Linux® For Dummies®, 8th Edition

Tip #10: “Help, My Machine Hangs During Boot!”

When configuring a Linux machine, you may encounter problems with the /etc/grub.conf file. This file indicates the operating system or systems to which your system can boot, and the file also contains Linux start-up settings. In order to fix your computer, you can either try rebooting and selecting a different Linux boot option from the menu, or you could refer to Chapter 4 for instructions on using the rescue disk to boot into rescue mode. Consider this list of potential solutions if the /etc/grub.conf file makes trouble:

✓	If you have altered or added hard drives, you may need to change the boot line in the /etc/grub.conf file.
✓	If you haven’t made hardware changes, check to make sure that your /etc/grub.conf file is referring to the correct location of the Linux image. (The program code that loads and executes at runtime and is located in the /boot directory.)
✓	If the location under the /boot directory or the device for the root entry is incorrect, your system can’t boot to Linux.
✓	If you’re working with a multiboot operating system environment, be sure that your /etc/grub.conf file contains entries for each of your operating systems. Each operating system or Linux installation needs to be in separate entries.
✓	If your file contains entries to switch to a higher-resolution display and you have boot problems, try reducing the video setting to simple VGA.

Linux allows you to use spaces and other characters in filenames that you may or ...