard disk install, and get the following error when I re-boot. "GRUB Loading stage1.5. GRUB loading, please wait... Error 18" Installed DSL to /dev/hda1. Swap on /dev/hda3. Boots to the DSL CD just fine using Smart Boot Manager. I've tried lilo, but it gives the "L 40 40 40 ..." error, and I think that I would rather start out using GRUB. Any help would be appreciated. And yes, I've spent a lot of time searching the forums for a solution. Richard ====== System Toshiba Tecra 720CDT 133 MHz Pentium 20GB hard drive 144MB RAM ====== menu.lst title DSL kernel /boot/linux24 root=/dev/hda1 root (hd0,0) boot ====== device.map (hd0) /dev/hda (hd1) /dev/hdb (hd2) /dev/hdc (hd3) /dev/hdd (hd4) /dev/hde (hd5) /dev/hdf ======= fdisk -l Disk /dev/hda: 20.0 GB, 20003880960 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2432 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 * 1 124 995998+ 83 Linux /dev/hda2 125 2392 18217710 83 Linux /dev/hda3 2393 2432 321300 82 Linux swap Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on April 05 2007,04:43
A web search: < http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/GRUB#Error_18 >Did you check for mobo bios updates maybe? Posted by curaga on April 05 2007,05:48
Your HD is too big for the bios, it can't boot above 1024 cylinders. You need a separate boot partition to the start of the HD, where you move the kernel and the grub files (the /boot directory).I'd recommend you to start from DSL livecd in text mode, then delete the first partition, create the first (boot) maybe 10mb, and then the rest of the current hda1 for DSL hd install. Then
You also had a typo in menu.lst, root (hd0,0) should be before the kernel, otherwise grub won't know which disk/partition to use. And boot line is not needed. edit: your error might also be caused because the error in menu.lst. Try changing that first Posted by celica0774 on April 05 2007,16:54
Thanks for the replies.After following curaga's directions, at least I have a different error for GRUB stage1.5, Error 17. I have the latest BIOS, 5.A0. From what I have read, it should support booting an 8GB drive, but I reformatted the HD anyway. After DSL install to hda2, I moved the /mnt/hda2/boot directory to /mnt/hda1 and fixed menu.lst. Current config: ====== menu.lst (in /mnt/hda1/boot/grub) default 0 title DSL root (hd0,0) kernel /boot/linux24 root=/dev/hda2 ====== DSL installed on hda2. ====== fdisk -l Disk /dev/hda: 20.0 GB, 20003880960 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2432 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 * 1 2 16033+ 83 Linux /dev/hda2 3 126 996030 83 Linux /dev/hda3 127 2392 18201645 83 Linux /dev/hda4 2393 2432 321300 82 Linux swap Posted by curaga on April 09 2007,07:56
Try installing grub on your own, the script isn't the best always.Also try a newer grub, in my extension is 0.97 and good instructions on how to install it.. A short howto: get a console, type: sudo su grub root (hd0,0) setup (hd0) quit Then try rebooting.. Posted by celica0774 on April 10 2007,17:10
Thanks for your reply, curaga.My system now dual boots DSLinux and Windows. I'm not really sure how I got grub to work, but it does. I think you're right about the script, because grub only worked after I had tinkered with the grub-install command. This command always returned a /dev/cloop message that I thought was an error, but I think it was just information. Now, I have Smart Boot Manager in the MBR for hda, and grub booting from one of the SBM options to a /boot partition on hda1. Windows boots from an SBM option, too, but it won't boot from grub, returning a large hard drive error, even though it does boot from SBM. I'm using SBM so I can boot to CD, since my BIOS does not. Richard |