Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: grub error: symbol 'grub_puts_' not found

Grub error symbol not found issue with Ubuntu upgrade

Quick Answer: Try reinstalling grub from a livecd and ensure the hard drive is recognized by Linux.

The 'grub error: symbol 'grub_puts' not found' issue affects users who have upgraded from Ubuntu 9.10 to 10.04 and experienced a restart during installation, resulting in an unbootable system. This error can be frustrating as it prevents the user from accessing their operating systems.

The primary goal of this troubleshooting guide is to help you resolve the 'grub error: symbol 'grub_puts' not found' issue and regain access to your installed operating systems.

💡 Why You Are Getting This Error

  • One of the main reasons for this error is a corrupted GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader) configuration file. During the upgrade process, the GRUB configuration file may have been damaged or deleted, leading to the 'symbol 'grub_puts' not found' error.
  • Another possible cause is that the GRUB bootloader was not properly updated during the installation process, resulting in an outdated version of the GRUB configuration file.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Reinstalling GRUB from a LiveCD

  1. Step 1: Insert the live Ubuntu CD/USB drive and boot from it. Open a terminal and type `sudo grub-install --reinstall /dev/sda` (replace `/dev/sda` with the actual device name of your hard drive). This will reinstall the GRUB bootloader.
  2. Step 2: After reinstalling GRUB, type `sudo update-grub` to regenerate the GRUB configuration file. This may take some time depending on the size of your system.

Manually editing the GRUB configuration file

  1. Step 1: Insert the live Ubuntu CD/USB drive and boot from it. Open a terminal and type `sudo nano /boot/grub/grub.cfg` to open the GRUB configuration file in the nano editor.
  2. Step 2: Locate the line that starts with `set timeout=10` and delete it. Then, locate the line that starts with `menuentry 'Ubuntu'` and modify it to include your hard drive device name (e.g., `/dev/sda1`). Save and exit the nano editor.

🎯 Final Words

To summarize, the 'grub error: symbol 'grub_puts' not found' issue can be resolved by reinstalling GRUB from a liveCD or manually editing the GRUB configuration file. By following these steps, you should be able to regain access to your installed operating systems and boot into Ubuntu successfully.

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