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GRUB install fails

aminga

Fri Sep 30, 2011 12:49:38 am

I am trying to install Zorin OS 5.1 in a HP dv6 series laptop which has preinstalled Windows 7 in it. I have made changes to hard drive and have 4 partitions for Linux (all logical partitions):

/dev/sda6 /boot ext2
/dev/sda7 swap
/dev/sda8 / ext4
/dev/sda9 /home btrfs

I successfully installed Ubuntu 11.04 32-bit in the above partitions and was working fine. I decided to install Zorin 5.1 instead and since it is based on Ubuntu 11.04, it should have worked, but GRUB installation fails with a fatal error. Since I cannot install GRUB, I chose not installing it and continue with installation, but right at that point the installer crashes and the only thing I can do is to restart the laptop.
The on-screen message asks to file a new bug at "https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+filebug" which I have done.

The bootloader for the laptop is Win 7 bootloader and I had added entry for Ubuntu 11.04 and was working fine. In order to use Win 7 bootloader, GRUB must be installed in the "/boot" (/dev/sda6) partition, NOT in MBR. The laptop did not come with a Win 7 install disk, so I do not want to mess with MBR at the moment.

Any suggestion for this issue?
Thank you!

Wolfman

Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:07:50 am

root and home should be ext4 and if you already have Win7 on the PC, you don't need a boot partition as the installer will automatically select the MBR for you!!.

Regards Wolfman :D

aminga

Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:37:02 pm

With respect to the above replies, I have done the emergency and restore disks generation before I resized the partitions and installed Ubuntu 11.04.
As I wrote in my initial post, the following partitions works fine for Ubuntu 11.04. Also root and home do not have to be ext4 partitions.

/dev/sda6 /boot ext2
/dev/sda7 swap
/dev/sda8 / ext4
/dev/sda9 /home btrfs

GRUB bootloader installed in "/boot" (/dev/sda6) partition, NOT in MBR.

After installing Ubuntu 11.04, since MBR has not been modified by GRUB, PC boots ONLY into Win 7. You need to download and install "EasyBCD" (http://neosmart.net/blog/2010/welcome-to-easybcd-2/) and add an entry to Win 7 bootloader.

I decided to install Zorin in the above partition arrangement (I selected to reformat them during Zorin install). I think the problem is the Zorin install script which wants to install in MBR only. When GRUB install fails it opens a window and give me an option not to install the GRUB and warns that the system will not be able to boot into Zorin and I selected that option also so I can complete the installation but that also fails. I can manually install the GRUB if the installation finishes, but I do not get that far.

Thank you for your replies and I hope one of the Zorin developers look at my issue and suggest a solution.

AZorin

Mon Oct 03, 2011 8:29:25 pm

You can try this guide with the Ubuntu 11.04 Live CD: http://maketecheasier.com/restore-grub- ... 2010/05/05