Cannot boot from GRUB2

[AbuMusaab]

Hello all,

I have Ubuntu installed on my hard drive, and added Backtrack to another partition. I went back to Ubuntu and ran update-grub. Backtrack was added to GRUB menu as Ubuntu 8.10 or whatever.

When I choose it, however, it says zImage does not support 32 bit..try 'linux16'....anyway to get this to boot from grub2?

Thanks.

[Steven29]

Hi,

I have the same problem, I want just add a little up for this topic.

Thank you for taking time

[jirtos]

Kinda hard to answer with so little informations, but let me try:

Its all question of your GRUB2 setup, meaning what start during GRUB2 or more simple what is started by GRUB2 and of course what version of GRUB2 you are using. For instance there is a bug in 1.97 that dumps exactly your error message during some options (like memtest86+) - error: zImage doesn't support 32-bit boot (try with 'linux16'). So:

> first of all, try to apply the latest updates
> second choice would be inspecting your GRUB2 config (the problem wil be, that GRUB2 dynamically generate its config so your BT setup wont work)
> or third choice is probably most simple, use GRUB instead of GRUB2 (for example the one from BT)

[sorongo]

i had the same problem and but i used GRUB then i updated it to GRUB2 but it was useless so i had to format and re install everything but first backtrack and then ubuntu and everything worked well since then.

i searched everywhere to find a solution but it seems imposible.

[oliverkrystal]

You need to install grub to the first sector of the backtrack partition, and then chainload into the BT grub.

Or, this is what I have done.

[gabeech]

You need to install grub to the first sector of the backtrack partition, and then chainload into the BT grub.

Or, this is what I have done.

I second what you say;

Keep GRUB2 from one 'Distro of choice' as the first port of call, then chainload into GRUB Legacy menus or even GRUB2 menus.
(It's a little tricky to chainload from GRUB to GRUB2, but can be done... It's best going GRUB2 to GRUB)

Just remember; for every additional Distro you add, install GRUB/2 to the partition it is on.
Once happy with your Distros (2,3,4,5,etc)...
I reckon the update-grub command, ran from the GRUB2 'Distro of choice', will auto detect all Distros. (If these menu items work, magic. If not remove the entries and chainload into each Distros own GRUB/2 menu.

There's a few ways, all depends on system/preference/etc... Don't get me going with 'Dedicated GRUB2 Partitions'.
I seem to speak in general terms, this is because I'm only learning and with GRUB2 having a grub.cfg that your not meant to touch, I have not got all the information or time/space to cover the scripts/files involved in creating the grub.cfg without directly editing it.

I'll provide a link to a post I recently submitted, mentioning GRUB2 and my setup, when it becomes available. It may indirectly answer this and maybe other questions.

I'm subscribed to this thread.

Edit: The link I promised

Like I say, it may indirectly answer a question or two... Hopefully the one your asking.