I think I have found a solution to my issue. I tried to reinstall grub on the system and it managed to fix the problem. This is a rather weird solution to a rather weird problem, however, I have tried it twice and it worked both times. I came to the solution when deciding that the hardware and the BIOS settings where correctly set up and therefore one of the only things that could cause the problem was the grub loader. I therefore searched up how to reinstall the grub loader and the problem was solved.
Problem: Ubuntu doesn't boot up without booting installation USB- System hangs on boot
Cause: Grub loader is not installed correctly.
Solution: After booting to Ubuntu via installation USB, install grub loader correctly using the following commands:
sudo grub-install /dev/sda
sudo update-grub
You can then reboot the system normally and the error should no longer come up.
Hi Milan, your English is actually very good for 2nd language. This is very strange situation you have here.
The last two lines you mentioned in step 4 is the normal last part of POST before the OS hand-off so it doesn't really reveal anything. At this point it looks like the POST completed as you stated and the system attempted the it the OS hand-off. But, let's double check the VD's to be sure.
Were there any messages about foreign configuration detected or any other unknown devices? If you go into the RAID controller BIOS (CTRL R assuming PERC 5i is installed), do you see in Foreign View columns on the main menu? Do you also see all your hard drives and VD's intact with no errors? If you have multiple VD's , check under CTRL MGMT column to ensure that the correct VD is listed as the bootable VD (if the wrong one is selected it will attempt to go to the next bootable device such as the USB)
Also, can you check your boot order in the F2 BIOS system setup?
Thank you for your reply. I checked the settings you mentioned to make sure that everything is set up as you described but I am still having no luck with the server.
There were no messages about foreign configuration detected or any other unknown devices. If I go to the RAID controller, there are no Foreign View columns and everything seems to be intact. I only have 1 VD which is also the only available option in the CTRL MGMT column. The boot order in the BIOS is also correct. I have added some photos of the settings you mentioned.
The below pictures are of the boot-up. The first picture is of a battery error, however, I have tried to let the system plugged in turned off for at least 24 hours and the error is still there. Also, I have had the error in the past when they system worked so I am not sure how significant it could be, however, I am adding a picture of it nonetheless. In the second picture, you can see what the screen looks just before the system hang up and on the third picture, you can see the system after the hang up (notice the top right going blank).
I have found that there can be an issue with a corrupt install on the hard drives that can cause this. The issue is that there may be data from the previous install that was not being overwritten. It could be causing the system to hang at the boot loader.I recommned that you delete the RAID array, create an temporary array that is different than what you have now(a disimiliar array), then delete the temp array before recreating your actual array. Don't forget to fully initialize the array (Not fast init).
Before receiving your comment, I substituted one of my desktop hard drives for the hard drive that I originally used in the server because I knew that the hard drive was working properly. After the successful installation, the system booted up properly. Because the initialization took about 3 hours and I was already really tired, I decided to work with the system the next day. However, the next day, I had the system hang on boot, I realized that the USB wasn't plugged in so I tried to boot up from the hard drive with the USB plugged in. The system booted up successfully. I unplugged the USB and tried to make Ubuntu update the grub loader, not giving the system much hope. After reboot (with the USB not plugged in), the system ran fine so I assumed everything was running correctly. Just to make sure, I powered the server off and switched it on again to make sure that the system worked without the USB. All ran well. However, after around 4-5 reboots, the system hangs up again and so I have to use the USB to get it to boot up properly which is a rather large annoyance because it means I have to find the USB I used, connect a screen and keyboard to the server and see what it does which is a huge waste of time.
After reading your comment, I wasn't really sure what you meant by deleting the RAID array, creating a temporary array and then recreating the actual array. Do you mean to set up the hard drive in something like RAID 1 with a second hard drive and then run it in RAID 0 again? Or do you mean to simply reconfigure the hard drive? Or did you mean something else? I am not used to troubleshooting of the server itself so please excuse my lack of knowledge. Either way, since I don't have a secondary hard drive to match the one that was in the server originally and my desktop hard drives are all in use and I can't take them out to run the hard drive I took out in RAID 1, I decided to reset the configuration of the original hard drive and create a new VD with Write Through policy (because of the warnings that were coming up with regarding the battery at start up). This time during the installation of Ubuntu, the installer always failed to install grub loader. Every single time, with different settings, etc, it always failed to install grub loader. I am not sure if it still has some data on the hard drive which is causing the error, however, since the installation worked on a virtualbox AND the other hard drive, I don't think that the fault is with the USB or the files on it. Just to make sure, I will take out the hard drive I used originally in the server and try to check it for errors on my desktop, however, since my other hard drive is getting the same error every couple of reboots, I still think that the error is either in the server or in the grub loader although I am not really sure. I will try using the boot repair method to see whether the hang on boot will still occur.
I appreciate your help and I am sorry for the wall of text,
Thanks for the helpful update and glad you found a workaround.
Btw, in reference to your question about creating a dissimilar RAID array. It just means to delete your current and temporarily create something that is different This is just an old school way of doubly ensuring that if you have a corrupt array, that there is no chance it will still be lurking in the shadows to come back and haunt you. It's not as critical on these new controllers these days, but it does not hurt. The important part there is do a full initialization of the final array to ensure array corruption is addressed. Now, of course, i didn't realize you only a RAID 0 and no other available drives, thus you couldn't do this nonetheless since the other dissimilar arrays would be require additional drives.
Skace
4 Posts
0
October 26th, 2014 10:00
I think I have found a solution to my issue. I tried to reinstall grub on the system and it managed to fix the problem. This is a rather weird solution to a rather weird problem, however, I have tried it twice and it worked both times. I came to the solution when deciding that the hardware and the BIOS settings where correctly set up and therefore one of the only things that could cause the problem was the grub loader. I therefore searched up how to reinstall the grub loader and the problem was solved.
Problem: Ubuntu doesn't boot up without booting installation USB- System hangs on boot
Cause: Grub loader is not installed correctly.
Solution: After booting to Ubuntu via installation USB, install grub loader correctly using the following commands:
sudo grub-install /dev/sda
sudo update-grub
You can then reboot the system normally and the error should no longer come up.
Source: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/Installing refer to "Reinstalling GRUB 2 from working system."
DELL-Bo Pham
2 Intern
•
261 Posts
0
October 20th, 2014 14:00
Hi Milan, your English is actually very good for 2nd language. This is very strange situation you have here.
The last two lines you mentioned in step 4 is the normal last part of POST before the OS hand-off so it doesn't really reveal anything. At this point it looks like the POST completed as you stated and the system attempted the it the OS hand-off. But, let's double check the VD's to be sure.
Were there any messages about foreign configuration detected or any other unknown devices? If you go into the RAID controller BIOS (CTRL R assuming PERC 5i is installed), do you see in Foreign View columns on the main menu? Do you also see all your hard drives and VD's intact with no errors? If you have multiple VD's , check under CTRL MGMT column to ensure that the correct VD is listed as the bootable VD (if the wrong one is selected it will attempt to go to the next bootable device such as the USB)
Also, can you check your boot order in the F2 BIOS system setup?
Let us know what you find.
Skace
4 Posts
0
October 22nd, 2014 09:00
Thank you for your reply. I checked the settings you mentioned to make sure that everything is set up as you described but I am still having no luck with the server.
There were no messages about foreign configuration detected or any other unknown devices. If I go to the RAID controller, there are no Foreign View columns and everything seems to be intact. I only have 1 VD which is also the only available option in the CTRL MGMT column. The boot order in the BIOS is also correct. I have added some photos of the settings you mentioned.
http://gyazo.com/9b59602df9c51a72a1236e03a29a1349
http://gyazo.com/56c3c1446768ff8efab5bfc97493c913
The below pictures are of the boot-up. The first picture is of a battery error, however, I have tried to let the system plugged in turned off for at least 24 hours and the error is still there. Also, I have had the error in the past when they system worked so I am not sure how significant it could be, however, I am adding a picture of it nonetheless. In the second picture, you can see what the screen looks just before the system hang up and on the third picture, you can see the system after the hang up (notice the top right going blank).
http://gyazo.com/2a3182cdc7e3246119254e2fd6086497
http://gyazo.com/29069a8d0b9f5f7794d2755119078d43
http://gyazo.com/77dd2c60ed67a10eb512fad6863cd490
Due to the upload restrictions, I decided to use Gyazo to make a screenshot of the photos.
Thanks,
Milan
DELL-Bo Pham
2 Intern
•
261 Posts
0
October 23rd, 2014 10:00
Milan,
I have found that there can be an issue with a corrupt install on the hard drives that can cause this. The issue is that there may be data from the previous install that was not being overwritten. It could be causing the system to hang at the boot loader.I recommned that you delete the RAID array, create an temporary array that is different than what you have now(a disimiliar array), then delete the temp array before recreating your actual array. Don't forget to fully initialize the array (Not fast init).
Alernatively, you can try a boot repair as mentioned from this similiar issue mentioned here: http://askubuntu.com/questions/154831/system-will-not-boot-without-usb-thumb-drive-inserted
Let us know how that goes for you.
Skace
4 Posts
0
October 26th, 2014 05:00
Hello,
Before receiving your comment, I substituted one of my desktop hard drives for the hard drive that I originally used in the server because I knew that the hard drive was working properly. After the successful installation, the system booted up properly. Because the initialization took about 3 hours and I was already really tired, I decided to work with the system the next day. However, the next day, I had the system hang on boot, I realized that the USB wasn't plugged in so I tried to boot up from the hard drive with the USB plugged in. The system booted up successfully. I unplugged the USB and tried to make Ubuntu update the grub loader, not giving the system much hope. After reboot (with the USB not plugged in), the system ran fine so I assumed everything was running correctly. Just to make sure, I powered the server off and switched it on again to make sure that the system worked without the USB. All ran well. However, after around 4-5 reboots, the system hangs up again and so I have to use the USB to get it to boot up properly which is a rather large annoyance because it means I have to find the USB I used, connect a screen and keyboard to the server and see what it does which is a huge waste of time.
After reading your comment, I wasn't really sure what you meant by deleting the RAID array, creating a temporary array and then recreating the actual array. Do you mean to set up the hard drive in something like RAID 1 with a second hard drive and then run it in RAID 0 again? Or do you mean to simply reconfigure the hard drive? Or did you mean something else? I am not used to troubleshooting of the server itself so please excuse my lack of knowledge. Either way, since I don't have a secondary hard drive to match the one that was in the server originally and my desktop hard drives are all in use and I can't take them out to run the hard drive I took out in RAID 1, I decided to reset the configuration of the original hard drive and create a new VD with Write Through policy (because of the warnings that were coming up with regarding the battery at start up). This time during the installation of Ubuntu, the installer always failed to install grub loader. Every single time, with different settings, etc, it always failed to install grub loader. I am not sure if it still has some data on the hard drive which is causing the error, however, since the installation worked on a virtualbox AND the other hard drive, I don't think that the fault is with the USB or the files on it. Just to make sure, I will take out the hard drive I used originally in the server and try to check it for errors on my desktop, however, since my other hard drive is getting the same error every couple of reboots, I still think that the error is either in the server or in the grub loader although I am not really sure. I will try using the boot repair method to see whether the hang on boot will still occur.
I appreciate your help and I am sorry for the wall of text,
Thanks,
Milan
DELL-Bo Pham
2 Intern
•
261 Posts
0
October 29th, 2014 10:00
Thanks for the helpful update and glad you found a workaround.
Btw, in reference to your question about creating a dissimilar RAID array. It just means to delete your current and temporarily create something that is different This is just an old school way of doubly ensuring that if you have a corrupt array, that there is no chance it will still be lurking in the shadows to come back and haunt you. It's not as critical on these new controllers these days, but it does not hurt. The important part there is do a full initialization of the final array to ensure array corruption is addressed. Now, of course, i didn't realize you only a RAID 0 and no other available drives, thus you couldn't do this nonetheless since the other dissimilar arrays would be require additional drives.