Let's try this again :)
I am running CentOS 5 (core pkgs) / x86_64 using grub 0.97 and I am trying to configure a fallback between two partitions on my local disk, each installed with a CentOS image. The idea is to be able to install a new test OS image and fall back in case of a problem to the default image. This is a great grub feature ! Except it does not work for me :(
grub.conf: #----------------------------------------------- default saved timeout=5 fallback 1
title NEW OS root (hd0,0) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-new root=/dev/sda1 panic=5 initrd /boot/initrd-new.img savedefault fallback
title DEFAULT OS root (hd0,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-default root=/dev/sda2 initrd /boot/initrd-default.img savedefault #-----------------------------------------------
Grub is installed on /dev/sda1, but not on /dev/sda2. /dev/sda1 is the primary boot partition. Both partitions are formatted with ext3.
The problem is that the fallback does not work for me. For instance, if I specify on purpose a wrong root device with the NEW OS, e.g. root=/dev/sda3, then the kernel panics and reboots properly after 5 sec. However, grub then attempts to boot the NEW OS all over again. The same is true when I fully boot NEW OS with the right root device and then panic the kernel on purpose.
Now, I have read somewhere that grub requires a default file to get the savedefault feature working. However, I could neither find the 'savedefault' command nor the grub default file under /boot/grub or anywhere else. One more thing, when I choose the boot title manually then grub seems to remember my last choice. In other words, grub is preserving my last choice from a previous boot.
Am I doing something wrong ? Do I need to install something in addition to grub 0.97 ?
Your help is much appreciated, Matthias
--- On Wed, 7/29/09, Matthias Blankenhaus matthiasblankenhaus@yahoo.com wrote:
From: Matthias Blankenhaus matthiasblankenhaus@yahoo.com Subject: Grub fallback problem To: centos@centos.org Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 11:19 AM Hi !
I am running CentOS 5 using grub 0.97