failed f16 preupgrade, now stuck in grub2 rescue, can't exit

[Eddie G. O'Connor Jr.]

On 08/05/2012 08:48 PM, jackson byers wrote:
> [additional info from OP:
>
> I want to emphasize what I didn't explicitly say in my post:
>
> I can of course hit the power button,
> but when powering back up I only get back to
> the original fail message:
>
>     GRUB loading
>     Welcome to GRUB!
>
>     error: no such device:  8f24…blahblah
>     Entering rescue mode …
>
>     grub rescue >
>
> So I have no way to boot my other f14.
>
> That 8f24… is the UUID of the f14 partition on USB
> that I was trying to preupgrade to f16.
>
> presumably, "no such device" because that partition
> is sda2 on external USB, which grub2 can't see.
>
> That original f14 was overwritten by the preupgrade--
> it was clear that the process had got close to final steps.
>
> But that 8f24 partition, has since been reformatted
> in my frantic steps trying at least to get out of
> this   "grub rescue >"  jail.
>
>
>
> --
> Another peculiarity:
>
> when i boot up with an old knoppix cd
> and examine the system with its legacy grub
>
> grub > root (hd0,
>         root (hd1,
>         root (hd2,
>
> hd0 is the external USB
> hd1, hd2 are my two scsi internal disks.
>
> what is odd is that "grub root (hd0,"  can see the USB
> which is not my previous experience
> using the knoppix legacy grub on this system--
> then, only the two internal disks were seen.
>
> It's as if my garbaged preupgrade to a grub2 system
> has somehow modified the behavior of
> what legacy "grub > " sees !!??
>
> If I were to attempt to reinstall
> the legacy grub bootloader  to MBR of first internal disk
> using knoppix cd:
>
>   root (hd2,8)  <<<9th partition on 3rd disk seen by "grub >"
>   setup (hd1)   <<< mbr of 1st internal disk
>
> (my grub data-only partition is number 9 on 2d internal disk)
>
> BUT,
> the mbr install was previously done
> using this same knoppix cd
>
> when the USB was not visible to "grub >"
> so then the original commands were:
>
>   root (hd1,8)   <<< 9th partition on 2d internal disk
>   setup (hd0)    <<< mbr of 1st internal disk
>
>
>
> As it now stands I am completely baffled.
> I would like to hear comments from the list
> before trying either of above.
>
> I don't mind so much the failure at the near end
> of the preupgrade;
> I knew I had to jump thru some hoops because
> or my system not being able to boot from USB,
> but this mess!?
>
> Jack
Although I'm no Fedora or Linux guru by ANY stretch of the imagination, 
I would have to just echo and agree with just about all the other posts 
I've seen for this issue....dude, a straight fresh install should be the 
solution....I don't think there's anything that will help something as 
ugly as this beautiful disaster you're describing. Blow away WHATEVER"S 
on the HDD and start fresh, and I wouldn't even go with a USB-type, I'd 
go "old school" and get a DVD burned iso image and install it THAT way, 
at least THIS way, you'd be assured of getting the LATEST version of 
Fedora without any glitches to your install.


EGO II