wingrub to boot SLED11-SP3

Hi,

I’ve got in trouble to boot my SLED11-SP3 with wingrub.

Originally I had my SLED10-SP4 installed without grub, but I have wingrub installed with XP to dual-boot my previous SLED10-SP4. After upgrading to SLED11-SP3 from harddisk, it is impossible to boot my new system. The wingrub program can still recoganize ext3 file system, but can’t recoganize the files in the root partition any more.

The reason why I have wingrub is that I have my Thinkpad laptop without reinstallation CD for XP, only way is to use the pre-installed image from IBM hidden partition which requires that I should never absolutely modify MBR pre-installed. Otherwise, I’ll loose the function to install my XP when necessary.

Does anyone knows how to get out of this problem?

Thanks and regards,

Hi
Is SLED installed in an extended partition? If so, boot the dvd into
rescue mode and post the output (between code tags) from the command;

fdisk -l


Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.3 (x86_64) Kernel 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
up 0:11, 3 users, load average: 0.35, 0.43, 0.31
CPU AMD E2-1800@1.70GHz | GPU Radeon HD 7340

HI ,

I am not sure whether there is difference if I run it in normal mode, that’s the only choice for me by now. No way to boot in rescure mode.

Here is the output:

Disk /dev/sda: 157.5 GB, 157456221184 bytes
240 heads, 63 sectors/track, 20339 cylinders, total 307531682 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xcccdcccd

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 22528799 11264368+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 22528800 307525679 142498440 f W95 Ext’d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 22528863 105477119 41474128+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda6 105477183 107125199 824008+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 107125263 116348399 4611568+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 116348463 134779679 9215608+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 134779743 296654399 80937328+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda10 296654463 307525679 5435608+ b W95 FAT32

Hi
OK, setting the boot flag to sda2 should fire up (SLE) grub which will
have an entry for windows, if it doesn’t it’s an easy add…

So fire up the rescue system again and then run the following;

fdisk /dev/sda

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-10): 2
Command (m for help): w

Reboot and see how that goes.

The later versions of SLE don’t install anything in the mbr as they use
the extended partition instead to avoid/leave the mbr for other
oses…


Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.3 (x86_64) Kernel 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
up 11:04, 3 users, load average: 0.14, 0.24, 0.20
CPU AMD E2-1800@1.70GHz | GPU Radeon HD 7340

I am trying to figure out your booting sequence:
my current booting sequence: booting bios→mbr by thinkpad→windows xp boot.ini→continued normal XP booting or wingrub menu→choices(back to XP booting; suse booting)

by installating grub in sda2 partition(all the disk logical partition), how the machine will boot? can i jump from bios to grub in sda2 in order to have boot menu? how could i enter mbr by thinkpad when reinstalling XP?

thanks!

[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;14485]Hi
OK, setting the boot flag to sda2 should fire up (SLE) grub which will
have an entry for windows, if it doesn’t it’s an easy add…

So fire up the rescue system again and then run the following;

fdisk /dev/sda

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-10): 2
Command (m for help): w

Reboot and see how that goes.

The later versions of SLE don’t install anything in the mbr as they use
the extended partition instead to avoid/leave the mbr for other
oses…


Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.3 (x86_64) Kernel 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
up 11:04, 3 users, load average: 0.14, 0.24, 0.20
CPU AMD E2-1800@1.70GHz | GPU Radeon HD 7340[/QUOTE]

Hi
By setting the boot flag on the extended partition SLED should boot,
yes? Can you confirm.

I’m about to head off and won’t be back until the weekend…


Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.3 (x86_64) Kernel 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
up 1 day 2:16, 3 users, load average: 0.16, 0.14, 0.19
CPU AMD E2-1800@1.70GHz | GPU Radeon HD 7340

Hi
Also note the reason to use the extended partition is detailed in the
SP3 release notes…

[QUOTE]
12.5.5 Detecting Lenovo ThinkPad Laptops #
Lenovo ThinkPad laptops have special code in the MBR (master boot
record) because of the “Blue ThinkVantage button” functionality. If
proper detection and preparation fails, it might be necessary to
restore the boot sector. If you have a ThinkPad, ensure that the
bootloader is not installed into the MBR (verify it in the installation
proposal!) and the MBR is not rewritten by generic code (in
installation proposel select Bootloader → Boot Loader Installation →
Boot Loader Options → Write Generic Boot Code to MBR – should be
unchecked). If your MBR gets rewritten, the ThinkVantage button will
not work anymore. The back-up of the MBR is stored
in /var/lib/YaST2/backup_boot_sectors/.
[/CODE]
Ref: https://www.suse.com/releasenotes/x86_64/SUSE-SLED/11-SP3/#TechInfo.Other


Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.3 (x86_64) Kernel 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
up 1 day 2:27, 3 users, load average: 0.24, 0.17, 0.20
CPU AMD E2-1800@1.70GHz | GPU Radeon HD 7340

I don’t see the boot menu. it boots directly windows xp.

[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;14524]Hi
Also note the reason to use the extended partition is detailed in the
SP3 release notes…

[QUOTE]
12.5.5 Detecting Lenovo ThinkPad Laptops #
Lenovo ThinkPad laptops have special code in the MBR (master boot
record) because of the “Blue ThinkVantage button” functionality. If
proper detection and preparation fails, it might be necessary to
restore the boot sector. If you have a ThinkPad, ensure that the
bootloader is not installed into the MBR (verify it in the installation
proposal!) and the MBR is not rewritten by generic code (in
installation proposel select Bootloader → Boot Loader Installation →
Boot Loader Options → Write Generic Boot Code to MBR – should be
unchecked). If your MBR gets rewritten, the ThinkVantage button will
not work anymore. The back-up of the MBR is stored
in /var/lib/YaST2/backup_boot_sectors/.
[/CODE]
Ref: https://www.suse.com/releasenotes/x86_64/SUSE-SLED/11-SP3/#TechInfo.Other


Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.3 (x86_64) Kernel 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
up 1 day 2:27, 3 users, load average: 0.24, 0.17, 0.20
CPU AMD E2-1800@1.70GHz | GPU Radeon HD 7340[/QUOTE]

Hi
Can you run the fdisk command again;

fdisk -l /dev/sda

I’m guessing both sda1 and sda2 have an * by them. if so, run the fdisk
command again to de-activate sda1;

fdisk /dev/sda

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-10): 1
Command (m for help): w

Reboot and see how that goes.


Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.3 (x86_64) Kernel 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
up 10:57, 3 users, load average: 0.20, 0.24, 0.19
CPU AMD E2-1800@1.70GHz | GPU Radeon HD 7340

I don’t see any difference. It looks like nothing changed. may due to the fact that I’ve secured the PHA(preinstalled Hidden Area) by BIOS to protect maloperation which my damage the functionality.

If it’s true, then I am afraid to deactivate bios protection as this command is trying to modify something shouldn’t happen.

I’m still willing to know the booting sequence if we deactivate sda1? how bios can detect how to handle booting operating system or restoration process?

[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;14732]Hi
Can you run the fdisk command again;

fdisk -l /dev/sda

I’m guessing both sda1 and sda2 have an * by them. if so, run the fdisk
command again to de-activate sda1;

fdisk /dev/sda

Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-10): 1
Command (m for help): w

Reboot and see how that goes.


Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.3 (x86_64) Kernel 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
up 10:57, 3 users, load average: 0.20, 0.24, 0.19
CPU AMD E2-1800@1.70GHz | GPU Radeon HD 7340[/QUOTE]