anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
Site Admin
Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#16
You need to install grub to the external MBR.
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#17
Since I got back this IBM M41 Desktop. So far I have Windows XP,AntiX 11, Semplice, and Macpup installed and booting off of AntiX11 grub and this rig runs 2 hard drives now which is like running a external hard drive eg: / dev/sda and / dev/sdb. I will post back my menu.lst when I reboot and show how my list looks that boots grub2 for semplice plus a frugal install of Macpup on the secondary ide drive.
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#18
Here is my /boot/grub/menu.lst in AntiX 11

Code: Select all

timeout 10
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message

title antiX at sda2, kernel 2.6.36-1-mepis-smp
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.36-1-mepis-smp root=/dev/sda2 nomce quiet nosplash nouveau.modeset=0 vga=788 
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.36-1-mepis-smp
boot

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional at sda1
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

title Puppy Linux 529 frugal in sdb1 dir macpup529frugal
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
kernel /macpup529frugal/vmlinuz pmedia=atahd psubdir=macpup529frugal
initrd /macpup529frugal/initrd.gz

title Semplice
rootnoverify (hd1,1)
chainloader +1
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=4a4c4f16-9bb0-451c-90cc-d9f34ffff6e5 ro
# kopt_2_6=root=UUID=4a4c4f16-9bb0-451c-90cc-d9f34ffff6e5 ro nosplash quiet nouveau.modeset=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,1)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##      lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(single-user) single
# altoptions=(init-3) 3

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title        antiX-M11, kernel 2.6.36-1-mepis-smp
root        (hd0,1)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.36-1-mepis-smp root=UUID=4a4c4f16-9bb0-451c-90cc-d9f34ffff6e5 ro nosplash quiet nouveau.modeset=0 
initrd        /boot/initrd.img-2.6.36-1-mepis-smp

title        antiX-M11, kernel 2.6.36-1-mepis-smp (init-3)
root        (hd0,1)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.36-1-mepis-smp root=UUID=4a4c4f16-9bb0-451c-90cc-d9f34ffff6e5 ro nosplash quiet nouveau.modeset=0 3
initrd        /boot/initrd.img-2.6.36-1-mepis-smp

title        antiX-M11, kernel memtest86+
root        (hd0,1)
kernel        /boot/memtest86+.bin

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
On mine. Since AntiX was on sda. I installed grub to mbr on sda and use it to boot sdb. Since Semplice uses grub2. I kept the semplice entry simple to get grub legacy to boot it. Maybe the chainloader +1` will work on your external drive install since my semplice is on another drive also.
Posts: 325
male
Joined: 04 Nov 2011
#19
When using a separate boot partition, the root partition of the system deviates (identified by the kopt) course on the boot partition (identified by groot). It is groot when editing the options and make sure kopt. For example:
kopt = root = /dev/sda3 ro
groot = (hd0, 0)
In contrast, without the boot partition:
kopt = root = /dev/sda1 ro
groot = (hd0, 0)
Because he still has to use a separate boot partition. __{{emoticon}}__
Posts: 12
edmacc
Joined: 03 Jun 2012
#20
My menu.lst has just the timeout, colors, gfxmenu, and 2 stanzas, 1 for Antix and 1 for XP. I see that rokytnji's menu.lst shows an additional section for an Automagic kernels list which mine lacks. Do I need this section? Is it just a copy and paste to add it? Once it's there, I should probably scrutinize it to determine that it is doing what I intend for it to do. Then what needs to happen next? Confused again....

thanks, Ed
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#21
edmacc wrote:My menu.lst has just the timeout, colors, gfxmenu, and 2 stanzas, 1 for Antix and 1 for XP. I see that rokytnji's menu.lst shows an additional section for an Automagic kernels list which mine lacks. Do I need this section? Is it just a copy and paste to add it? Once it's there, I should probably scrutinize it to determine that it is doing what I intend for it to do. Then what needs to happen next? Confused again....

thanks, Ed
Maybe My new AntiX 12 / boot/grub/menu.lst will help. I transferred over the booting to Antix 12 from Antix 11 and installed grub to AntiX 12 MBR during installation.

post25947.html#p25947

If you think you were confused. Try reading my whole thread. I had to duke it out/fight tooth and nail to get what I wanted working like it should.
Posts: 325
male
Joined: 04 Nov 2011
#22
edmacc wrote: I see that rokytnji's menu.lst shows an additional section for an Automagic kernels list which mine lacks.
Do I need this section?
yes!
Is it just a copy and paste to add it?
No!
My suggestion: New Installation

The boot partition must-have for the bios bootable (active)!

Hopefully, the installer makes the antiX with ...
because GRUB must in this partition. Otherwise: Error 18 __{{emoticon}}__
Posts: 88
kmathern
Joined: 25 Aug 2012
#23
edmacc wrote:...I see that rokytnji's menu.lst shows an additional section for an Automagic kernels list which mine lacks. Do I need this section? Is it just a copy and paste to add it? ....
The"AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST" section of menu.lst is created/added when you run the update-grub command.
Posts: 325
male
Joined: 04 Nov 2011
#24
... if he does without the HDD, the BIOS does not recognize the. __{{emoticon}}__
Posts: 12
edmacc
Joined: 03 Jun 2012
#25
I can certainly try another re-install (and will probably do one soon). But, I suspect I will get the same result unless I rectify whatever situation is preventing Grub from seeing stage 1.5 or stage 2. I can't figure out if the Error 18 was spurious or real. My BIOS date is 10/16/2002, so I think it's new enough that it should be able to see the first 8Gb of the disk.

I thought about reinstalling Antix from a newer computer to the USB external drive, but I suspect that once I try the installation on the old computer, it probably won't boot.

I understand that the contents of the Automagic Kernels List ("AKL") is specific to a particular installation. I was wondering if copying rokytnji's AKL to my menu.lst and editing it would be of any value. I tried doing an update-grub as root from the live CD but it did not appear to do anything at that time.

regards to all -

Ed
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#26
Go to applications>system tools>system

There is a gui for repairing grub from there. Maybe you will have better luck with it than the update-grub command from a live cd. Just guessing though because I dont stumble with grub issues like you do. I am just pointing this out in case you are unaware of it.