upgrade 8.04 to 8.10 - error 15

In the live cd environment: (things after # are comments)

sudo -s
mount /dev/sdx /mnt ##replace /dev/sdx with the actual ubuntu partition
grub-install "(hd0)" --root-directory=/mnt ##replace (hd0) with something else if you don't want to install grub in the MBR
##check the message if the grub notation matches the Linux notation, change /mnt/boot/grub/device.map if necessary
##change the #groot=(hd0,1) line in /mnt/boot/grub/menu.lst to the grub notation of the boot partition if necessary
chroot mnt
update-grub
exit
reboot

When I do mount /dev/sdx /mnt
it says
mount: special device /dev/sdx does not exist

I tried with alls sd1 to sd6 ???

 ls /boot -l
total 1714
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 507665 2008-10-24 08:29 abi-2.6.27-7-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 91364 2008-10-24 08:29 config-2.6.27-7-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 124152 2008-09-11 20:11 memtest86+.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1029585 2008-10-24 08:29 System.map-2.6.27-7-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1073 2008-10-24 08:31 vmcoreinfo-2.6.27-7-generic

shal I change menu.lst with that ?
title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=4038bffc-47be-46f7-983f-0133c1aa8ab6 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=4038bffc-47be-46f7-983f-0133c1aa8ab6 ro single
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /memtest86+.bin
quiet

????

I friend who has intrepid shows me the list of ls /boot -l
it seems there are some files missing : like vmlinuz or initrd ????

lol, these are fairly crucial files!

Perhaps it might be best to try re-installing Ubuntu afresh! First backup your "/home" to either an external drive or dvd's or something safe you can keep out of harms way ;)

Then get an Ubuntu 8.10 or 8.04 Cd and go for "Manual Partitioning", when you get about halfway through the installer. this should allow you to make sure that none of the partitions get formatted. Just make sure that all partitions are UNticked in the "Format Partition?" columns and set sda6's "Mount Point" to / which is the root directory, and shows Ubutnu where to install itself. Hopefully this should mean you don't lose any data but if you do then at least you can copy it back from the backups?

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

If I could do it in an other way, it would be great !!!!
Because I have also a virtualbox (xp !)
and a lot of special soft !

Use sda6 instead of sdx in the reply from Michael.
It also seems you have a separate partition (/dev/sda3) for your boot (or grub) configuration. Since I am not familiar with that configuration, maybe someone else can help out here. This trick (taken from here http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub-legacy-faq.en.html#q11 ) might help:
cd /boot
sudo ln -s . boot

A complete reinstall is generally not required.

That's definitely good to hear. Thanks Cruncher :)

Corinne S,

just boot with live CD; after loaded open a terminal and enter

sudo grub

you'll be presented with

grub > <cursor>

at cursor pls enter

find /boot/grub/stage1

some output will be generated like

(hdX,Y)

where X is the HD and Y is partition number. pls post here this output - we'll pick it up from there and give you some further instructions.

regards,
peter b

I'm sorry, but it says "error 15: file not found"

what about these: (again after starting "sudo grub")
find /grub/stage1
find /vmlinuz

find /grub/stage1
 (hd0,2)

find /vmlinuz
Error 15: File not found
I tried also find /grub//vmlinuz, it's the same !

OK, it appears you have a separate /boot partition (not GRUB partition) at /dev/sda3 (which is (hd0,2)).

Now, I'm no GRUB expert, so I'm not entirely sure how to proceed. Did I get it right you cannot boot into your normal Ubuntu installation, and that you performed all the commands here from the live CD?
The file "menu.lst" you are referring to, where did you find that? Because it is supposed to be in /boot/grub, but it seems you don't have that!
Also, please post the output of this command, which will help us to tell you the next steps:
mount

There is a faq reagarding error 15 in Ubuntu https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+faqs?field.actions.search=Search&field.search_text=15

Hope this helps

I don't think this is a Dell Mini9 machine though?

you can see this screenshots here :
http://www.arippleeffect.org/ubuntu/grub.png
and
http://www.arippleeffect.org/ubuntu/bootdisk.png

and the menu.lst in this grub is like that (all included) - my supposition is that it is not changed :

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=4038bffc-47be-46f7-983f-0133c1aa8ab6 ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,2)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=4038bffc-47be-46f7-983f-0133c1aa8ab6 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=4038bffc-47be-46f7-983f-0133c1aa8ab6 ro single
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.2, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows NT/2000/XP
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

Yes not is a mini but in this faq there is a link to quicly find error 15 into Ubuntu answers:
 https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+faqs?field.actions.search=Search&field.search_text=15

Hope this helps

No, it is an ACER Aspire 9302 - AMD 64, but I installed all in 32 bits, because it was too much drivers problems.

From the pictures it looks as though the right vmlinuz file is there but the initrd has only a backup file. Does

sudo cp initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic.bak initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic

sound sensible to anyone? Can you just copy a file like that or does it need some fancy 'installer' type action? The file has a ".bak" ending at the moment and we need one that doesn't have the ".bak"

I'm concerned that

find /vmlinuz

gave an "Error 15: File not found" when we can see from the picture that "vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic" is clearly there at the bottom of the picture.

I've got 32bit version on my 64bit machine for a number of reasons and it works superbly, mostly. 64bit didn't work so well for me either.

yes ... it's perhaps a good idea, but from where I have to go ?
When I'm with live cd, I see the disk like that : ///media/disk ???
So how going there ?

Corinne S,

the following two lines just confirm your reply above - no actions needed !!

....'find /grub/stage1
 (hd0,2)'.....

now, for your info - the last line tells me that there is a stage1 file located on hd0 partition 3 that indeed is a linux partition (see above); to sort out your problem

please take a look at

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

and follow

Using the Ubuntu Desktop/Live CD

section - this procedure will overwrite win bootloader and give you the grub menu where you'll also find an entry for your win boot but this time it will be done through grub .

that's about it. btw. about sda6 - just speculating - it's with all probabilities /home

hope this helps.

regards,

peter b

sda6 is where Ubuntu is installed. From the pictures of the files on sda3 we can see that its a dedicated /boot partition. This is often considered a good way of setting things up in linux but we're just not very used to it in Ubuntu

Corinne, please don't try this straight-away - please wait for some other people to repond because i'm not at all sure about this. I think though that typing this into a command-line

sudu grub

root (hd0,2)

setup (hd0)

quit

Does that look at all likely to everyone? anyone?
I think that re-installs grub and all the /boot stuff to sda3 but then you'll need to fix menu.lst a little by copying and pasting the Windows parts from this thread.

Corinne if you do want to try this out then maybe testing it by using the idea to make a usb stick into the boot up device for your machine might be a safer way to try it out. Obviously the numbers would all be different!

Arrrrrrrrrrgh, lost the answer I wanted to post. So short version:
- Peter's link is good, don't get irritated by the title.
- Tom's answer should fix (most of) the problems. Except for a typo. So use:
sudo grub
root (hd0,2)
setup (hd0)
quit

I suspected that much, but the reason I doubted it is that I don't know where grub gets the info where your root filesystem is (sda6) from.

- To be on the safe side, when you say the disk is shown as /media/disk, do this:
cd /media/disk/boot && sudo ln -s . boot

- Try a reboot now, without the CD. It might still fail, due to the missing initrd file, but you're at least half way there then.

@marcobra: your link lists a FAQ entry unrelated to this problem. Searching in answers for "error 15" returns (too) many hits, and each occurence of the error might have an individual reason and an individual solution.

One other thing you can do that should at least make your system bootable again, is what Tom suggested:
sudo cp initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic.bak initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generic

Please also do the things I wrote in my last post, except the reboot which you can do *now*.
If the reboot still fails, enter the GRUB menu by pressing Esc at bootup, and select "2.6.24-23-generic" unless that is the already highlighted entry. In that case use "2.6.24-23-generic (recovery mode)" instead, and tell us where the reboot fails exactly.

Once you have done the things from this and my previous posts, please get back to us and tell us how it went. I believe I have a solution on how to proceed from here, and also how to make use of the newer kernel 2.6.27-11, which seems (partially) installed already.
Yes, I believe a successful end is in sight now. ;-)

Looking good :)

Is this thread similar? It does look a bit different and we have a plan in this one now but i wondered if something similar might help them?
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+question/65875

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Ok, I have a lot to try ... I'm sorry, but I have things that I must prioritarely do these next days, so I suppose I can't try it until friday or saturday. Thanks for your help, I hope I can find the solution through these last answer ! I let you know of course !

Did you get a chance to try the last answers in this thread?
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/65753

Please let us know if you have, how its going.
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Sorry, I couldn't take time for this ... I have to have a free mind ! i let you know !

Somebody helped me to repair my computer.
What he did (and told me) :
- he looked wich is the missing file (something like initrd), he find it in .bak, he copied it and change in normal (not bak)
- So it could go further and boot, but it was still a problem (all was in only read), so he started with the ubuntu recovery and it could repair all the things with it !

So thanks for your help ! I'm happy I can again work with ubuntu !

Ahhh, brilliant, nicely fixed!! Thanks for getting back to us with the answer! A good one for the "Solved" Answers database. I think you could have made the file read/write using Root user to change permissions. Brilliant using Recovery Mode tho :))
Congrats and welcome to Ubuntu :)
Regards from
Tom :)