Ubuntu Server 10.04.4 LTS

No other operating systems installed

Hardware RAID (3Ware 9650SE)

Single partition (/dev/sda2) plus swap (/dev/sda3)

Grub version: GNU GRUB 1.98-1ubuntu13

Since applying a recent kernel update the server always boots to the grub prompt after a reboot.

There's no boot menu or error message - just a grub > prompt.

I can boot the system as follows:

set root=(hd0,2)

linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda2 ro

initrd /initrd.img

boot

Once it's up, I've tried doing update-grub but the problem doesn't go away.

I've also tried grub-install --recheck /dev/sda but it also doesn't help.

For some reason it always boots to the grub prompt.

My /boot/grub/grub.cfg:

#

# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE

#

# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates

# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub

#



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then

  load_env

fi

set default="0"

if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then

  set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}

  save_env saved_entry

  set prev_saved_entry=

  save_env prev_saved_entry

  set boot_once=true

fi



function savedefault {

  if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then

    saved_entry=${chosen}

    save_env saved_entry

  fi

}



function recordfail {

  set recordfail=1

  if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi

}

insmod ext2

set root='(hd0,2)'

search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f

if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then

  set gfxmode=640x480

  insmod gfxterm

  insmod vbe

  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else

    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't

    # understand terminal_output

    terminal gfxterm

  fi

fi

insmod ext2

set root='(hd0,2)'

search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f

set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale

set lang=en

insmod gettext

if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then

  set timeout=-1

else

  set timeout=10

fi

### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

set menu_color_normal=white/black

set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray

### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-40-server' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

    recordfail

    insmod ext2

    set root='(hd0,2)'

    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f

    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-40-server root=UUID=1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f ro   quiet

    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-40-server

}

menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-40-server (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

    recordfail

    insmod ext2

    set root='(hd0,2)'

    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f

    echo    'Loading Linux 2.6.32-40-server ...'

    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-40-server root=UUID=1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f ro single 

    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'

    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-40-server

}

menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-33-server' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

    recordfail

    insmod ext2

    set root='(hd0,2)'

    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f

    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-server root=UUID=1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f ro   quiet

    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-33-server

}

menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-33-server (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {

    recordfail

    insmod ext2

    set root='(hd0,2)'

    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f

    echo    'Loading Linux 2.6.32-33-server ...'

    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-server root=UUID=1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f ro single 

    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'

    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-33-server

}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {

    insmod ext2

    set root='(hd0,2)'

    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f

    linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin

}

menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {

    insmod ext2

    set root='(hd0,2)'

    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1044722d-a8c7-4983-b6a4-f9faa3d4e79f

    linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8

}

### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

if [ ${timeout} != -1 ]; then

  if keystatus; then

    if keystatus --shift; then

      set timeout=-1

    else

      set timeout=0

    fi

  else

    if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then

      set timeout=0

    fi

  fi

fi

### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###



### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the

# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change

# the 'exec tail' line above.

### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

I've not knowingly edited files in /etc/grub.d or /etc/default/grub.

I've read lots of grub related posts these last few days and most seem to claim running update-grub will fix the problem but it hasn't worked for me.

Also, I'd like this not to happen next kernel update if possible.

Finally; the server lives in a remote data centre - I have remote KVM access but getting it to boot off a live CD will be difficult so any solutions that don't involve that are preferred. :-)