[SOLVED] Partition table corrupted

[Myles]

edit doktor5000: split out from viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4255
I'm not sure if my problem is exactly the same as the original posters, but it is similar.

Yesterday I deleted 2 partitions on my 240Gb SSD - via Partition Manager #14 Free on my Windows 7 64 bit system - well I thought I deleted 2, looks like I only deleted one! I was using these as Mageia Test partitions. I needed to expand my /home partition on my usual Mageia #4 system as I was running out of space. So I deleted - what turns out to be only 1 partition of about 7Gb - and expanded my /home to be 37Gb. I must admit I wasn't keeping an eye on whether the boundary was on a 4K or not, but I would have thought that PM #14 would look after that. Here is the current partition of my SSD:

Present Partition Map - SSD.PNG (9.04 KiB) Viewed 3101 times

Anyway, I re-booted and GRUB failed to boot my normal Mageia system. I was horrified, I should have just left well enough alone! So I re-booted with the Mageia DVD and selected "re-install bootloader". This failed with:

GRUB Error Code 17 - Cannot mount selected partition.jpg (2.05 MiB) Viewed 3101 times

. So I tried a re-install of the system to /root hoping the install of the bootloader in that process might fix things - NO.

So I re-booted with the Mageia DVD and selected "reinstall Windows bootloader". Now GRUB doesn't even get a look in and my system just boots into Windows.

Going on the GRUB Error 17 messages it looks as though GRUB is trying to boot from (hd0,4). I thought partitions started at "0", so this looks GRUB is trying to boot the undeleted/unused/left-over-from-Mageia-Test /swap partition with an unrecognisable filesystem of "0x5"! Would that be correct????

Is there any way I can recover from this situation that doesn't involve wiping /root and /home and the unused old /swap partitions and starting from scratch!

Any help most welcome!

[Myles]

I forgot to say at the start that I wasn't sure if I should have put this in a S0LVED issue or raise a new one. If I'd have raised a new one I didn't, know how to put a link back to this one.

[papoteur]

Hello,
I think it would be better to have a new topic.
You have also to find a Live disk with testdisk and check with it if the partition table is correct.If OK, you can use you installation disk choosing the update of the installation. It will be speed and reinstall grub with good entries.

[isadora]

......If I'd have raised a new one I didn't, know how to put a link back to this one.

Just place the url of this topic into your new topic,
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4255

[doktor5000]

Just place the url of this topic into your new topic,
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4255

Split into new thread and added the linkback.

Apart from that, this does not seem like an issue with diskdrake at all.

[doktor5000]

Thankyou isadora for that info.

papoteur, I booted my system with a live CD and used Testdisk but I'm not sure how to get it to check if the partition table is correct or not. Also I have re-installed Mageia completely and the bootloader gets installed via that process BUT GRUB does not action on re-boot and I can't get into Mageia! My system just boots straight into Windows now that I used the Mageia DVD to install the Windows MBR!

Thisis what TestDisk finds on my SSD:

Code: Select all

Disk \\.\PhysicalDrive0 - 240 GB / 223 GiB - CHS 29185 255 63
Current partition structure:
     Partition                  Start        End    Size in sectors

 1 * HPFS - NTFS              0  32 33    12 223 19     204800
 2 P HPFS - NTFS             12 223 20  7678 254 63  123156287
 3 E extended              7679 133  1 15581 254 63  126953316
   X extended              7679 133  6 10229  41 52   40960001
 5 L Linux                 7679 133  7 10229  41 52   40960000 [Mageia4_Root]
   X extended             10229  41 53 15072 248 24   77815808
 6 L Linux                10229 106 54 15072 248 24   77811712 [Mageia4_Home]

Mageia_Root doesn't have an " * " in front of it so this indicates it's not bootable?????? Why???

BUT, the interesting thing I discovered yesterday - accessing the newly re-installed Mageia in the /root partition from with Windows - is this located in /boot/grub/menu.lst:

Code: Select all

timeout 10
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
gfxmenu (hd0,4)/boot/gfxmenu
default 0

title linux
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=a529b32a-323d-496b-9903-25393846941c  nokmsboot splash quiet resume=UUID=46e0c7c9-1f40-41d9-a270-f8f5b84ff4d0
root (hd0,4)
initrd /boot/initrd.img

title failsafe
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=failsafe root=UUID=a529b32a-323d-496b-9903-25393846941c  nokmsboot failsafe
root (hd0,4)
initrd /boot/initrd.img

title windows
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title windows1
root (hd2,0)
map (0x80) (0x82)
map (0x82) (0x80)
makeactive
chainloader +1

Notice that Mageia is supposed to boot from (hd0,4) which is the partition listed in the " GRUB Error 17" msg! so what is going on????? I don't understand how this is failing with an unknown file type when this is from a re-install!

[papoteur]

Hello,
I didn't see swap partition in the list. Do you know where is it? If there is any, this is a cause of failure of boot.

[doktor5000]

Please next time use code tags instead of list tags as explained in ftp://ftp5.gwdg.de/pub/linux/mandriva/m ... e_tags.ogv

[Myles]

Okay, I posted this on LinuxQuestions as well as here and been having some replies from there but I'd thought I'd update this with stuff I did for the LQ forum and ask definite Mageia people to try and explain what is going on with my system!

I booted SystemRescueCD and ran BootInfoScript (from sourceforge.net) and I have the RESULTS.txt file:

Code: Select all

                  Boot Info Script 0.61      [1 April 2012]


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================

 =>  is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.
 => Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc.
 => Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdd.
 => Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sde.

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7: NTFS
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System: 
    Boot files:        /bootmgr /Boot/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7: NTFS
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System: 
    Boot files:        /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda3: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:
    Operating System: 
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/menu.lst /etc/fstab

sda6: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:
    Operating System: 
    Boot files:



Also, seeing I was using SystemRescueCD used sfdisk to list sda:

Code: Select all


root@unknown902b34670b11 /root  sfdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 29185 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
sfdisk: Warning: extended partition does not start at a cylinder boundary.
DOS and Linux will interpret the contents differently.
Units: cylinders of 8225280 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from 0

   Device Boot Start     End   #cyls    #blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *      0+     12-     13-    102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2         12+   7678    7667-  61578143+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3       7679+  15581    7903-  63476658    5  Extended
/dev/sda4          0       -       0          0    0  Empty
/dev/sda5       7679+  10229-   2550-  20480000   83  Linux
/dev/sda6      10229+  15072-   4844-  38905856   83  Linux



Okay, now I know a LOT more about this and what is going on. I did some more digging and got a link to Mageia doco - it seems GRUB legacy is the default bootloader for Mageia #4 until Mageia #5!

But, as I said I never changed that when I very first installed Mageia #4 on my system, so why does it fail now continually! Why won' t the Mageia DVD " re-install bootloader" fix my system like it always has previously (but NOT on this new system circa 2012 which has UEFI capability).

I just did yet another re-install, and in the Summary screen at the end of the install I chose GRUB 2 for the bootloader and this fails with:

[img]

Mageia%204%20re-install%20-%20GRUB2%20install%20failed.jpg

[/img]

So I tried to install Mageia #5 RC. That failed with:

[img]

Mageia%205RC%20-%20Install%20error.jpg

[/img]

So, why am I getting these errors and failures? Some sort of conflict between UEFI and MBR on my disks? But WHY is the re-install of the GRUB Legacy bootloader failing from both the Mageia DVD and the complete re-install of Mageia to the original /root partition???? That is what I cannot understand.

Still bamboozled! (and without my Mageia system - 1 week now)

So, any advice on what I should do from here to get my system back - short of completely erasing my entire SSD and re-installing Windows and Mageia?

Pulling - what little hair I have left - out!

[benmc]

Hello Myles,

I have had a small amount of experience with UEFI installs.
from your photos it looks like you are attempting to install in UEFI mode so you must be using X86 live or Classical dvd . I haven't read in this thread that you are, though.
These two disks are UEFI capable and if the boot process determines that the hardware is UEFI enabled, will default to UEFI mode

it looks as though GRUB is trying to boot from (hd0,4). I thought partitions started at "0", so this looks GRUB is trying to boot the undeleted/unused/left-over-from-Mageia-Test /swap partition with an unrecognisable filesystem of "0x5"! Would that be correct????

I have had this.
The "you must have a ESP FAT32 partition error..." means you havent specified one. The Live disk on some hardware doesnẗ present this required option with some hardware, so you will have to manually label the necessary partition "/boot/EFI" .
Grub2 is forced if you are using the UEFI install.
UEFI can only be installed into a GPT partitioned HDD, from info supplied it looks as though you only have a MBR / MSDos partitioned HDD.
If you dont want to install in UEFI mode, you have to enable "legacy bios " or "CSM" in your bios and disable "UEFI". actual wording will vary with manufacturer of your mobo
Booting into legacy mode will also let you choose grub or grub2 at the configuration page.
Personally, I use the "custom disk partitioning ".

hope this is of help

Regards

Benmc

[papoteur]

Mageia 5 RC detected that you have a UEFI boot system, thus choosed to instal grub2-efi. This installation fails because your disk is not compatible with that: no GPT partition, no /boot/EFI partition. This detection is new, thus is perhaps bogous, and we need feedback about that.
Can you check which kind of boot you system BIOS is set?
You Mageia 4 boot fails because in you boot line you have resume=... who point on a swap partition, but you seem not having that.
Papoteur

[Myles]

benmc and papoteur, thanks for that but the only reason I tried to install Mageia #5 RC was out of desperation and intrigue - to see whether it would install the bootloader and I would have my Linux system back! all to no avail!

benmc, you answered a lot of my questions re: UEFI back before I bought my system in 2012, quite forgetting that I would have a 240Gb SSD which didn't really need UEFI and GPT, although my mobo has UEFI support!

BUT, my question in all of this still is - why can' t I get my bootloader re-installed, either from my Mageia DVD (and yes benmc - classic DVD install), or even via the COMPLETE re-install of Mageia #4.1 into the /root partition! Nothing, and I mean NOTHING is working except being able to still boot into Windows (yay! - not!) !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am getting this close (index finger and thumb held like this ") to taking an image of my Windows partition and formatting the entire SSD and starting from scratch! I cannot believe that I could have successfully installed Mageia #4, when Windows was already installed and held the MBR bootloader, and Mageia was able to install GRUB Legacy quite happily; yet now nothing that I do will get my bootloader back! But, if I am going to do that and look ahead to Mageia #5 with UEFI and GRUB2 support - what am I to do!

Oh, and the other thing is, what is that 100Mb partition just before the Windows partition, what is that for?

I am at my wits end!

[papoteur]

Myles,
We can't help you if you don't give the needed informations.
We wasn't with you when you installed the system, and we don't know why the partitionning is as it is.
I asked in which mode the system is configured for boot : legacy or UEFI?
And which Windows do you have?

[benmc]

Hello Myles,

What I think has happened, is that you have attempted to install, while in UEFI mode, onto a MSDos / MBR partitioned HDD.
Maybe a bug should be raised to request that if the incorrect partition scheme is presented, the installer halts , with an advisory to reset the bios to legacy / csm mode.

That 100Mb partition: In a GPT partitioned HDD, is for the special boot partition required by the EFI system.

So , MSDos partitioning - you cannot install a UEFI system,
UEFI partitioning, you dont "need " to install a UEFI capable system - there is a "hidden protected MBR" partition for this purpose.

or even via the COMPLETE re-install of Mageia #4.1 into the /root partition!

this is where I put my boot image

boot.png (10.06 KiB) Viewed 2923 times

Have you reset your bios to legacy / csm mode.?
If you are lucky, you will have a special keyboard button to interrupt the boot sequence and be presented with all boot options, HDD, dvd uefi and dvd legacy. for me "f8"
Would you mind trying to reinstall your Mga4.1, use custom disk partitioning, and remove all of the partitions except Windows, create a new set of /swap. / , /home...etc and go from there. If all ok then then upgrade your Mga 4.1 to Mga5 or wipe Mga4.1 and install Mga5 using the DVD.

option 2: image you windows, format the drive into GPT scheme, refit windows, install Mga5 in uefi mode.
That small partition 100MB needs to be labled "/boot/EFI" in this instance.

[Myles]

papoteur and benmc, sorry for my ranting, I was just sssoooo frustrated with this problem! As I have said all along - I should just have been able to pop in my classic install DVD, re-install the GRUB Legacy bootloader and been on my way in my system! I shouldn't have had to go through what I have been through. I am writing this reply on my newly installed Mageia #4.1 system! (for the 2nd time! details in a minute!) (Although I have picked up some quirks in the re-install - details later)

papoteur/benmc, it sure looks as though what the installers did was create a 100Mb EFI partition for Windows. But that doesn't explain why I was able to successfully install Mageia #4 when Windows was already installed.

Anyway, benmc you cae to my rescue, I did indeed have to change my BIOS settings on my mobo form "UEFI and Legacy" to "Legacy only". I also had another setting for CSM but that turned a re-install into a text-basd install (why).

Anyway, here is what happened on Saturday and Sunday. Changed UEFI setting, tried re-install with GRUB - fail. Changed CSM - tried re-install - fail. Tried re-install with Mageia #5 RC with GRUB2 and "Legacy only" set - success! BUT, then realised that I wouldn't be able to re-install all my normal pgms that I use. So, re-install Mageia #4.1 with GRUB2 and "Legacy only" set - success - sort of! When I re-booted my name wasn't in the login panel (and still isn't!???? Minor - don't know how to fix that) but just typed my login and PW and in okay. Whilst logged in eventually had updates flagged for the system (of course). This took about an hour or so. Re-booted and logged in (still no name in login panel). Found that I had problems following the update - Firefox was acting strangely when I was in Yahoo mail - Minor, but annoying! BUT Dolphin hadn't automatically started (odd). So I tried to start it - no go, cursor animation just bounced up and down for a while and then stopped! Very annoyed!! Left it overnight.

Monday, Decided to give it one more chance. So I performed a re-install with GRUB2, including downloading all updated packages. This took 2 hours or so. Still no name in login panel! BUT Dolphin is working, Firefox still has quirk in Yahoo. Now I will have to re-install all of my other pgms to bring my system back to where it was before I stuffed up the partitioning!!!!

Anyway, I hope nothing further goes wrong.

papoteur thankyou for your assistance, I appreciate it.

benmc, I again appreciate your knowledge and understanding of UEFI (I still am having trouble getting my head around it!). But, I am indebted to you for your one piece of advice that allowed me to get my system back - change the settings in the BIOS!

So now I know that I'll be able to install Mageia #5 when it is released as well.

Again, thanks for all the help and patience!

[benmc]

When I re-booted my name wasn't in the login panel (and still isn't!????

did you wipe the / partition and complete reinstall?
which DE are you using?

[Myles]

benmc, I just re-usd and formatted the / and re-installed from the Mageia #4.1 Classic DVD (burnt from iso). I use KDE.