Hi Anti:
Thanks for you suggestion.
I did install to MBR. I did not change the default language settings.

I tried Antix 7.5 LIvecd and the grub repair worked (at least the cd said so), and the grub menu now shows the sidux kernel. That's progress. However, if now i'm getting a different error message after selecting sidux-kernel

a whole bunch of ACPI;[Package has zero elements (c.....)
This is ok. it happens all the time
then:

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0).

thanks.
Pedro

Hello again:
I forgot to mention that even the mepis kernel now shows the Kernel panic message. So, something is majorly messed up.
Thanks.
Pedro

Ok, boot livecd, go to /mnt/sda1 (or where your installed ststem is)
boot/gub and post the menu.lst

(There may be a backup as will in there)

Anti:
Here's what's in menu.lst

timeout 15
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message

title MEPIS at sda1, newest kernel
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at sda1, previous kernel (if any)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz.old root=/dev/sda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at sda1, kernel 2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686 root=/dev/sda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at sda1, kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-1-mepis-smp root=/dev/sda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEMTEST
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin



There is also a menu.lst.old and menu.lst-bu-08-11-23

thanks
Pedro

this is menu.lst.old

timeout 15
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message

title MEPIS at sda1, newest kernel
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at sda1, previous kernel (if any)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz.old root=/dev/sda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at sda1, kernel 2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686 root=/dev/sda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at sda1, kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-1-mepis-smp root=/dev/sda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEMTEST
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin



and menu.lst-bu-08-11-23

timeout 15
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message

title MEPIS at hda1, newest kernel
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at hda1, previous kernel (if any)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz.old root=/dev/hda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at hda1, kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-1-mepis-smp root=/dev/hda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEMTEST
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

Ok. After a lot of manipulations, most of which I don't understand, but thanks to Anti for his help, here is the new and improved grub/menu.lst

timeout 15
color cyan/blue white/blue
foreground ffffff
background 0639a1

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message

title MEPIS at hda1, newest kernel
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at hda1, previous kernel (if any)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz.old root=/dev/hda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at hda1, kernel 2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686 root=/dev/hda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEPIS at hda1, kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-1-mepis-smp root=/dev/hda1 nomce quiet splash vga=791 resume=/dev/hda2
boot

title MEMTEST
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

### 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=669b08c8-7f18-4348-b2eb-55dd8bd00d4f ro

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

## 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=(single-user mode) single

## 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 Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp Previous
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz.old root=UUID=669b08c8-7f18-4348-b2eb-55dd8bd00d4f ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img.old

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp Previous (single-user mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz.old root=UUID=669b08c8-7f18-4348-b2eb-55dd8bd00d4f ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img.old

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686 root=UUID=669b08c8-7f18-4348-b2eb-55dd8bd00d4f ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686 (single-user mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686 root=UUID=669b08c8-7f18-4348-b2eb-55dd8bd00d4f ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7.slh.1-sidux-686

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-1-mepis-smp root=UUID=669b08c8-7f18-4348-b2eb-55dd8bd00d4f ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-1-mepis-smp

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp (single-user mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-1-mepis-smp root=UUID=669b08c8-7f18-4348-b2eb-55dd8bd00d4f ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-1-mepis-smp

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel memtest86+
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

Replace your menu.lst with this one (save a backup, just in case)

Add this under antiX-default and above MEMTEST
If that doesn't work, change root=/dev/sda1 to root=/dev/hda1

Anti:
I replaced the test as you suggested under default and reboot and still got the same problem of fsch.ext3: no such file or directory
it asks for root password for maintenance, and after I type it in it just hangs at a command line prompt
thanks for your help
Pedro

Maybe your box doesn't like the kernel.

Anyhow, you should be able to install any sidux kernel without having to mess with the menu.lst.
The antiX-default will always stay there, and the othere will get added removed when you add remove a kernel via smxi.
I noticed that you don't need to use the sidux repo to get sidux kernels. Just choose the advanced kernel option, and the kernel of your choice.

There is one more thing you could try to get the sidux kernel you have working.

Edit /etc/fstab
change /dev/hda1 / ext3 defaults,noatime 1 1
to
UUID=669b08c8-7f18-4348-b2eb-55dd8bd00d4f / ext3 defaults,noatime 1 1

make sure you keep a copy of the original fstab

Anti:
I tried your last suggestion and the kernel does boot up without any other error messages. So I guess we could call that sucess.

However, I can't log in to the system now. All I get is a failure to execute login command, either with the default user name or root.

thanks for help
Pedro

Getting somewhere at least.

I think the login manager might have got corrupted with all the changes we have made.
Can you login using the Mepis kernel?
If you can't, then there is a problem with SliM (small login manager).
If you can login using the Mepis kernel and sidux doesn't let you login, then at that failure to execute login command, Ctrl Alt F1 to drop you to a commandline prompt.
Then try logging in as user, password then startx.
If that fails try as root.
If that fails, as root user (no startx) type
/etc/init.d/slim stop
/etc/init.d/slim start
exit
Login as user.
If none work than you'll have to re-install slim, but you will need to reconfigure it afterwards.
apt -get remove --purge slim & apt-get install slim