GRUB breakdown

Paul Schulz pschulz01 at gmail.com
Mon Feb 11 04:44:19 GMT 2008 

Hi Victor

'root' - This is the 'Administrator' account on a Linux system.
Ubuntu is set up to allow the first user to become root, using their
own password. (This means that there is indeed no root password on the
machine, and removes a possible security issue.)

To get root access, prepend the command with 'sudo', and then enter
your command.

eg. sudo mkdir /mnt/ubuntu
(the ';' separates commands)

Another option, is to do 'sudo su', which will allow you to 'switch
user' to root until you type 'exit', type Ctl-D or close the window,

Be ware that the 'root' user is all powerful. There is nothing that
this user cannot do if it is possible, including removing all your
files or reformatting your hard-drive[1], while the system is still
running.

Cheers,
Paul

Notes:
[1] - Experience is a wonderful teacher.

On Feb 11, 2008 12:32 PM, Victor Vahe Kevorkian <vivakevian at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you Paul, I really appreciate your help,
> but as i said, I don't understand this language.
> what do you mean by "mount"? I am sorry.
> when I entered:
>
>  mkdir /mnt/ubuntu; mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ubuntu
>  "Only root can do that" was the answer, but this is the
> Installation disk and I have no "root" nor password yet accepted.
>
> Andre sent me a tar.bz format of the "Boot/Grub", that I transfered it to a
> floppy, I will try that
>  starting my computer and Let's see what happens.
> I let you know.
> Again thank you,
> Victor
>
>
>
>
>
> On Feb 11, 2008 12:56 AM, Paul Schulz <pschulz01 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi Victor,
> >
> > Yes.. this helps.
> >
> > Windows has 'helpfully' reinstalled your 'Master Boot Record' on it's
> > first disk. Unfortunately what it has reinstalled is not correct.
> >
> > (I'm not exactly sure why this would be the case, but if the Windows
> > install took a copy of this data when it was first installed, it may
> > have just been blank anyway.. if the disk was originally unformatted.)
> >
> > There was an option to the MSDOS fdisk tool,  /mbr which allowed the
> > boor sector to be rewritten/reset, but I don't know how that works
> > with windows these days.
> >
> > .. plus you should'nt need to worry about this.
> >
> > Grub needs to be re-installed.
> >
> > If you can boot from the Ubuntu disk again... you can fix the install
> > with something like the following:
> > - Bring up a command line console/terminal
> > -  mount the '/dev/sdb1' (ubuntu partition)
> >   # mkdir /mnt/ubuntu; mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ubuntu
> >
> > - Re-install grub
> >  # cd /mnt/ubuntu
> >  # chroot .
> >  # grub-install
> >  # exit
> >
> > This should re-install GRUB on your hard drives boot sector again.
> > (The 'chroot .' step above allows you to run commands from your system
> > as if you were directly booted into it. The 'grub-install' step is the
> > only one that can cause issues.. but it can't mess up your system any
> > more than it currently is..  eg. it won't delete any of your files.)
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Paul
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Feb 11, 2008 9:38 AM, Victor Vahe Kevorkian <vivakevian at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > > Hi Paul,
> > > thank you for your response.
> > > When I re-started Ubuntu to get to Grub to click on Microsoft Windows,
> > > at that point it was giving me a signal (I don't remember), to
> "continue",
> > > but every time I wanted to continue it went back to Grub, whether
> clicking
> > > Ubuntu or Windows.
> > >  So, I inserted the Windows XP Installation Disk to "repair" and to see
> if
> > > there is any thing wrong with
> > > Windows. All my files were ok in Windows.
> > > When i restarted my computer it stopped at that signal: "error Loading
> > > Operating System".
> > >  I hope this will help.
> > > thanks again,
> > > Victor
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Feb 11, 2008 9:33 AM, Paul Schulz <pschulz01 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > Hi Victor,
> > > >
> > > > Just a quick question.. do you know at what point the system stopped
> > > booting?
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > > Paul
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Feb 11, 2008 8:55 AM, Victor Vahe Kevorkian <vivakevian at gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > > > > Dear Paul,
> > > > > I am un-able to boot into my computer from the start.
> > > > > It stops at: "error Loading Operating System", so I cannot boot into
> > > Ubuntu.
> > > > > when I go to System>>Administration>>Partition Editor  I can see
> both
> > > > >  Window's (/dev/sda) and Ubuntu's (/dev/sdb) Partitions.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Below is a copy of the response email I sent to Andre, just to keep
> you
> > > > > informed.
> > > > > As i am only using Ubuntu 7.10 Installation Disk to get to Firefox
> and
> > > > > Gmail.
> > > > >  Looking at   /boot/grub/menu.lst  In the bottom of the file I
> found:
> > > > >
> > > > > # This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a
> non-linux
> > > OS
> > > > > # on /dev/sda1
> > > > > title        Microsoft Windows XP Professional
> > > > >  root        (hd0,0)
> > > > > savedefault
> > > > > makeactive
> > > > > chainloader    +1
> > > > >
> > > > > Being an un-educated person (lol), I can copy and paste the whole
> file
> > > for
> > > > > your perusal,
> > > > > but again will changes affect after re-booting the Ubuntu
> Installation
> > > Disk?
> > > > >
> > > > > I am sorry, please bare with me.
> > > > > thank you, Victor.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Dear Sir,
> > > > > Thank you for your help and support,
> > > > > To be able to operate my PC, the only way I have, is to use the
> Ubuntu
> > > 7.10
> > > > > Installation disk, with which
> > > > >  I can get Firefox and Gmail.
> > > > > When I start my computer it stops at:
> > > > >  "error Loading Operating System"...I cannot go any further...
> > > > > Being a 68 year old person, speak, read and write 7 languages,
> > > > > still Ubuntu is totally foreign to me, please accept my apologies.
> > > > > If I get the "off-list" email, how would I transfer it into a floppy
> > > using
> > > > >  the Ubuntu 7.10 Installation Disk, which doesn't function properly?
> > > > >  and if you can send me the file to a friend's email, where I can
> > > > > transfer it into a floppy, will just inserting the floppy at the
> > > start-up
> > > > > of my computer will fix the problem?
> > > > > Realising your suggestion being the best solution, please guide me.
> > > > >  I have been using Ubuntu since the 7.04 version and updated to 7.10
> > > > > with no problem and I have immense data stored. This incident froze
> me
> > > to
> > > > > death.
> > > > > Windows and Ubuntu are on separate Hard Disks. On the Ubuntu Hard
> Disk I
> > > had
> > > > >  160G of which there was only 40G used, so yesterday I attempted to
> > > > > re-install Ubuntu 7.10
> > > > > hoping that GRUB will work. I can recognise the "volume"s in
> "Places">>
> > > > > "Computer", even the Windows volume.
> > > > >  I hope I am making some sense in my description of the problem and
> > > > > wait for your suggestions.
> > > > > Again Please accept my apologies and I appreciate your help.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On Feb 10, 2008 10:13 PM, Paul Schulz <pschulz01 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Hi Victor,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > You don't (shouldn't) need to reinstall grub.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Boot into Ubuntu.
> > > > > > - do you know which partition your Wondows OS is on?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Have a look at /boot/grub/menu.lst
> > > > > > You need to edit this file, and add something like the following.
> > > > > > -----
> > > > > > title         Windows 95/98/NT/2000
> > > > > > root          (hd0,0)
> > > > > > makeactive
> > > > > > chainloader   +1
> > > > > > -----
> > > > > > There are plenty of comments in this file, so have a good read.
> :-)
> > > > > > You may need to change the '(hd0,0)' to something like (hd0,1) if
> the
> > > > > > windows partition is the second one on the disk, for example.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Cheers,
> > > > > > Paul
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Feb 10, 2008 8:40 PM, Victor Vahe Kevorkian
> <vivakevian at gmail.com>
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > Once a week I re-start my Ubuntu 7.10 to boot into Windows XP
> > > > > > > to update my anti-virus, and update "FoxMarks" for my Bookmarks.
> > > > > > > To day, GRUB didn't come on to select Microsoft and I was stuck
> > > > > > > with a request of an operating system.
> > > > > > >  I need help. I dont know what to do.
> > > > > > > I am using the Ubuutu Disc.
> > > > > > > How can I re-install GRUB throught the Disc.
> > > > > > > I appreciate all the help I can get.
> > > > > > > Much obliged in advance.
> > > > > > > Victor Kevorkian
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > ubuntu-au mailing list
> > > > > > > ubuntu-au at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > > > > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Visit my Websites Please!
> > > > > http://vivakevian.googlepages.com
> > > > > http://vivakevian.ning.com
> > > > >  http://www.lijit.com/users/vivakevian/profile
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > >
> > > Visit my Websites Please!
> > > http://vivakevian.googlepages.com
> > > http://vivakevian.ning.com
> > >  http://www.lijit.com/users/vivakevian/profile
> >
>
>
>
> --
>
>
> Visit my Websites Please!
>  http://vivakevian.googlepages.com
> http://vivakevian.ning.com
> http://www.lijit.com/users/vivakevian/profile

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