Linux Ent-5 not booting up after running mbralign on .vmdk

[vmkillies]

I have a RedHat Ent-5 Server which has a 16Gb Disk. I run the tool from NetApp - Mbralign to fix the Mbr allignment on the corresponding vmdk.

The tool is working perfectly fine for the windows server but has somehow the Linux server is not booting up after running the script.

Has anybody tried running mbralign tool on a linux or Solaris machine ? - Has anybody tried this before and got into the same situation?

I tried booting the server with old vmdk by giving the path of old vmdk from vmx file but it only takes me to GRUB prompt where i am not able to type anything.

Any help would be apreciated.. Thanks.

This is the blog which talkes about the Mbralign tool - http://blogs.netapp.com/storage_nuts_n_bolts/2009/01/mbrscanmbralign.html

[BigHug]

Didn't Netapp support give you the instruction how to use mbralign on Linux root disk? You need to reinstall boot loader back to mbr. Call support to get the detail instruction.

[vmkillies]

According to the instruction >> if the machine does not boot up then try booting it up with the old vmdk or ISO.

I tried it but it takes me the screen with GRUB > but i am not able to write anything on the screen.

[BigHug]

Did you try your old vmdk or cd/dvd? Your old vmdk should be intact. You can use it to boot up and reinstall bootloader on the new aligned vmdk.

[vmkillies]

Sorry for the late response on your reply ..still the screen hangs with the Grub> on the Console.

INot able to do anything further on to it.

[sportstech]

Linux Rescue to the rescue

Boot with the install CD

Run linux rescue

long wait...........

When you arrive to a prompt after the screen of questions

- CHROOT to /mnt/sysimage like it asks

- perform fdisk -l to see what your drive device is

- perform a grub-install /dev/sda (or /dev/hda or whatever your device was listed as from the fdisk)

Exit out and reboot and you should have your normal grub screen back and VM will boot