Yesterday I needed to fix the MBR of a ProLiant (Red Hat EnterpriseLinux 2.1) by reinstalling grub and grub-install just won't work.
grub-install assumes that the boot device is in the form /dev/hda or
/dev/sda and since most ProLiant use a SmartArray RAID controller its
boot device is typically /dev/cciss/c0d0.
So, in order to recover this is what I did:
* In /etc/grub.conf (a link to /boot/grub/grub.conf) uncomment the
line that looks like this:
boot=/dev/cciss/c0d0
* Make sure /boot/grub/device.map is setup right and looks like this:
(fd0) /dev/fd0
(hd0) /dev/cciss/c0d0
* Run grub like this:
/sbin/grub --batch --device-map=/boot/grub/device.map
--config-file=/boot/grub/grub.conf --no-floppy
grub> root (hd0,0)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
Hope that helps!
Thanks for the tip! It really saved my bacon with a new install of Fedora Core 3/64-bit on a dl585 with Smart Array 5i controller. Grub was not properly configured after the initial install and had to be recovered using your procedure.
ReplyDeleteSame here. Fedora misconfigured Grub during install, you just saved me from hours of debugging this over those extra-long boot times... Thanks! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips. It really helps. :)
ReplyDeletereally appreciated
ReplyDeleteThanks a tone. It saved lot of my time.
ReplyDeleteAs previously stated, thanks a ton. The GRUB documentation is a little light on what do with SCSI arrays, I had to dig thru google for a good hour before finding your post... :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip, it was a life saver!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot. Helped me solved a REALLY big problem with one of our servers.
ReplyDeleteNearly saved my life too !
Tank you... this install de grub but after boot it show this message:
ReplyDeleteroot (hd0,0)
Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type Ox83
kernel (hd0,0)/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.14-gentoo-r2 root=/dev/ram0 ramdisk=8192 real_root=/dev/cciss/c0d0p3 init=linuxrc udev doscsi
[ Linux -bzImage,setup=0x1e00,size=0x22688e]
initrd (hd0,0)/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.14-gentoo-r2
[Linux-initrd@0xdfe8b000, 0x157141 bytes]
error 28: select itemcannot fit into memory
press any key to continue...
I have an 2 x 3.2 Xeon x96_84 with 4 x 1Gb RAM and Smart Array (RAID 5)
Matias,
ReplyDeleteThe line: "error 28: select item cannot fit into memory" is the error message you need to follow up on.
I'd poke around your kernel configuration to make sure it can support that large memory.
-marc
Thanks, this tip was a lifesaver. I had EXACTLY the same problem and the fix worked perfectly.
ReplyDelete-- Steve
I have the exact same problem - however I have still not found a solution. I have tried several initrd files and get the dreaded error 28 each and every time.
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is it that I need to change in the kernel ?
Thanks for this - dead handy and saved me lots of messing about!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot, save my time too :)
ReplyDeleteThx a lot also saved me loads of time trying to install Grub on Gentoo with an HP ProLiant DL380 G5. I can't belive that this bug has not been fixed.
ReplyDeleteCheers Simon
There is an easier way where you don't need to edit any files. This works great in a script, but can be done on the command line as well
ReplyDelete/sbin/grub --batch /dev/null 2>/dev/null
device (hd0) /dev/cciss/c0d0
root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
quit
EOT
Somehow not all of the first line showed up it should be
ReplyDelete/sbin/grub --batch /dev/null 2>/dev/null
device (hd0) /dev/cciss/c0d0
root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
quit
EOT
Thanks! This is very useful
ReplyDelete@JimmyV: Thanks for your shorter solution!
ReplyDeleteWow, 6 years later and Redhat still can't configure the boot loader right for HP Proliant servers.
ReplyDeleteThis helped me too!
I guess HP Proliant servers aren't very poplular, so getting support for them is a bit of a long shot X-D
Thank for your article!
ReplyDeleteAfter installation Redhat EL 5 update 7 on blade server bl460 g7 with P712m card for external SAS storage, there is appear error message "Attempting boot from hard drive (C:)"
I booted to rescue mode (after that i changed root to /mnt/sysimage: chroot /mnt/sysimage) and device.map has two records:
(hd0) /dev/cciss/c0d0 - this external controller
(hd10) /dev/cciss/c1d0 - this internal controller
When i tried to install grub to internal controller it's show error:
grub-install /dev/cciss/c1d0
The file /boot/grub/stage1 not read correctly.
So i tried your method, and i have error when i run root (hd10,0) command:
root (hd10,0)
Error 12: Invalid device requested
So what i did is just removed external controller from device.map and change internal controller to (hd0)
(hd0) /dev/cciss/c1d0
After that in /boot/grub/grub.conf file, i changed all (hd10,0) to (hd0,0).
And install grub to internal controller /dev/cciss/c1d0
grub-install /dev/cciss/c1d0
That's all, i hope it will be helpful for somebody, and sorry for my English :).