Grub Tips

Rescue Disk

The Grub info manual describes making a bootable CD-ROM in the "Installation->Making a GRUB bootable CD-ROM" section. At the time of writing the version distributed with Debian 6.0 (Squeeze) incorrectly refers to copying the stage2_eltorito file.

You can also use the grub-mkrescue tool described on the Grub Wiki. However, the version installed with Debian 6.0 (Squeeze) has differences in syntax.

Another alternative is to burn a CD directly from a pre-built ISO image from the Debian 6.0 (Squeeze) distribution.

Both methods are described here.

Debian Squeeze grub-mkrescue

Detailed instructions are on the GRUB GNU website.

  1. Install the xorriso package if it is not already installed

    $ sudo apt-get install xorriso

  2. Make a directory containing any files you want to include on the CD

    $ mkdir -p iso/boot/grub

  3. Optionally copy your current GRUB configuration file

    $ cp /boot/grub/grub.cfg iso/boot/grub

  4. Create the boot CD ISO image

    $ grub-mkrescue -o grub.iso iso

  5. Then burn CD

    $ wodim dev='/dev/scd0' -v -blank=fast grub.iso

See the CdBurning for more information on burning the ISO image to a CD.

Debian Squeeze grub-rescue-pc package

This method gives you a rescue CD but you will no doubt need to boot by manually entering commands.

  1. Install the grub-rescue-pc package

    $ sudo apt-get install grub-rescue-pc

  2. Burn the CD e.g.

    $ wodim dev='/dev/scd0' -v -blank=fast /usr/lib/grub-rescue/grub-rescue-cdrom.iso

See the CdBurning for more information on burning the ISO image to a CD.

Trouble-Shooting

/usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: Couldn't find PV pv1. Check your device.map.

The device map may need regenerating.

Rename /boot/grub/device.map and re-run update-grub.

References

-- Frank Dean - 27 Feb 2011

Related Topics: GrubLegacyTips, LinuxLilo, LogicalVolumeManagement