lilo->grub, stage1 failure/loop

[Mitch Pirtle]

Hi list!

When switching from RedHat 7.x to 8.0, I decided to just reinstall (and
repartition) so everything was nice and new.  I incorrectly assumed that
grub would simply overwrite(sp?) the lilo stuff.

After the first boot, I received my familiar lilo menu - which of course
no longer worked, as all the partitions had been overwritten.

So, from booting on a rescue floppy, I ran 'grub-install /dev/sda'. 
Now, at (I think) stage 1 the screen fills up with the following:

GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB
GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB
GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB ... and so on.

As an aside, I find it entertaining to think that this loop sounds
suspiciously like a politician - saying the same thing over and over,
but not really saying anything at all.  :^P

My disk layout is definitely non-standard, and maybe that is what is
causing my pain.

        /dev/sda:       connected to highpoint scsi controller
        /dev/hde:       connected to triones ide controller
        /dev/hdf:       also on triones controller

Contents of the /boot/grub/device.map:

        (fd0)   /dev/fd0
        (hd0)   /dev/sda
        (hd1)   /dev/hde
        (hd2)   /dev/hdf

After searching the docs, I could find no mention of a machine with all
drives on external controllers (instead of on-board MoBo-based ones). 
Also, I could find no mention of the dreaded 'GRUB GRUB...' loop.  But I
simply do not have enough feedback to know where the trouble is coming
from.

Anyone out there that could give me a good whack with a cluestick?

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