Alternative bootloader to Grub

  • jukingeo
Posted: Fri, 07/25/2008 - 17:17
Hello All, I been having troubles with Grub cooperating with my latest installation of 64Studio. The problem is that it creates an error message: "Error: Cannot Load Operating System", on system boot up. It did this right after a clean Windows/64Studio installation set for dual boot. Now if I push F12 and get to the boot menu I can get to the Grub menu by manually selecting the Primary Master Boot Drive. However, this is a pain to sit by the computer and push a key and select a drive EVERY time I want to use my machine. When I redid my system, I loaded Windows FIRST and tested it. It booted properly on start up. Then I installed 64Studio and Grub and now I get the error message. For some reason Grub is messing around with the MBR and my machine cannot see Grub to start it up properly. I didn't have this problem with Ubuntu AND I also noticed that 64Studio's version of Grub is a bit different. I wonder if this is a bit of an oversight on the part of the developers of 64Studio. Perhaps the version of Grub used for 64Studio is outdated? At any rate, I am tired of fooling around with this and I am wondering if I can delete Grub and install a different bootloader...one that I can FULLY configure independently of the positions of Windows or 64Studio. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thank You, Geo
‹ Geo-info-EMU10k1X My experince installing 64Studio-Doc at the radar station ›

Just FYI, you do not need to

  • soccerfiend
  • 05/07/08
  • Sun, 07/27/2008 - 20:16
  • Copy comment link
Just FYI, you do not need to reinstall Windows to fix its bootloader. Simply boot from the windows cd, go to the recovery console, then in the command prompt type "fixmbr" and then "fixboot". Of course if you do this to the drive that has Linux, you will get an error about not booting the OS as the MS bootloader is unaware of other OSs. Personally I am a big fan of GRUB.

Hello soccerfiend,The first

  • jukingeo
  • 07/02/08
  • Sun, 07/27/2008 - 22:14
  • Copy comment link
Hello soccerfiend, The first time I had the problem with the MBR, I WAS able to fix it using the procedure you mentioned. But the second time, while attempting to create a floppy boot disk for 64Studio, something really nasty happened and I couldn't fix it that way. So I was forced to reinstall Windows again. So that is when I wanted to create this post to see what alternatives (to Grub) there are. It appears that Lilo and Super Grub were the two choices. Lilo actually seemed to have less support around it than Grub. But Super Grub was mentioned a few times to me and I found out that I didn't have to burn it to a CD, but it was installable on to a Floppy. So I do have that waiting in the wings in case the next phase fails. I have another fellow who was very helpful in the past over in the Ubuntu forums and he is walking me through a procedure to put an updated version of Grub on my system and supposedly it is more flexible in handling the given situation I have with my machine moreover I should be able to create a floppy boot should I want to go that way. I will report those results over in the other thread I posted on the initial problem I had with Grub. This way I can keep everything over there and keep this thread for its purpose. So I may come back here if the next plan fails and then I would probably discuss Super Grub. I am crossing my fingers that the Grub update will work. It should because the Grub I used with Ubuntu worked fine. Geo

Hello Quentin, Again I do

  • jukingeo
  • 07/02/08
  • Sun, 07/27/2008 - 17:03
  • Copy comment link
Hello Quentin, Again I do apologise as I am in strung out shape and perhaps the one remark was meant in jest. Normally I DO have a good sense of humor, but unlike Linux, Windows is a beast to to set up and it is pain to keep loading everything up again and again. So I have not been over at the other thread as of yet, but will do so later. I do assure you though that I am not plastering the same thread all over the place. But I do agree that I am trying to tackle too many problems at one time. I have not been back to the other thread since yesterday because I been gathering up information on LILO as per my initial question for this particular thread. However, given my sitution with my picky BIOS everyone seems to keep pointing me back to Grub and it seems like there is more support help for Grub than Lilo, So as of now, I am not sure switching is a wise thing to do. But perhaps you are right in that I DO have too many threads open. So I guess that if a clear solution isn't in switching bootloaders then hopefully I can find a solution with Grub or it's variant Super Grub (which I did download for a diskette). I will put my findings over in the other thread on Grub so this way I will not be so 'spread out' and confusing everyone. Anyway, I have a large electrical storm here now and I think I am going to loose power. So I will be back later in the other thread. Geo

PS

  • Quentin Harley
  • 05/24/07
  • Sun, 07/27/2008 - 13:54
  • Copy comment link
Some of the guys asked for more info in some of the other threads you asked questions in. You did not supply the extra info yet. Does this mean those problems are solved?

No Problem...

  • Quentin Harley
  • 05/24/07
  • Sun, 07/27/2008 - 13:49
  • Copy comment link
It is just very hard to offer support when info is spread over different threads. I am sorry if I offended your sensibilities. I have forwarded your queries to the team, and there are already many good advice that you can choose to follow or not if you choose. I do not believe you are asking too much, but perhaps not trying the advice we give (or not at least acknowledging that you have). This in itself is not a problem, but skipping a piece of seemingly worthless advice could make the process so much harder for you. I have tried to telephonically support someone else with an attitude like this, and could not. I finally had to drive to site and fix it myself. Took me all of 10min and the worst thing was that it was the first piece of advice I gave the guy. Not to say that you are like this. You are probably not. I only act on what I read here... Hope some of the advice helps you. Cheers,

I spent 3.5 months

  • Quentin Harley
  • 05/24/07
  • Sat, 07/26/2008 - 17:29
  • Copy comment link
with no apparent success in the beginning... My Bios was buggy and I could not load 64studio AT ALL. You won't find multiple threads with the same question in it, or any ranting from me at that time. Also, our advice is all we have to give as fellow users on the OS. We would love if you got it going and love it like we do, but if you don't it is your choice. It is not my job to brow beat anyone into using 64 Studio. I am not getting any commission if you do. Just spreading the love. I use 64 Studio for everything now.

I only made FOUR threads

  • jukingeo
  • 07/02/08
  • Sun, 07/27/2008 - 05:28
  • Copy comment link
I only made FOUR threads here thus far and only two were inter-related, but not identical. I don't consider myself doing any kind of ranting. I am a bit strung out because nothing is working correctly but that is about it. And I am a bit tired of constantly reloading Windows because Grub knocks it out, but then again wouldn't anyone? I thought I was doing the right thing by giving as much information about the problem as I can, but then I get the comment on "leaving a paper trail as wide as the Grand Canyon." All I am doing is asking for help. So you expected me NOT to react to a comment like that? I am sorry if the normal situation is having 64Studio on a single hard drive and no dual booting is involved and I am sorry that my persistence on this forum in trying to solve the issues I am having with 64Studio is becoming bothersome. I am sorry I am new and have a lot of questions. For the record my main threads were: 1) Installing over an Ubuntu Installation (which is an older thread) 2) Error cannot load operating system (where I first mentioned the problem with Grub) 3) Alternative to bootloader to grub (inter-related yes, but same question no). 4) New Installation of 64Studio--Noted problems I need assistance with. I don't mention my bootloader problem there. I JUST would like to get the problem solved. I have always thanked you and the others for the help offered and I am very gracious for the assistance. I am not forcing anyone to help. I can understand if not everyone knows the answer to every problem. A simple, "I'm sorry I don't know the answer" would suffice. But if I can be pushed in the right direction or be put into contact with someone that may have the answer then I appreciate that as well.

Why RTFM suggestions are a cliche...

  • soccerfiend
  • 05/07/08
  • Sat, 07/26/2008 - 05:38
  • Copy comment link
First a light scolding. Making noise does not constitute due diligence nor does it even come close to representing personal responsibility. Higher version numbers mean very little, especially with projects such as Debian that tend to back port security and bug patches to older versions. Before going further, you really should check out this link: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html Also, your circumstances are not normal. Dual booting can be complicated, and you have chosen to make it even more complicated by spreading your OSs between two drives. I am not telling you to do it differently, but expecting grub to automatically cope with every possible situation without human intervention is unreasonable. By the way, to answer your question, you can choose to use Lilo as an alternate bootloader. This is a capable bootloader but there are very good reason that GRUB is now the standard one in use. Of course you are free to make your own choices.

Grub

  • Quentin Harley
  • 05/24/07
  • Fri, 07/25/2008 - 19:27
  • Copy comment link
The version of Grub is the version used in Debian etch, on which 64 Studio is built. Etch is getting on in years, and all will be replaced soon when Debian moves to Lenny as the new stable branch. Ubuntu uses a grub from SID (which is Debian unstable) if I am not mistaken. We would love to base 64 Studio on SID, but the reason why we are sticking to Debian Stable, is because it is, well, stable. Supporting a moving target (SID) is almost impossible to do, as any or all packages can change on a whim, possibly breaking many others for a while... As I said in the other thread (man... you are leaving a paper trail as wide as the grand canyon) I have forwarded it to the team, and we should have a solution for you soon. Cheers,

<< (man... you are leaving a

  • jukingeo
  • 07/02/08
  • Sat, 07/26/2008 - 01:13
  • Copy comment link
<< (man... you are leaving a paper trail as wide as the grand canyon)>> Well, I figured I would give as much information as possible. Also when I do have a problem with something...I make a lot of noise. I been having problems with Linux based distributions since day one for over two months now. I have not even begun to use Linux for what intended it for and that is audio and video editing. Sure I have to learn the applications as well, but so far this is the break down in time spent. Learning new applications and programs within Linux = 15% Time spent fixing and configuring problems = 85% So so far I am not cutting a break. I will say that Ubuntu was overall pretty good for general "housekeeping" and web surfing and what have you, but when it came to sound support and configuring it for audio and video based projects it fell short...even after I upgraded to Ubuntu Studio. So I did some research and finally ended up coming here. But it isn't all roses here either. Right away within the first half hour of exploring 64Studio, I found 4 pretty decent sized problems. One being that I can't start Jack. So yeah, I am making a big paper trail and some noise. Sorry if it puts off anyone, but I spent the last two months trying to get a Linux distribution to work right and thusfar I spent more time figuring and configuring then actually doing any audio work. Geo