grub/reiserfs/menu problem

[Rui Prior]

> I'm trying to use grub to boot Linux on a reiserfs partition.
>
> If I run grub
>     root (hd0,4)
>     embed /boot/grub/reiserfs_stage1_5 (hd0)
>     setup
>     quit
>
> it says
>     Running "install (hd0,4)/boot/grub/stage1 d (hd0) (hd0)1+19 p
> (hd0,4)/boot/grub/stage2"
> The install succeeds, but on boot up, grub loads stage 1.5 and then says
> it fails on line 146.
>
> If I change the install command to
>     install (hd0,4)/boot/grub/stage1 d (hd0) (hd0)1+19
> (hd0,4)/boot/grub/stage2 p (hd0,4)/boot/grub/menu.lst
> grub boots the to grub command shell, but does not install the menu.

I had a similar problem ("failed line xxx" after loading stage 1.5 (I guess), 
then no boot possible, not even using "root (fd0)" then "chainloader +1" to 
boot from the floppy) after converting my root partition to reiserfs. I had 
previously made a .tar.gz of my filesystem, then using rescue disk did a 
mkreiserfs on my root partition, then extracted the .tar.gz and finally 
re-installed grub.
No matter what I tried (believe me, I wasted a LOT of hours) it wouldn't 
boot. I solved the problem by:
1) installing Mandrake 8.1 again, this time with a reiserfs root filesystem
2) deleted everything from the root partition
3) extracted the tar.gz again

Now it boots perfectly, and even if I reinstall grub (using the very same 
files as previously) it still works!
Any idea on the possible cause of the problem?


Rui Prior