Grub Rescue Issue After Last Update [Solved]

[dragonfly]

demo@mx1:~/Desktop
$ sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
mount: /mnt: /dev/sda2 already mounted on /mnt.
demo@mx1:~/Desktop
$ ls /mnt
bin etc initrd.img.old libx32 mnt pulse sbin usr vmlinuz.old
boot home lib lost+found opt root sys var
dev initrd.img lib64 media proc run tmp vmlinuz
demo@mx1:~/Desktop
$

[dragonfly]

Thanks pbear, here are the results of those commands. I will try the installation to an external drive-I think that's a good idea. It may take me a bit to get that part done, but I will post the results. Also, are you familiar with gsmartcontrol? I read it checks the health of a disk drive, but I also read it may not be accurate.

[dragonfly]

Code: Select all

demo@mx1:~/Desktop
$ sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
mount: /mnt: /dev/sda2 already mounted on /mnt.
demo@mx1:~/Desktop
$ ls /mnt
bin   etc         initrd.img.old  libx32      mnt   pulse  sbin  usr      vmlinuz.old
boot  home        lib             lost+found  opt   root   sys   var
dev   initrd.img  lib64           media       proc  run    tmp   vmlinuz
demo@mx1:~/Desktop
$

[dragonfly]

I resubmitted that in the correct in the correct form this time-

[pbear]

Thanks for reformatting the ls /mnt output. As you can see, you have all the expected directories this time (the only one I have which you don't is timeshift). By the way, for future reference, you could have fixed the formatting by edit to #31; that's what the little pencil icon is for. If you like, you can put a little note in the edited post explaining why you did the edit (I usually do).

Full install to USB test at your convenience. If you don't have a large enough flash drive, i.e., have to order one, I will mention that I've had good luck with Samsung. There are other good ones, but avoid cheap commodity drives. Okay for storage, but not running an OS.

Not familiar with gsmartcontrol per se, but see from a quick look that it relies on smartctl from smartmontools, which I have run into before. Yeah, it's one of those utilities that sometimes turns up useful information but more often not. On the other hand, no harm to running the test if you like.

Meanwhile, let's circle back to the Memory Test. No good reason for that to have failed. To confirm the flash drive is fine, please run the test on your good computer. No need to run the full test (Esc to cancel), though you can.

[dragonfly]

Okay, I'm reporting back, finally. This is what I did:

-I booted my problem computer with the live usb.
-I connected another usb and installed the OS to this 2nd usb.
-I shut the computer down (properly) and removed the live usb.
-I rebooted with the OS usb. It came up no problem. I typed a brief test document and saved it, changed the desktop and again properly shutdown.
-I rebooted with the OS usb, again with no problem, and it successfully kept the document and desktop (Is this what is called a portable OS? I'm considering doing this with an external hard drive so I can still operate if something happens in the future).
-I shutdown again, and removed the OS usb. I rebooted without any usbs and it goes directly to the grub rescue> prompt and Lenevo theme.

I tried the Memory Test from the live usb once more-no change, still a black screen. I forgot to mention my other computer with MX is a small netbook with the 32 version. My main driver is the 64 version, so I don't think I can run the memory test on that. I will have to borrow a computer, I guess. I know someone with Ubuntu. Could I do the Memory Test on that?

Lastly, if worse comes to worse, I have a techie relative who can help me replace the hard drive. Thanks in advance for suggestions on what to try or consider!

[pbear]

Lastly, if worse comes to worse, I have a techie relative who can help me replace the hard drive. Thanks in advance for suggestions on what to try or consider!

Bear in mind, we're not sure it's the hard drive. Could be RAM. Unable to run the memory test points that direction.

Sure, you can run the test on another computer (we're testing the flash drive) and it doesn't matter which OS it runs (even Windows would be fine), except as you say it has to be 64-bit. Be aware, a full test takes a couple hours to run, so you're probably going to want to cancel pretty soon, once you've confirmed the flash drive works.

Back to the full install USB drive. Yes, it's a portable system, provided the hardware on which you wish to run it is supported by the kernel. If the hardware requires special drivers (e.g., for an Nvidia graphics card), the USB drive is less portable and may require some fiddling to move back-and-forth between systems. In any event, a useful tool. I have several.

Anyhoo, let's try the next test for the full install USB drive, which is updates. That's where the regular install went sideways last time.

[dragonfly]

Hello, I followed the suggestions in #37.

-I tried the memory test with the live usb on the borrowed Ubuntu computer. Unlike my computer, it did open to the Memtest86 screen and show general information about the CPU and memory. However, no key or mouse would allow me to run the test on it.

-I booted the full install usb on my computer and it successfully installed 340+ updates to the drive. As it did that I read about ram. I came across this:

addictivetips.com/ubuntu-linux-tips/troubleshoot-ram-on-linux/

"As soon as the Ubuntu live USB boots up on your PC, press the ESC button. Selecting this button will instantly stop the booting process of the live disk and show you an Ubuntu menu. Please note on UEFI/Secure boot computer systems, you will not see a purple boot menu upon pressing the ESC button, and will not be able to access the 'test memory' option. This is due to the UEFI version of Ubuntu not supporting Memtest86. You must reboot your pc and load Ubuntu usb with 'Legacy Mode."

I booted into the BIOS and under the Boot tab changed Boot Mode to Legacy Mode from UEFI. I changed Boot Priority to Legacy First from UEFI First. Then I tried the memory test again and it worked ("Pass complete, no errors, press ESC to exit")! I did notice that Boot Order had 1-my live usb, 2-MX Linux, and 3-Ubuntu (I had this before MX).

So the memory test works under Legacy in the live usb, and the updates installed under UEFI to the full install usb. What should I do from here? Thanks!

[pbear]

Frankly, I'm puzzled MemTest is giving you so much trouble. As you probably noticed from your research, it's the standard app for this purpose. MX is just bundling it into their ISO (and it works fine for me in UEFI mode). At a guess, a small glitch in the USB burn process.* For future reference, you also can download the app and run directly. In your case, though, running the test in BIOS mode should be fine. I'd rely on it, albeit with an asterisk.

* Out of curiosity, which tool/app did you use to burn the ISO to flash drive? FWIW, I'm not, as I use something called Ventoy which boots directly from the ISO.
Edit: Just noticed UEFI Memory Test is also on the regular boot menu. What happens if you select that option from the full install USB drive?

Which leaves the hard drive. We don't know for sure it's defective, but have three reasons to think so (initial OS failure, update error on reinstall, and the full install USB test). That would be enough for me.

So, replace the hard drive, leave RAM alone (for now), and reinstall (keeping fingers crossed).

[dragonfly]

To be honest I can't remember which tool I used to make the live usb for this computer. It was either MX Live USB Maker in MX Tools or Etcher. I used both for my 2 computers and the for the full OS usb. Now I can't remember which I used on which. I could for good measure just burn a whole new one and start over, and replace the hard drive. Also, I ran the memory test from the full install usb and it ran perfectly. I forgot to change it from legacy back to UEFI in the bios, though, before I ran it.