GRUB stops booting HP servers with /boot on a cciss (SmartArray) device

  • Document ID:3001581
  • Creation Date:19-Oct-2006
  • Modified Date:30-Apr-2012
    • Micro Focus Products:
      Open Enterprise Server
    • SUSE Products:
      SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

Environment

Novell Open Enterprise Server (Linux based)
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9

Situation

GRUB comes up to a black screen with a prompt
GRUB error 24
ERROR: Error 24 attempt to access block outside partition
Can only boot server from Installation CD
Running grub-install results in an error similar to"/dev/cciss/c0d0 does not have any corresponding BIOS drive"

Resolution

Novell is investigating, the current workarounds are as follows:

Option 1:
  1. Boot off the Installation CD, choose Installation
  2. Select Language, accept License Agreements
  3. Change the installation type to "Boot Installed System"
  4. Continue, allow the server to boot. There may be driver errors, ignore them.
  5. When the system is up launch a shell
  6. Edit the /etc/grub.conf (assuming grub is currently being used).
  7. Change "install --stage2=..." to "install --force-lba --stage2=..."
  8. Save and exit the file
  9. At the console type "grub-install /dev/yourdevice" (don't point to a partition like /dev/hda1)
  10. If there are no errors then reboot. If you get the same failure then try option 2.
Option 2:
  1. Boot off the Installation CD, choose Installation
  2. Select Language, accept License Agreements
  3. Change the installation type to "Boot Installed System"
  4. Continue, allow the server to boot. There may be driver errors, ignore them.
  5. When the system is up, launch YaST
  6. Go to System -> Boot Loader Configuration
  7. Choose "Edit" (not "Edit Configuration Files")
  8. Change the boot loader type from GRUB to LILO, choose OK
  9. Select to "Convert Current Configuration", choose OK
  10. Finish the changes. If there are no errors, you are ready to reboot.
Next time you reboot, LILO should be able to boot the system.
***Important. With LILO, after each kernel upgrade, the command "lilo" (without quotes) needs to be run as the root user to update the configuration file.

Additional Information

Driver errors may appear during the initial boot if the kernel the system does not have the same kernel as what the Installation CD is using. This shouldn't be an issue, but you should try to use the Service Pack CD that matches the Service Pack your server is running.