GRUB error: the symbol 'grub_puts_' not found [Solved]

[marukyuu]

Hello, I'm new to these boards and to Linux as well.

I've made a huge mess trying to solve the same problem as in this thread.
I dual-boot (or should I say booted) Windows 7 with Sabayon.
After modifying the GRUB config files as suggested in that thread, I ran grub2-install on what I supposed to be the boot partition (it was listed as %boot, in fact). I'm quite sure I installed GRUB on the wrong partition, because after the following reboot this message appeared:

Code: Select all

Entering rescue mode...
error: the symbol 'grub_puts_' not found
grub rescue>

Now I'm stuck at this prompt, with no way to sort out this mess, not even through the Live DVD, as the GRUB Editor GUI returns an unknown Error 127 when I try to install GRUB from there.

My fdisk -l log:

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sabayon sabayonuser # fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x90c190c1

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1        1530    12288000   27  Unknown
/dev/sda2   *        1530        1543      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3            1543       21639   161421336    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4           21639       60802   314571776    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5           21639       52969   251658240    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6           52970       52982      104391   83  Linux
/dev/sda7           52983       60801    62806086   8e  Linux LVM
sabayon sabayonuser #

I installed GRUB on /dev/sda6, which was listed as %root.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Fitzcarraldo]

I suspect you've inadvertently overwritten the MBR (Been there, done that ). Do you have a Windows 7 install disk, by any chance? If so, you can boot it, launch Windows Recovery Environment and then run Bootrec.exe to fix the MBR (see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392 ). That way you should be able to boot at least Windows 7. Then I suggest you download EasyBCD and use it to configure the Windows 7 bootloader to chainload Grub2. See the SL Wiki article HOWTO: Dual boot Sabayon Linux and Windows for details.

[marukyuu]

Unfortunately, I'm on a laptop and I didn't receive any recovery DVD, I've got a "hidden" recovery partition though.

[EDIT] I just realized I _need_ a bootable disk, so you can ignore that moronic statement. I'm now downloading EasyBCD... and hoping for the best

[Fitzcarraldo]

So how do you use the factory restore partition, then? What are the instructions on how to use it? It may have the required tools to recover Windows 7 and the MBR.

If you do not know how to use your factory restore partition to recover your Windows 7 installation, you could download Hiren's BootCD from http://www.hirensbootcd.net/ and try to use MBRFix 1.3 to restore the Windows 7 MBR. See MbrFix.exe for the syntax.

EDIT: Just seen your edit. grub2-install almost certainly overwrote the MBR, so if you can fix the MBR so that it runs the Windows 7 bootloader and boots into Windows 7, then you can use EasyBCD to configure the Windows 7 bootloader to chainload Grub2 and thence Linux. You need to have a working Windows 7 installation in which to install EasyBCD 2.0 Beta. You then run EasyBCD and, as per the instructions on the NeoSmart Web site, it configures the Windows 7 bootloader to load Grub2.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Just seen the following post in a Windows forum: http://forums.techguy.org/5411214-post4.html . Seems you need to be careful what you're doing or you could end up not being able to access the factory restore partition in future. What does the documentation that came with your laptop state? It's better to use your manufacturer's factory restore procedure if at all possible.

[marukyuu]

The MBR's now fixed, I'll proceed with EasyBCD.

Thanks for the help

P.S. Should I mark this thread as Solved?

[Fitzcarraldo]

You're welcome. Good to know you can now boot into Windows again.

If you manage to boot into SL this time, or at least get back to the situation you were in before (i.e. the grub splash daemon error 256 thing), then you can mark this thread as solved.

Let us know how you get on, as Grub2 on your Linux boot partition may still cause problems. Unfortunately Grub2 is still a work in progress (had a lot of trouble with it myself the other night).

If you only manage to get back to the grub splash daemon error 256 problem then re-post in that other thread and someone will hopefully have another bash at trying to help.

[marukyuu]

I'm posting this from SL. GRUB is still giving me that Error 256, but at least I can boot both OSs just fine.

Thanks again!

[Fitzcarraldo]

That's good news. Well, at least you're back to Square One. Keep an eye on the SL Forums because it seems the Error 256 problem is relatively common, so I suspect someone will come up with another solution in due course. Grub2 is still very green, unfortunately.