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revision 1.60 by okuji, Thu May 30 22:56:49 2002 UTC revision 1.61 by okuji, Sat Jun 1 00:00:27 2002 UTC
# Line 110  This edition documents version @value{VE Line 110  This edition documents version @value{VE
110  * Invoking grub-install::       How to use the GRUB installer  * Invoking grub-install::       How to use the GRUB installer
111  * Invoking grub-md5-crypt::     How to generate a cryptic password  * Invoking grub-md5-crypt::     How to generate a cryptic password
112  * Invoking mbchk::              How to use the Multiboot checker  * Invoking mbchk::              How to use the Multiboot checker
 * FAQ::                         Frequently asked questions  
113  * Obtaining and Building GRUB:: How to obtain and build GRUB  * Obtaining and Building GRUB:: How to obtain and build GRUB
114  * Reporting bugs::              Where you should send a bug report  * Reporting bugs::              Where you should send a bug report
115  * Future::                      Some future plans on GRUB  * Future::                      Some future plans on GRUB
# Line 3413  Suppress all normal output. Line 3412  Suppress all normal output.
3412  @end table  @end table
3413    
3414    
 @node FAQ  
 @appendix Frequently asked questions  
   
 @table @asis  
 @item How does GNU GRUB differ from Erich's original GRUB?  
   
 GNU GRUB is the successor of Erich's great GRUB. He couldn't work on  
 GRUB because of some other tasks, so the current maintainers Yoshinori  
 K. Okuji and Gordon Matzigkeit took over the maintainership, and opened  
 the development in order for everybody to participate it.  
   
 Technically speaking, GNU GRUB has many features that are not seen in  
 the original GRUB. For example, GNU GRUB can be installed on UNIX-like  
 operating system (such as GNU/Hurd) via the grub shell  
 @file{/sbin/grub} (or @file{/usr/sbin/grub} on older systems), it  
 supports Logical Block Address (LBA) mode that solves the 1024 cylinders  
 problem, and @kbd{@key{TAB}} completes a file name when it's unique. Of  
 course, many bug fixes are done as well, so it is recommended to use GNU  
 GRUB.  
   
 @item Can GRUB boot my operating system from over 8GB hard disks?  
   
 That depends on your BIOS and your operating system. You must make  
 sure that your drive is accessible in LBA mode. Generally, that is  
 configurable in BIOS setting utility. Read the manual for your BIOS  
 for more information.  
   
 Furthermore, some operating systems (i.e. DOS) cannot access any large  
 disk, so the problem is not solved by any kind of boot loader. GNU/Hurd  
 and GNU/Linux can surely boot from such a large disk.  
   
 @item Can I put Stage2 into a partition which is over 1024 cylinders?  
   
 Yes, if your BIOS supports the LBA mode.  
   
 @item How to create a GRUB boot floppy with the menu interface?  
   
 The easiest way is:  
   
 @enumerate  
 @item  
 Create filesystem in your floppy disk. For example:  
   
 @example  
 $ mke2fs /dev/fd0  
 @end example  
   
 @item  
 Mount it on somewhere, say, @file{/mnt}.  
   
 @item  
 Copy the GRUB images to @file{/mnt/boot/grub}. Only @file{stage1},  
 @file{stage2} and @file{menu.lst} are necessary. You may not copy  
 @dfn{stage1.5}s.  
   
 @item  
 Run the following command (substitute @file{/usr/sbin/grub} for  
 @file{/sbin/grub} if you are using an older system):  
   
 @example  
 @group  
 $ /sbin/grub --batch <<EOT  
 root (fd0)  
 setup (fd0)  
 quit  
 EOT  
 @end group  
 @end example  
 @end enumerate  
   
 @item How to specify a partition?  
   
 @xref{Device syntax}.  
   
 @item GRUB does not recognize my GNU/Hurd partition.  
   
 I don't know why, but the authors of FDISK programs have assigned the  
 partition type @samp{0x63} to the GNU Hurd incorrectly. So use  
 @samp{0x83} if the partition contains ext2fs filesystem, and use  
 @samp{0xA5} if the partition contains ffs filesystem, whether the  
 partition owner is the Hurd or not. We will use @samp{0x63} for the  
 GNU Hurd filesystem that has not been implemented yet.  
   
 @item I've installed a recent version of binutils, but GRUB still crashes.  
   
 Please check for the version of your binutils by this command:  
   
 @example  
 @kbd{ld -v}  
 @end example  
   
 This will show two versions, but only the latter is important. If the  
 version is identical with what you have installed, the installation was  
 not bad.  
   
 Well, please try:  
   
 @example  
 @kbd{gcc -Wl,-v 2>&1 | grep "GNU ld"}  
 @end example  
   
 If this is not identical with the result above, you should specify the  
 directory where you have installed binutils for the script configure,  
 like this:  
   
 @example  
 @kbd{./configure --with-binutils=/usr/local/bin}  
 @end example  
   
 If you follow the instructions above but GRUB still crashes, probably  
 there is a serious bug in GRUB. @xref{Reporting bugs}.  
   
 @item GRUB hangs up when accessing my SCSI disk.  
   
 Check if you have turned on the support for INT 13 extension (LBA). If  
 so, disable the support and see if GRUB can now access your SCSI  
 disk. This will make it clear that your SCSI BIOS sucks.  
   
 For now, we know the following doesn't provide working LBA mode:  
   
 @table @asis  
 @item  
 Adaptec AIC-7880  
 @end table  
   
 In the case where you have such a SCSI controller unfortunately, you  
 cannot use the LBA mode, though GRUB still works fine in the CHS mode  
 (so the well-known 1024 cylinders problem comes again to you).  
   
 @strong{Caution:} Actually it has not been verified yet if this bug is  
 due to the SCSI BIOS or GRUB itself, frankly speaking. Because the  
 developers haven't seen it by their own eyes. This is why it is  
 desirable that you investigate the cause seriously if you have the  
 skill.  
   
 @item How can I specify an arbitrary memory size to Linux?  
   
 Pass a @samp{mem=} option to your Linux kernel, like this:  
   
 @example  
 grub> @kbd{kernel /vmlinuz mem=128M}  
 @end example  
   
 You may pass other options in the same way. See @xref{GNU/Linux}, for  
 more details.  
   
 @item I have a separate boot partition and GRUB doesn't recognize it.  
   
 This is often reported as a @dfn{bug}, but this is not a bug  
 really. This is a feature.  
   
 Because GRUB is a boot loader and it normally runs under no operating  
 system, it doesn't know where a partition is mounted under your  
 operating systems. So, if you have the partition @file{/boot} and you  
 install GRUB images into the directory @file{/boot/grub}, GRUB  
 recognizes that the images lies under the directory @file{/grub} but not  
 @file{/boot/grub}. That's fine, since there is no guarantee that all of  
 your operating systems mount the same partition as @file{/boot}.  
   
 There are several solutions for this situation.  
   
 @enumerate  
 @item  
 Install GRUB into the directory @file{/boot/boot/grub} instead of  
 @file{/boot/grub}. This may sound ugly but should work fine.  
   
 @item  
 Create a symbolic link before installing GRUB, like @samp{cd /boot && ln  
 -s . boot}. This works only if the filesystem of the boot partition  
 supports symbolic links and GRUB supports the feature as well.  
   
 @item  
 Install GRUB with the command @command{install}, to specify the paths of  
 GRUB images explicitly. Here is an example:  
   
 @example  
 @group  
 grub> @kbd{root (hd0,1)}  
 grub> @kbd{install /grub/stage1 d (hd0) /grub/stage2 p /grub/menu.lst}  
 @end group  
 @end example  
 @end enumerate  
   
 @item How to uninstall GRUB from my hard disk drive?  
   
 There is no concept @dfn{uninstall} in boot loaders, because if you  
 @dfn{uninstall} a boot loader, an unbootable machine would simply  
 remain. So all you need to do is overwrite another boot loader you like  
 to your disk, that is, install the boot loader without uninstalling  
 GRUB.  
   
 For example, if you want to install the boot loader for Windows, just  
 run @code{FDISK /MBR} on Windows. If you want to install LILO@footnote{I  
 can't imagine why you want to do such a thing, though}, run  
 @code{/sbin/lilo} on GNU/Linux.  
   
 @item GRUB hangs when accessing my large IDE disk.  
   
 If your disk is bigger than 32GB, probably updating your mainboard BIOS  
 will solve your problem. This bug is well-known and most vendors should  
 provide fixed versions. For example, if you have ASUS-P3BF, upgrading  
 the BIOS to V1007beta1 or later can fix it. Please ask your vendor, for  
 more information.  
   
 @item Why don't Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, etc. become Multiboot-compliant?  
   
 Please ask the relevant maintainers. If all free kernels were  
 Multiboot-compliant (@pxref{Top, Multiboot Specification, Motivation,  
 multiboot, The Multiboot Specification}), the world would be an  
 utopia@dots{}  
 @end table  
   
   
3415  @node Obtaining and Building GRUB  @node Obtaining and Building GRUB
3416  @appendix How to obtain and build GRUB  @appendix How to obtain and build GRUB
3417    
# Line 3694  below before you submit bugs: Line 3480  below before you submit bugs:
3480    
3481  @enumerate  @enumerate
3482  @item  @item
3483  Before unsettled, read this manual through and through, in particular  Before unsettled, read this manual through and through. Also, see the
3484  @xref{FAQ}.  @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub-faq.html, GNU GRUB FAQ}.
3485    
3486  @item  @item
3487  Always mention the information on your GRUB. The version number and the  Always mention the information on your GRUB. The version number and the

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