Topic: GRUB Loading stage2... [FIXED]

[judgej]

Well, this is going to be fun

I ran the SME 8 updates today, just as I have run updates previously for the last 15 years, but for the first time, the server will now not reboot.

It hangs with the message "GRUB Loading stage2...". Is this something that can be fixed by reinstalling grub? Or can I back out of one of the recent updates?

I'm using a Proliant Microserver, with the buildin hardware RAID (so SME sees just one disk), and with a BIOS dated around 2011, and which I can not upgrade without some kind of support agreement (thanks HP for that bait-and-switch!). This server has installed all the SME 8 updates fine for the last year and worked without a hitch, but I am wondering if the latest update has widened the compatibility issues between this BIOS and whatever version of CentOS is being used.

My hope is someone else has encountered this and has a simple solution.

-- Jason

[Stefano]

did you try to boot with the previous kernel?

[judgej]

did you try to boot with the previous kernel?

No, I haven't tried this. Presumably I need to boot from a recovery disk and edit grub.conf to set the kernel? Or is there a key I need to press to get a prompt? I'm burning myself a new CDROM now.

[Stefano]

when you boot your server, after post screen, you should see a list of bootable kernel.. choose the previuos (should be the second from top)

[judgej]

when you boot your server, after post screen, you should see a list of bootable kernel..

No, I'm not seeing that. It jumps straight from the last stage of the POST (telling me all the disks pass the SMART tests) to "GRUB Loading stage2..."

From what I can tell, reading around, GRUB is asking the BIOS for access to some part of the disk that the BIOS can't give it, and just locks up because it cannot get any further. What I can't work out is what could have changed in the last update to make this happen. Maybe a new grub.conf is on the disk, and has been moved just a little too far from the start of the disk? This is why I have been trying to get a BIOS update, in case there are fixes in there. Or maybe grub just got corrupted during the update and needs reinstalling. Dunno, kind of guessing now.

[Stefano]

start with cd in rescue mode, mount existing instance of SME

then check /boot for space left and edit menu.lst to boot from a different kernel

[judgej]

Bizarrely, all my CDROMs are 702Mbytes and SME 8.1 is 722Mbytes and won't fit on. I'll download SME 8.0 and see if that works for me.

Edit: no, 722Mbyte also. I'll go shopping today and try tonight, if a DVD-ROM does not work in the meantime.

[Stefano]

I installed several SMEs on HP microserver via usb

read here: http://wiki.contribs.org/Install_From_USB

[judgej]

I installed several SMEs on HP microserver via usb

read here: http://wiki.contribs.org/Install_From_USB

Brilliant - thank you. I'll give that a try.

[CharlieBrady]

I'm using a Proliant Microserver, with the buildin hardware RAID (so SME sees just one disk)...

That server doesn't have hardware RAID. It has "fakeraid" mediated by the BIOS. Water under the bridge now, but you would have been better off with linux software RAID.

[judgej]

That server doesn't have hardware RAID. It has "fakeraid" mediated by the BIOS. Water under the bridge now, but you would have been better off with linux software RAID.

I'll bear that in mind next time I install on one of these servers. However, is it really water under the bridge? If I pull one of the hard drives, turn off fakeraid, can SME S/W RAID be turned on and the second disk put back in to sync up? Obviously I need to get this server to boot first, but if it is worth tackling later, and is feasible, I'll give it a go.

[Stefano]

no

the only way to act is to backup, reinstall and restore..

[CharlieBrady]

the only way to act is to backup, reinstall and restore..

Not quite. I think it would be possible to do a fresh install on a single disk, then boot with the fakeraid disk added, and then follow the "restore from another disk" process. Then turn off fakeraid, and add the second desk into the RAID array.

But backup, reinstall and restore would probably be safer.

[judgej]

Bit stuck on rescue mode.

I have booted "linux rescue" or "sme rescue" (different sources list different commands) from a USB key. The boot process now wants me to select the source of the rescue image. It gives me a choice of CDROM, HD, NFS image, FTP or HTTP. None of them include the USB key, so far as I understand. So can a rescue not be done from a USB key?

I was expecting the rescue mode to drop me into a prompt, but I guess not.

[CharlieBrady]

So can a rescue not be done from a USB key?

Possibly not. I don't know if it has ever been tested. Or it might depend on how you copy the iso image to the key. Can you try a CDROM/DVD?

[judgej]

All my CDROMs are 700Mbyte and the ISO is 722Mbyte - the writer refuses to squeeze the image onto the disk. The writer also refuses to put the image onto a DVD, insisting it is for CDRs only. I suspect the latter is something I can override, which I will look into. Unless there are DVD images somewhere that I am missing? Otherwise I'll have to order some 750Mbyte oversized CDRs and burn to one of those.

I've reconfigured the router and network, so there is no urgent need for the server to be up and running, so I can afford a few days to get it fixed.

[janet]

judgej

This CD size issue was identified some time ago for sme8.1, refer
http://wiki.contribs.org/SME_Server:Download#ISO

"Due to the growth of a number of included packages, the size of the smeserver ISO has now outgrown the size of CD-ROM media. A DVD-ROM is now the prefered sized medium or use a Usb Key. (N.B. Technically, you can still burn the smeserver 64 bit ISO to a CD-ROM provided the CD creation software is capable of writing more than the official disk capacity, over burn feature, but not the 32-bit version. Therefore, it is now strongly recommended to use a DVD-ROM or USB Key for both versions.)"

[janet]

judgej

No need to try booting in rescue mode to a USB drive (iso)

You should be able to boot to a sme8.0 CD in rescue mode (or another Linux boot CD), to interrogate your sme server & hopefully fix the grub issue.
The older 8.0 version IIRC can write to a standard size CD
Also IIRC rescue mode is/can be menu selectable, read the screen

See http://wiki.contribs.org/Booting

Bit stuck on rescue mode.
I have booted "linux rescue" or "sme rescue" (different sources list different commands) from a USB key. The boot process now wants me to select the source of the rescue image. It gives me a choice of CDROM, HD, NFS image, FTP or HTTP. None of them include the USB key, so far as I understand. So can a rescue not be done from a USB key?
I was expecting the rescue mode to drop me into a prompt, but I guess not.

[Stefano]

Bit stuck on rescue mode.

I have booted "linux rescue" or "sme rescue" (different sources list different commands) from a USB key. The boot process now wants me to select the source of the rescue image. It gives me a choice of CDROM, HD, NFS image, FTP or HTTP. None of them include the USB key, so far as I understand. So can a rescue not be done from a USB key?

I was expecting the rescue mode to drop me into a prompt, but I guess not.

just copy the iso image into your usb key and select CD..

worked for me several times..

[judgej]

Phew! Thank you for your help all.

• I created an 8.1 bootable USB key under Windows. It was very straight-forword: http://wiki.contribs.org/Install_From_USB
  
• I copied the SME 8.1 ISO file that I used to create the USB key onto the USB key alongside the installation OS. I don't know what format the USB was, but Windows 7 had no problem reading and writing to it.
• I booted with the USB key and entered "linix recover" at the boot prompt.
• The recover process ran and asked for some language settings.
• The recover process then asked for the ISO that I would like to recover from. I selected "hard disk" then device sdc (there were two sda and two sdb partitions, which I assumed where the installed hard drives, so my guess is that sdc was the USB key). This time it found the ISO file on there immediately and booted up to a shell.
• I followed the steps to reinstall grub here http://wiki.contribs.org/Grub ("Fix the GRUB from the startup command line"). I made sure it was installed on both hard drives - (hd0,0) and (hd1,0)
• I exited grub (the reboot command) then exited the shell, and removed the USB key as the machine started to reboot - successfuly

That was it. In short: reinstalled grub, and the machine now boots. All recovery was done from a USB key. Are the days of burning CDROMs really over? I hope so

Thanks again.