Bug 44500 – GRUB fails to boot if you wish to run linux without graphics card.

• Status: RESOLVED FIXED
• Product: [OLD] Docs-user

[Description Alexander Norman 2004-03-12 16:11:17 UTC]

When you use the suggested configuration for grub from the documentation you will not be able to boot gentoo if you don't have a graphics card installed in the machine. The offending line of configuration is
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
if you have splashimage defined, grub will lock-up and fail to boot.
I've not seen what grub produces as I do not have a nullmodem cable to use with a serial line.

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1. Install gentoo using the default suggested configuration from the handbook.
2. Remove graphics card.
3. Boot

Actual Results:  
Linux fails to boot succesfully, probably locks with an error from grub.

Expected Results:  
Booted into linux login.
The solution was to remove splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
from grub.conf in /etc/boot/grub/

[Comment 1 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2004-03-13 02:05:50 UTC]

This is a candidate for a Tips 'n Tricks document. Depending on #44335

[Comment 2 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2004-03-28 10:44:23 UTC]

Thanks for reporting. I've added a comment about this in the example grub.conf.