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SOLVED - "Unable to install GRUB ... This is a fatal error."

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    SOLVED - "Unable to install GRUB ... This is a fatal error."

    Installing Kubuntu Feisty Fawn from LiveCD (32-bit non-Alternate). I have a single 120GB HD, preinstalled with Windows Vista. I've already shrunk the partition and set up the unallocated space for Linux with GParted. My disk layout:

    Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
    Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

    Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
    /dev/sda1 1 192 1536000 27 Unknown
    Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
    /dev/sda2 * 192 7604 59541504 7 HPFS/NTFS
    /dev/sda3 7605 8648 8385930 83 Linux
    /dev/sda4 8649 14593 47753212+ 5 Extended
    /dev/sda5 8649 14332 45656698+ 83 Linux
    /dev/sda6 14333 14593 2096451 82 Linux swap / Solaris

    On step 6 of 6, I click the Advanced button. The default GRUB installation location is given as (hd0,0). I don't want GRUB installed into the MBR, so I change it to (sd0,2) in order to have it installed on my / partition (/dev/sda3). When the installation gets to the point where GRUB is to be installed, I get:

    "Unable to install GRUB in (sd0,2). Executing 'grub-install (sd0,2)' failed. This is a fatal error."

    Why? If my HD was an IDE, then fdisk would identify it as /dev/hda. As it is a SATA, fdisk reports it as /dev/sda, so why does the installation have a problem putting GRUB on (sd0,2) as I tell it to? Am I missing something in my understanding of how to designate a drive/partition for GRUB?
    Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007
    "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

    #2
    Re: "Unable to install GRUB ... This is a fatal error."

    Grub only knows "HD". It doesn't recognize "SD". Try hd0,2.
    Never too old to learn
    Ault, CO, USA

    Comment


      #3
      Re: "Unable to install GRUB ... This is a fatal error."

      Originally posted by Detonate
      Grub only knows "HD". It doesn't recognize "SD". Try hd0,2.
      Okay. Googled and came up with:

      http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...ing-convention

      So fdisk gives drive-type specifications while GRUB only has one - hdx,x. I'll try the installation again, and specify hd0,2.
      Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007
      "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

      Comment


        #4
        Re: "Unable to install GRUB ... This is a fatal error."

        A little more explanation.

        To Grub:
        sda1=hd0,0
        sda2=hd0,1
        sda3=hd0,2
        sda4=hd0,3
        sda5=hd0,4
        sda6=hd0,5
        Never too old to learn
        Ault, CO, USA

        Comment


          #5
          Re: "Unable to install GRUB ... This is a fatal error."

          Specifying (hd0,2) worked. I have "Installation complete" and am preparing to check it all out.

          Thanks for pointing out the simple correction.
          Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007
          "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

          Comment

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