grub rescue> errors unknown filesystem, unknown commands, no live boot
 

My first post here and I'm detecting a crisis... I was running Ubuntu based GoBang and got frustrated with not being able to work as su, root. Thant and that synaptic was unavailable. So went t looking for a debian based system with openbox wm and found Semplice. During the install process, during the formatting of the partitions it all just stopped. I've only been working with linux for two years... newbie. When I rebooted I got 'grub rescue'. Read through numerous tutorials for solving this problem but nothing finished the way I had hoped. 'set prefix..., insmod.... I get 'unknown filesystem'. set root... the same. ls brings up (hd0) (hd0,msdos2) (hd0,msdos1). I did the search looking for grub or a booting divice of some kind somewhere, got nothing but, unknown filesystem.

began the process, set prefix=... insmod (hdo,1)/boot/grub
I get unknown file system.

began insmod part_msdos, insmod ext2, insmod gzio
Again, inknown filesystem.

now, set root=(hd0,1), linux/boot/vmlinuz....
I get unknown command 'linux'

initrd/boot/initrd.img...
boot
I get unknow command 'initrd.

I'm stuck. Someone suggested a low level format, but I don't want to start that when I don't have the right commands.

Thank you for your time...
lazymonk

I stick to paradigm of sunk costs.

When I try to fix it up for 6 hours, then I stop and reinstall. Because it's better to reinstall and -configure in another 4 hours (=10 hs), than trying another 6 hours to no avail, plus reinstall 4 hours (all in all =16 hs).

I did it twice in the last 48 hours.

Also I found out it is no use using a filesystem (I chose jfs last time for / and /home) that no Linux live system or any system in the whole world can write to, but most can't even read OOTB. So now I'm back with ext4.

Have fun.

If it froze during the formating of partitions and depending on what you selected when setting up the partitions to use for installation could mean lost of data. If data needs to be recovered it may be possible with a live rescue disk. If no data needs to be recovered then start over with the installation again.

Did you install Semplice over Goband or were yo trying to dual boot?

Is that a typo here because that is a lower case letter o (hdo,1) and not a zero so that will never work.

After linux and before /boot.. and after initrd and before /boot you need a space. Are these typos or are you actually typing it that way?
I don't know anything about Semplice but you could do an online search for 'bootinfoscript' download and run it and post the output here as it will give more details on exactly what you have.

excuse my typing
 

Ok, sorry about that. I sent the info last time under the pressure of limited time at the public library. I'll give you something complete and correct this time.

set prefix=(hd0,1) /boot/grub
insmod (hd0,1) /boot/grub/linux.mod
[error unknown filesystem]
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
insmod gzio
[error unknown filesystem]
set root=(hd0,1)
linux /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-1-686-pae /root/dev/sdXX ro
[unknown command 'linux']
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-1-686-pae boot
[unknown command 'initrd']

And that is where I had stopped. I did get a list (ls) of the partitions.
(hd0), (hd0,msdos2), (hd0,msdos1)
And when I went to search where the boot loader might be I got [unknown filesystem] every time.

There is no need to save data. The important stuff is on a 64G stick drive.
I tried to install gparted and after I booted and nothing happened.
Any ideas on the 'unknown command' issue?

lazymonk

If you have re-formatted the partitions, there is no boot code to find (on the hard disk). Nothing will work except the commands in-built in core.img (presuming grub2 which it looks like).

Be more explicit why you can't just use the liveUSB again. Make sure you have tried all the BIOS (presumably) options.

if you get to grub rescue during the install, well that just shouldn't happen.
can you boot into the live system?
you should take a look how the disk is formatted right now, and maybe change that.
do you just want to use the whole disk for linux?
that should be a trivial click in the installer.
if the disk partitioning is somehow messed up, some installer might get confused by it, so it might be easier to "nuke" the drive with dd (see "wiping the MBR"; the other options take too long).

if you're still stuck, you might want to make some hardware analysis:
and post that here.

btw...
i heartily recommend bunsenlabs!

Wiping Disk
 

So, as you advised...

lspci -k
I get; Unknown command 'lspci'.

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=M
I get; Unknown command 'dd'.

Why would there be such a command problem? This has been the case in a lot of what I key in after the failed install.

Thanks, lazymonk

If the install failed as described in your initial post, I don't really see how you could boot from the HD at all. Are you running these commands from the Live CD/flash drive? You would need to succesfully complete the install for anything to work.

rescue grup, etc. etc.
 

Ok, don't hate me for this, I am a newbie...

I overlooked something that I dismissed as I could find no way to read this. Let me know if this helps. This is the beginning of there message I have been receiving.

error: disk 'lvmd/8pxryf-dHdw-UpwF-Upq7-Z4jg-7JYO-131PVi/xKuGWK-gqk3-B0Co-voAc-Yr54-2VRM-0bFd0O' not found.
Entering rescue mode...
grub rescue>

Again, sorry for my lack.
lm

As you have been advised more than once now, there is nothing left on (most of) the hard disk. No commands, and the UUID has changed, so that message.
Re-read my previous post - you must boot a liveCD/USB to get around this; a re-install makes most sense, and will cause least angst.

BIOS
 

Sorry I didn't email last night, might have spared me the hostility. I did as you suggested going through the bios and was able to remove all error messages by trying to install Rescatux. However all I do get is...

SYSLINUX 4.07 EDD 2013-07-25 copyright (c)1994-2013 H. Peter Anvin et al

I am using uui for the boot loader.
perhaps there is a command for the next step. I downloaded a pdf on Grub 2 yesterday, I'll see what I can find. Thank you for your help!

lazymonk

That message is shown on boot when using the syslniux bootloader. If that's all you get then the creation of the bootable flash drive with UUI didn't work. The Universal USB installer is software to create a bootable flash drive.

lazymonk, i have the feeling you do not know the difference between:

• "installing" a distro
• booting a distro in live mode
• creating a bootable medium

let's take a few steps back!

first, you have to get the disk image of your distro (usually some file ending in .iso) onto a usb (or a dvd, or a cd).
do you know how to do that?
have you done that succesfully?

then, you have to tell your computer to boot from that usb stick (this sometimes requires calling a bios boot menu, or changing settings in bios).
this is called "booting the live disk" or some such.
can you do that?

btw, rescatux is a distro, too, but it is not made to be installed on a computer hard drive.
however, for the tasks at hand, any live bootable distro will do.

please take your time to read this!
it took me some time to write it, too.
please answer all questions and requests with as much relevant detail as you can provide.