Ubuntu not booting past GRUB loader with 2nd HDD connected

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Hi Guys,

I've been running Ubuntu at home for a few months now dual booted with Win 7 with no problems. I have recently purchased a 2nd HDD to store all my files on, this is connected to the 2nd SATA port on my mobo.

Now for the problem -

The machine boots to the GRUB loader no problem and from here, I can boot into Win 7 and use the drive as normal. However, if I select Ubuntu, the screen goes black with a flashing cursor (as it normally does just before the HDD kicks in and loads the OS), but there it stays with no HDD activity. The only way to get out of this is to do a hard reset of the box. If I select the recovery mode for my Ubuntu installation it rolls through all of the text until it gets to the part where it mentions both HDDs connected and then stops.

GRUB loader version - 'GNU GRUB version 1.98+20100804-5ubuntu3' (this is whatever Ubuntu 10.10 put on, I have not 'tweaked' the loader.

If I disconnect the 2nd HDD the machine boots perfectly into Ubuntu and Win 7.

Any ideas?

Many thanks.

Mike
 
Have you made sure your original hard drive is set to the first boot device in the BIOS?

If yes, maybe try putting something second in the list:

first boot device: Original HDD
second boot device: gigabit lan, network, dvd drive (any of them) Make sure you dont have a dvd in at the time
third boot device: the second hard drive you installed.

I remember having similar problems years ago with xp and vista dual booting. Try that and see if it works.

Failing that, try disabling the second hard drive from the bios booting all together. It should still be accessible via windows. I presume it is only for storage?
 
Yep, tried the boot device order, in fact changed it so as there is only 1 device in the boot order chain - being the drive which has both OS on it. I'm sort of convinced it is something to do the GRUB loader (sadly, this is not based on any strong knowledge of Linux) as if it was a BIOS setting, I don't think it would even get to the loader screen. Correct, the drive is only used for storage of files.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Strange, the OS HDD is definitely connected into Sata port 1?

Also if you disconnect the storage drive from the mobo, then it continues to boot fine like it has always done?

I myself don't have a great deal of knowledge with Linux, only windows and general hardware.

Have you formatted the storage drive at all? Did you do this in Windows?
 
I'm pretty certain the OS drive is connected to port 1 (I will double check this when I get home this evening). I did format the drive in Windows.
 
The only thing that springs to mind is that the hard drives are referenced using /dev/sdx in the grub config. When the OS boots then it's whichever drive replies first gets the path /dev/sda, which in the case of 1 hard drive isn't a problem, with two hard drives especially if one is newer and faster the original hard drive might get set to /dev/sdb and new fast one /dev/sda.

What I would do is boot off a live CD, check your grub config and ensure that it references hard drives by UUID and not /dev/sdx. There will be numerous guides knocking about to check this.

I'm not sure if this will fix it as I would have thought that grub would throw an error instead of trying to boot an empty drive... however, worth a look eh?

Edit: in fact a quick way to check would be to press 'e' at the grub screen and if it isn't referenced by uuid, change all the sda references to sdb and see if it boots.
 
Bit of a 'Doh!' moment chaps. Having disconnected and reconnected everything and rooting through GRUB and the BIOS I realised that when I hooked up the second HDD to my mobo, I stole the power connector from the back of my DVD drive but left the IDE cable connected into it. Once I removed the IDE cable from the out of action DVD drive the box booted like a dream. You live and learn, eh? :o Thanks again for everyone's suggestions and help!

Cheers,

Mike
 
foo said:
Bit of a 'Doh!' moment chaps. Having disconnected and reconnected everything and rooting through GRUB and the BIOS I realised that when I hooked up the second HDD to my mobo, I stole the power connector from the back of my DVD drive but left the IDE cable connected into it. Once I removed the IDE cable from the out of action DVD drive the box booted like a dream. You live and learn, eh? :o Thanks again for everyone's suggestions and help!

Cheers,

Mike
Click to expand...


LOL... at least it's sorted now :cool:
 
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